The Textile Industry Coalition (TiC), which was announced by the Tamil Nadu government on February 23, 2024, is a big step in strengthening the application of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 in the textile industry.

There are 2049 major and medium-sized textile mills in India; Tamil Nadu is home to 893 of them. In the same way, 792 of the 996 tiny units in the nation are found in Tamil Nadu. Women make up a sizable share of the state’s workforce in textiles and apparel.

TiC, a multi-stakeholder initiative, marks the beginning of a cooperative effort to develop a culture of zero tolerance towards sexual harassment and violence in Tamil Nadu’s textile sector. Its goal is to improve workplace safety, especially for women. A wide range of stakeholders are represented by the TiC, including trade unions, manufacturers, government agencies, industry associations, civil society organizations, and research institutes. These stakeholders are unified in their desire to foster a secure and empowering work environment for women in the textile industry by combining their knowledge and resources. The TiC, which was called by UN Women and is chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment, the Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles, and Khadi of Tamil Nadu, represents a comprehensive strategy for tackling gender-based violence in the workplace. The TiC reflects the Tamil Nadu government’s unwavering commitment to women’s welfare and empowerment by enlisting the co-operation of important stakeholders.

When it comes to workplace safety and preventing gender-based violence in the textile industry, other states and industry leaders can learn from this initiative of Tamil Nadu government:

• The TiC initiative emphasizes the value of bringing together a range of stakeholders, such as international organizations like UN Women, business leaders, government agencies, and civil society groups.
• States can identify key sectors where workplace safety and gender-based violence issues are prevalent and develop industry-specific coalitions or initiatives to address them effectively. Other states can model their collaboration efforts after this one in order to leverage collective expertise and resources in tackling complex issues like sexual harassment.
• Government departments and officials need to be actively involved in promoting workplace safety and gender equality. This is exemplified in this case when the leadership of the Department of Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment and the Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles, and Khadi of Tamil Nadu came together to make sure that these initiatives are successful and long-lasting, other states should give equal priority to leadership and support.
• Tamil Nadu’s strategy of creating industry-standard norms and codes of behaviour that cover every facet of the sector, from factory floors to policy-level interventions, this is a comprehensive model that other states can adopt.
• Leading clothing companies like H&M are actively involved in the TiC program, which highlights the significance of private sector involvement in advancing gender equality and workplace safety. Other states should promote cooperation between the public and private sectors in order to take advantage of corporate entities’ resources and power to influence industry transformation for the better.
• States need to integrate comprehensive monitoring and assessment systems into their endeavours to guarantee responsibility and promote ongoing enhancements in workplace security and gender parity activities.

Other governments can create comprehensive plans and programs to support workplace safety, fight gender-based violence, and create inclusive and empowered work environments across industries by implementing these important lessons from Tamil Nadu’s TiC effort.