Bangalore’s vast export-oriented garment industry has approximately 1200 factory units. The bigger companies have at least ten units each, while the largest of the lot have as many as thirty units or more. An estimated 95% of these factories lack functional crèches. The Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights conducted a study in 2011 and 2012 to statistically assess childcare facilities in Bangalore’s garment factories. Of the 118 factories that responded to the KSCPCR’s notice, only 12 admitted to not providing a crèche, but for those running a crèche, there was only one each for up to 1000 and more workers.
In 2015, Cividep India undertook a project to improve the quality of crèches in Bangalore’s garment factories in cooperation with the German feminist organisation FEMNET. The project was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Many of Bangalore’s garment manufacturers supply clothing – including children’s wear – to major global apparel brands. The project’s objective was to help establish functional crèches in select factories, and to lay the groundwork for a sustainable childcare model that could be adopted in garment factories across the city.
Cividep carried out a needs assessment in a few factories supplying to H&M and C&A, which led to dialogue between stakeholders, and ultimately, to efforts to improve childcare on the part of suppliers and brands.
Access the full report below.
A needs assessment of childcare facilities in Bangalore’s garment industry