Female Empowerment in India's Textile Industry - ShaktiMat's Production Worker Narrates

• Where are the origins of Women's Day and what does Women's History Month mean?
• How do women live in India and what rights do they have?
• A look at the economic status of Indian women
• How ShaktiMat advocates for Indian women and why Female Empowerment is so important in the workplace/business?
• Why is a workplace important for Indian women and their families?

It's the month of new beginnings, springtime and women's rights. As they have for over a hundred years, people around the world take to the streets on International Women's Day. To campaign for equal rights, higher wages and better working conditions for women, as well as for women's suffrage and against discrimination.

How we do our part for the rights of all women and girls - beyond Women's History Month? Aarti Devi will tell you. The 30-year-old Indian is one of about eighty female colleagues at our Gratitude Factory. Our production facility in Varanasi, India, where every acupressure mat is lovingly handcrafted, where only women work and can thus lead their lives more self-determined and financially independent.

Where are the origins of Women's Day and what does Women's History Month mean?

To this day, people are discriminated against - on the basis of their gender, origin, religion or sexual orientation. To put an end to this injustice, women all over the world joined forces centuries ago to stand up for their rights. Incidentally, since 1975, March 8 has been known as the "United Nations Day for Women's Rights and World Peace." But as early as the end of the 19th century, the women's and workers' movement of the time advocated for a separate day for women to stand up globally for humanitarian rights, economic equality, political goals. Broken down, this means that they stand up against all forms of discrimination - until today. And the fight for a fairer world continues. Because in many parts of the world, the role of women is still socially less valued than that of men. Even when the law is fair, turning it into reality is usually the more difficult part of the job. But this is something we as individuals can do something about: We all need to rethink, to critically question outdated, (subconsciously) instilled or self-imposed behavior patterns and ways of thinking, to exchange ideas, to look for new ways and solutions, and to be open to new and unknown things and to listen.  

"We cannot succeed
if half of us are held back."
- Malala Yousafzai
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Child Rights Activist

How do women live in India and what rights do they have?

Women's rights and gender equality are officially recognized in India. Nevertheless, the democratic country is considered the most dangerous for women in the world. Why is that?

The difference between legal regulations such as those of governments, the UN and the EU unfortunately still often do not reflect reality. For women in India, the social disregard and position of women is a persistent problem that allows discrimination on many different levels. It is not only based on gender, but also on caste, class, sexual orientation or (religious) traditions.

One example: For centuries, it was common for families to pay so-called dowries to the husband's family when their daughter married. Although the law has prohibited dowries since 1961, they are still very common. Often the payments are a large, financial burden on the bride's family. Dowry disputes in Indian families repeatedly lead to women being mistreated, disowned or even killed.

A look at the economic status of Indian women:

In the country's export-rich textile industry, the proportion of women workers is around 70 % - depending on the region, even higher. Despite the fact that so many women find employment in this industry, working conditions are often miserable. Salaries amount to less than the legally required minimum wage. The gender pay gap in the Indian apparel industry is about 39%.

At home with the Devi family. Aarti prepares breakfast for her husband, children and mother-in-law.

How ShaktiMat advocates for Indian women and why Female Empowerment is so important in the workplace/business?

In terms of "de jure" - i.e. according to current law - ever stronger regulations are coming into force to protect the rights of women and girls worldwide. To ensure that this also becomes reality, we are called upon as a global society. We have therefore not only taken up the cause of women's advancement; it is our cornerstone, our philosophy, our why.

This already begins with the name: The word 'Shakti' comes from Sanskrit and represents the primordial feminine force of compassion, creativity and a nurturing quality. Our hope is that all who come into contact with one of our mats will feel connected to this energy. It was therefore a conscious decision to have our mats manufactured in a production facility where only women work, earning salaries above the local average and enjoying many other benefits. At the moment we employ around 80 women.

The all-female workforce is designed not only to protect women from potential harassment and physical and psychological violence in the workplace (as is a terrible reality in conventional factories in the Indian textile industry), but also to provide them with a safe support network. Many of the women employees were also only allowed to start working at Gratitude Factory because there were no men working there.

Why is a workplace important for Indian women and their families?

Since our founding in 2006, we've had a vision: to create a place that supports women to be financially independent so they can be self-sufficient. Time to get back to that place - the women who made your mat 100% by hand. It's important to tell their stories. To draw attention to their situation and inspire other women.

One of our employees at Gratitude Factory in Varanasi - Aarti Devi - took us for a day to give us and you a glimpse into her daily life. This is her story:

ShaktiMat: Please introduce yourself.

Aarti Devi: My name is Aarti Devi. I am 30 years old.

SM: Who all belongs to your family?

AD: I live together with my husband, my three children and my mother-in-law. Like me, my husband works. The children go to school and my mother-in-law stays at home.

