A Study of Empowerment and Increased Female Exploitation of Female Workers in the Textile Industry

Abstract

The textile industry contributes significantly to the economies of different countries around the world. Over the years, the industry has seen an increase in the number of females working in it. The textile industry has been one of the most female dominated industries in the world as more than 80 percent of the workforce is females. The increase in the number of female workers in the global industry has both positive and negative implications. On the positive side is that women are more empowered through improvement of economic status, provision of formal employment, access to knowledge and gaining of digital skills. On the other hand, the increase in women textile workers has exposed more of them to incidences of Gender Based Violence, harassment, overworking conditions, poor working conditions and under payment. Through evaluation of literature on both positive and negative implications of the increase of women in the textile industry this paper will seek to determine which of the two has more weight.