The social agenda talks about equal rights, various fundamental freedoms, equal and fair living wages regardless of gender, health and security of employees and the need for healthy working environments etc. The Social Agenda sits within the context where all humans are born with equal and inalienable rights. Responding to the fact that we live in a world where people are not treated as equal, this agenda talks about the reality that human interactions currently create an inexcusable loss of dignity. They are responsible for social inequality, a crisis in employment and livelihoods, which is affecting our society in negative ways.
It is no more a secret that fashion industry is one of the most female dominating industries in the world. In many developing countries like Bangladesh, garment industry has women employees who are paid less than the minimum wage that is needed to fulfill a worker’s basic daily requirements. It is extremely important to know and understand that “minimum wage” is already half of what can be considered a living wage. Apart from the increasing wage gap, gender discrimination, physical abuse, labor exploitation, lack of hygienic working conditions, irregular working hours without any breaks, human rights violation etc. are also some of the issues that need to be dealt with. I believe that for a business to grow, it needs to adhere to the fundamental rights, laws and legislations set by the government. Apart from that, across the fashion industry, I value gender equality and therefore equal pay among employees, limited working hours and a decent living wage. Transparency in supply chains is one of the ways we can let consumers know more about how and where their garments are made and under what working conditions so that companies which defy the rules can be held accountable. The synergistic interaction of transparency and accountability can lead to a change that the industry needs. Advocating sustainability and making minimalism a way of life can have a huge impact as well. I envision a future for the fashion industry where transparency across supply chains, gender equality, better working conditions, fair wage system, quality over quantity are a way of life. To renew the Earth to its former glory, we need to have people educated about the rights, rules and regulations set by the government. The ultimate goal is to make ethical fashion, the new normal.
– Vasavi Mehta
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