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Health Equity and Social Justice

The garment industry in Bangladesh has a longstanding history of corruption, which further eroded when the industry went into partnership with a corrupt customer base who sought quality craftsmanship at an exceptionally cheap rate. The result culminated in a “totally flawed industry structure where sewers are forced work up to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week in terrible conditions” (Birnbaum, 2014, p. 1). Subsequently, until the government of Bangladesh takes an active interest in identifying and abolishing the laws and programs that promote corruption, the workforce will never achieve health equity and social justice (Pulok & Ahmed, 2017).

With that said, given the current state of union suppression (arrest of 34 union organizers), penal governance, low wages, unsafe and unhealthy working environments, and worker persecution, it appears, leaders have little if any interest in the implementation of global health policies aimed at improving the health and well-being of their workers (Human Rights Watch, 2017). Notably, widespread corruption within the industry gives way to the suppression of health equity and social justice, which collectively nurtures an environment that bears considerable responsibility for the burden of tuberculosis (TB) currently witnessed among garment factory workers.

Important to note, TB outbreaks are linked to overcrowding, poor ventilation, poor working conditions, poverty, malnutrition, and an imbalanced healthy workforce, all of which are conditions impacting the garment factory workforce (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, 2015). With that said, when considering the inclusive elements of health equity (poverty, discrimination, powerlessness, good jobs with fair pay, safe working environments, etc.), we can safely deduce the lack of health equity (a product of corruption) plays an important role in TB burden among garment factory workers given they do not have a fair and just opportunity to be healthier (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2017).

Building on the later, it’s important to examine the elements of social justice or lack thereof given its contribution to placing garment factory workers at an increased risk for TB. Social justice, as a concept, suggests that individuals “have equal rights and opportunities; everyone, from the poorest person on the margins of society to the wealthiest, deserves an even playing field” (Wise Geek, 2017, para. 2). However, social justice is not something afforded to the garment factory workforce when considering both industry leaders and the government continually fail to implement policies that would effectively level the playing field.

Subsequently, the absence of health equity and social justice within this industry serves to suppress and marginalize the health and well-being of workers, which in turn, places them at an increased risk of disease (TB in this instance), death or disability. Thus, for this workforce, there’s no sign of relief inside or outside the workplace. Markedly, at the nucleus of this issue, you find both industry and government corruption, which is designed to prevent a shift in power to those possessing a genuine interest to improve working conditions and wages, which in turn leads to advanced health and well-being. Importantly, health equity and social justice commonly occur when those in charge possess some semblance of a moral compass, yet, this industry lacks a moral compass; thus, indicating a dire need within this industry for legislation to address the issues of equity and justice. Until such a time this comes to fruition garment factory workers will never recognize the benefits associated with an even playing field; thus, their health, safety, and well-being remain in peril.

Reference

Birnbaum, D. (2014). Corruption and the Garment Industry. Retrieved from http://www.birnbaumgarment.com/2014/06/25/corruption-and-the-garment-industry/

Human Rights Watch. (2017). Bangladesh: Stop persecuting unions, garment workers. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/02/15/bangladesh-stop-persecuting-unions-garment-workers

Pulok, M. H., & Ahmed, M. U. (2017). Does corruption matter for economic development? Long run evidence from Bangladesh. International Journal Of Social Economics, 44(3), 350-361. Retrieved from doi:10.1108/IJSE-05-2015-0132

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2017) What is health equity. Retrieved from https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2017/05/what-is-health-equity-.html

Wise Geek. (2017). What is social justice. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-social-justice.htm