A comprehensive investigation by the Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC), which also operates an office in Berlin, uncovered 212 cases of labor and human rights abuses against more than 108,000 garment factory workers in Myanmar since the military took power illegally two years ago on.
The most common violations were wage cuts and wage theft, followed by unfair dismissals, inhumane working conditions and forced overtime, according to the report “Falling out of Fashion: Abuse of Garment Workers Under Military Rule in Myanmar” released on Wednesday.
Incidents of harassment, intimidation and abuse also increased, with the majority relating to gender-based violence and harassment of women. Freedom of association was also heavily attacked.
BHRRC calls on 46 fashion brands to take action against abuse
In a media release on Thursday, BHRRC named the 46 fashion brands that are failing to protect their workers from labor abuse in Myanmar, including Adidas, Mango, Next, Marks & Spencer, Guess, Juicy Couture, New Look, Matalan and Skims. Inditex, H&M, Primark and Bestseller have been linked to the most instances of alleged abuse since the military coup began, with 21, 20, 19 and 17 cases, respectively.
The Swedish fashion group H&M meanwhile stated in a statement to Reuters that it is investigating the 20 alleged cases of labor rights violations in its suppliers in Myanmar and that its team on site and in close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders will follow up and remedy them if necessary.
Spanish group Inditex, parent of fast fashion brand Zara, declined to comment on the report, which found 21 cases of alleged abuses at its suppliers, according to Reuters. However, last month Inditex announced it would stop sourcing from Myanmar after global union IndustriALL launched a campaign to persuade companies to stop investing in Myanmar following the military coup. Inditex has not yet stated when exactly it intends to stop sourcing from Myanmar, but spoke of a “gradual and responsible withdrawal”.
All 46 brands were surveyed on their human rights due diligence, with BHRRC finding “significant gaps” in their supply chain oversight in Myanmar. Guess, Mango, Moschino, American Holic, Creaciones Selene, Dunnes, Justin Brands, La Senza, New Yorker, Juicy Couture and Skims were among the brands that did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations related to them, although each of been linked to several cases of abuse. Only 17 percent of responses from brands mentioned remedial actions for workers.
“More than two years after the military coup in Myanmar, this report paints an alarming picture of the proliferation of human rights abuses against garment workers, many of whom make clothes for some of the world’s biggest fashion brands,” comments Natalie Swan, Labor Rights Project Manager at BHRRC. in the message.
“Fashion brands sourcing from Myanmar urgently need to recognize their impact on this situation – and work quickly to ensure better control over what’s going on in their supply chains in Myanmar,” adds Swan. “It is only right that fashion brands that rely on their profits come under pressure to further question the human rights risks in their supply chains. When a company sources its goods from a country experiencing armed conflict or widespread violence, it is that company’s responsibility to show how it is addressing this particular challenge.”
FashionUnited has also reached out to some of the companies mentioned and will update this article with any responses.