“Mainstreaming the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the Bangladesh Garment, Leather and Tannery Industries” is a collaboration between Awaj Foundation and Action Aid Bangladesh. The purpose of the project was to mainstream the three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) through the integration of human rights due diligence, internal grievance mechanisms, and human rights policy statements into standard business practices in the textile, leather and tannery industries. It also aimed to enhance rights awareness and remedy for unfair practices among workers and trade unions.

As part of this project, Awaj Foundation provided trainings to workers on human rights, instruments such as the UNGP, social compliance, labour law, employer responsibility, the ILO and its activities and collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). It also brought together workers and management to train them on factory Participation Committees.

Achievements of this project include:

• 1,400 workers trained on human rights, workers’ rights and accountability mechanisms
• Training of 50 Trade Union Federation leaders, 10 of whom have been selected and given specialized training as master trainers
• Training of 200 factory-level Trade Union leaders, 20 of whom have been selected, nurtured and developed as leader and co-trainer
• Training of 170 mid-level management on due diligence and grievance mechanisms
• 195 Participant Committee members trained on roles and responsibilities of Participation Committees and grievance mechanisms