"The training showed me that I can have a better career. Until then I couldn't imagine being anything more than a simple operator. The training has also promoted my family's respect for me." Beauty Barman, Mymensing, Bangladesh Context Skills development for female garments workers Bangladesh is the third biggest garments exporter in the world. It exports over US $10 billion worth of garments constituting 15% of its GDP. The country's garments industry has radically changed the lives of millions of Bangladeshis. Garment factories employ some 3 million people, the majority of them poor women, and provide indirect support to millions more. Despite having drastically increased their presence in labour force, Bangladeshi women still face disadvantages and discrimination at home and in the workplace. They continue to be discouraged from using the law to stand up for their rights. Many female workers are confined to low-wage positions. Social disempowerment is a problem: Bangladesh has the highest rates of early marriage in Asia and high levels of domestic violence. Objectives Promote social standards in garments sector so that Bangladesh can tap its potential in the global market to boost its economic growth. Impact 1 500 women, including some with disabilities, were trained as skilled garments workers. Trained employees are paid starting wages three times higher than those of unskilled novices. Promotion of workers rights and of worker-management dialogue contributed markedly to better compliance in more than 1 000 factories, benefiting more than one million workers. Productivity of teams led by trained line supervisors increased by 18%. Trainees gained better ambitions, improved self-esteem and higher social status as well as bigger say in decision-making at home, in the community and in the workplace. Trade Promotion of labour standards in Bangladesh's garments sector EU Partner Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Facts and Figures EU contribution: € 2.4 million (85% of the total project) Period: January 2010 - December 2013 Locations: mainly Dhaka and Chittagong MDG 8