Barabanki Weavers Project

Lead Partner: Monsoon Accessorize Ltd
Project Partners: Association for Stimulating Know how (ASK)
Project Location: India (Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh)

Project Description

The overall purpose of the project is to improve the livelihoods and socio-economic conditions of homeworkers engaged in weaving in the Barabanki area of Uttar Pradesh, India.  Homeworkers represent a uniquely vulnerable stakeholder group within the global supply chain. They are generally not organised and have limited or no bargaining power. Conventional approaches for ensuring ethical standards, such as audits, are not workable in this context. Therefore, a more innovative and bottom-up approach is being proposed. Weavers are particularly vulnerable given their lack of alternative livelihoods.

In terms of implementation, the project will focus on three villages initially, reaching 200 primary producer units or households. It will scale up to nine villages in a later phased, reaching some 500 households. Following the RAGS funding, the project will aim to reach a further 18 villages or more.

The project focuses on the empowerment of weavers, both men and women, through the formation of a Primary Producers’ Forum. Through this Forum, members will have access to the following:

• Micro-credit
• design and technology inputs (including clean, silent power)
• access to market through direct links to international brands
• inputs and support to improve health and safety
• leadership training and capacity building
• improved capacity to negotiate fair piece rates.

The primary producers as members in return are expected to pledge to:

• not employ children
• provide increased access and control over resources to women
• adopt health and safety measures
• upgrade their unit technically
• be transparent and available for regular monitoring by the project team.

The project is expected to improve the status of women through skills training and gender sensitisation and create links with relevant service providers (e.g. micro finance institutions, design institutes, the Government Health Department, etc). Further, the outputs are expected to deliver positive socio-economic outcomes including higher piece rates, reduced working hours and safer, child-free working conditions.