SM: Have you ever had financial difficulties at home?

AD: Yes, I have financial difficulties at home. Sometimes - especially in the rainy season - it happens that my husband can't get a job. He is a painter and paints houses. During this time it is difficult for him to find work.

SM: How did you find out about our production facility in Varanasi?

AD: I used to come to the local market to shop. Then I saw the poster hanging in front of the ShaktiMat factory . I had applied for the job before. There was no vacancy there. After seeing the poster and talking to the people here, I applied again. Since then I have been working here.

SM: How has your life changed since you started working at Gratitude Factory?

AD: My life has changed a lot. Before, I had to make do with little money, which was very difficult. I sewed and had no steady jobs. I even had to work in the fields, but it was irregular. Since I started working here, I can have a regular income.

SM: How do you like working here?

AD: I like it very much. I even miss work when I'm on vacation. Since I've been working here, I can meet almost all the needs of my family and children. I don't have to ask anyone for anything anymore. Since I work here, I have saved some money that I can use for my own expenses. I don't even have to ask my husband and I can spend the money on my children and myself. It is used for the household. Whether it's to buy something for the kids or for groceries. Neither of us keep it as such. Now it doesn't matter if my husband earns money or not because I can support our expenses through my earnings. Also, I have a support system because I earn something.

SM: Tell us a bit about your daily routine. How do you start the day before you come to Gratitude Factory?

AD: I wake up and clean the house first. Then I clean the chulha and cook. After that, I wake everyone up, get my kids ready for school, give my family breakfast, and send them off to work and school. Then I eat, wash the utensils, get ready and come here to work.

SM: And what is your routine at work?

AD: I come here and sew the mats. Sometimes, when there is more demand for the mats, I also help repair the discs.

SM: How long does it take you to process a mat?

AD: It takes me at least 20 minutes to work on one mat. I work on at least 30 mats a day. I like the fact that I have sewn so many mats at the end of the day.

SM: How does the company support the workforce?

AD: I get a free lunch here and if we are sick we get medicine or get help through the ShaktiMat Emergency Fund. We can take vacation here, but they don't deduct the salary, so that's a good thing. Such benefits are very helpful for us. I don't know if I would get the same benefits and money if I worked somewhere else. So I don't feel like I would ever want to leave this place.

SM: There is a scholarship fund for the daughters of all female employees.

AD: Exactly! My daughter went to a public school along with my other two children. Through the scholarship, she is going to an English middle school and I am so happy about that. It's like a dream come true. In the past, when my daughter saw other children going to a better school, she always said that she also wanted to wear a uniform, ride in the school bus and study in that school. I couldn't make that happen for her before, but now her dream and mine of sending her to a better school has come true.

SM: How do you feel about the mats made here going to other countries, and people benefiting from using these mats.

AD: I feel that our hard work helps others to relieve their pain. And that's why I feel happy that I'm making this mat.

SM: Do other women who see you come to work feel inspired and want to work here?

AD: Many of the women in my neighborhood even work here with me. Others feel that working in the fields allows them to spend more time at home instead of coming to the factory. And still others have small children so they can't come here to work.

SM: How many women have followed you here?

AD: There are almost 7-8 women from Narottampur who joined after they saw me working here. Like Geeta di, Meena di and there are also many other girls.

SM: Women from every caste and religion come here and work together. How is that in your opinion?

AD: I like working here very much because people don't differentiate according to caste and religion. We even eat from each other's plates and are satisfied that no one discriminates here. Outside in society, people may differentiate, but within the team we never do. It is a harmonious environment. We work like a family. We share each other's worries and happiness and also help each other at work.

SM: What exactly does this teamwork look like?

AD: If someone gets sick and can't finish their work, we share their work and finish it.

SM: What is your final message for all your customers?

AD: We make the mats for them and for their benefit and that gives us great pleasure.

SM: Thank you!

(Editor's note: Original interview translated into German.)

We hope that together with Aarti we could give you a little insight into the reality of women in India's North. Feel free to discuss with others in our acupressure Facebook group what you think about the production of the acupressure mat, whether our colleagues in Varanasi could inspire you for Female Empowerment Month 2021 and what tips you have against discrimination.

You can find out more about our other social and charitable projects here.

Sources:

• https://www.welthungerhilfe.de/informieren/themen/women-empowerment/
• https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/7-reasons-want-women-workplace/
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• https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/indien-wie-geht-es-frauen-hier-ein-mann-hat-einen-film-darueber-gedreht-a-62afd1ef-286a-4ef3-ad23-8bd4ec923efe
  
• https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2019-05/frauen-indien-wahlrecht-gleichberechtigung-wahlbeteiligung-mitbestimmung-feminismus
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