Universität zu Köln

Tadele Bayu, Rediet (2025). The working conditions of female factory workers in the textile and garment sector. A case study of an Ethiopian industrial park. Working Paper.

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Abstract

The study aimed to assess the decency of the working conditions of female textile and garment factory workers in an Ethiopian industrial park by exploring the overall gendered working environment. To this end, a case study research design based mainly on primary data sources was employed. While the samples for the study were chosen based on non-probability purposive sampling techniques, the discussion mainly draws on primary data sources gathered through key informant interviews with female workers at two foreign-earned factories in a single industrial park. Then, the collected data were analyzed using descriptive data source triangulation. The study's findings revealed that most textile and garment manufacturing employees are young females with primary-level education and some have TVIT/diploma certificates. However, the findings showed that the employment opportunities granted to female workers at the park came at the expense of their fundamental labor rights. On the other hand, the experience at one of the factories showed the chance of realizing decent job opportunities in the textile and garment sector. To this end, the researcher suggests the Ethiopian government should set a minimum wage limit, implement effective labor inspection and monitoring mechanisms, and promote investment policies supporting responsible investment practices.

Item Type:	Preprints, Working Papers or Reports (Working Paper)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Tadele Bayu, Rediet UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-786377
Series Name at the University of Cologne:	Kölner Arbeitspapiere zur Ethnologie
Volume:	11
Number of Pages:	31
Date:	2025
ISSN:	1864-7766
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Fächergruppe 4: Außereuropäische Sprachen, Kulturen und Gesellschaften > Institut für Ethnologie
Subjects:	Customs, etiquette, folklore
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Decent Work Agenda, Labor Conditions, Work Rights, Production Employees, Industrial Parks, Investment Promotion English
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/78637