Kim woods only

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or Visual Media in Humanitarian Crises IS M A IL F e r d O U S is a B a n g la d e s h -b a s e d p h o t o j o u r n a l i s t a n d f r e e l a n c e r w h o s e

w o r k fo c u s e s o n h u m a n r ig h ts . H is p a s t p r o je c t s h a v e c o v e r e d c l i m a t e

c h a n g e , h e a lt h , a n d t h e g a r m e n t in d u s t r y , a n d h is w o r k h as r e c e i v e d a h o s t o f

a w a r d s , in c lu d in g o n e s f r o m t h e W o r l d B a n k a n d t h e W H O .

S ince the camera was invented in 1826, it has been used to docum ent everything from social injustice, inequality, famine, war, and hum an rights abuses to uplifting scenes o f hum anity, b ro th erh o o d , victory, love, and hope. Because photography has the power to visually reveal the truth, th roughout history

photographs have made huge impacts on social consciousness and ultim ately shaped public opinion on m any destructive governm ent policies.

T ake, for example, the power o f television during the V ietnam W ar. D uring the war, Americans were able to see the w ar’s im pact on both American soldiers and innocent civilians thro u g h th eir television screens for tire first time. Additionally, the bloody images o f war and pain, such as N ick U t ’s P ulitzer Prize-w inning “N apalm G irl,” added to the power o f the protests and unpopular public opinion that contributed to the U nited States’ ultim ate retreat.

In this way, visual journalism can emphasize the costs and benefits o f policies by p utting a hum an face on issues th at appear abstract, o r immensely overwhelming and out- of-reach from afar. Because we live in the age o f globalism and technology, our actions have an even greater impact on o th er nations than ever before. T h ro u g h docum entary photography, we now have the ability to show and encourage

understanding o f the perspective o f som eone who m ay live halfway across the world. By sharing these perspectives, view­ ers are compelled to think about how th eir decisions have a direct im pact on an o th er’s life thousands o f miles away. O ften, this knowledge spurs public debate on popular social media sites or in larger platform s such as news websites o r talk shows. T h ese debates can have strong effects on public opinion, and in this way, the media, traditionally known as the third branch o f government, can prevent self-interested parties such as governments and corporations from m onopo­ lizing laws and agendas.

T h o u g h claims o f this public service drew m e to docu­ m entary photography, it wasn’t until I covered the Rana Plaza collapse th at I truly understood its necessity. O n April 24, 2013, the world watched in h o rro r as rescue services pulled bodies, both dead and alive, out of the Rana Plaza building. T h e building housed a garm ent factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and had collapsed that m orning. T h o u g h cracks appearing in the building walls the day before led workers to say they would n o t re tu rn until the building was safe, workers were pressured to return to w ork through threats o f losing their whole m o n th ’s salary. U ltim ately killing 1,136 people and injuring m ore dian 2,000, the collapse marked the deadliest factory catastrophe in the history o f th e global

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garment industry. T hough I had covered stories such as the effects of

climate change and HIV/AIDS on Bangladeshi communi­ ties, the tragedy of Rana Plaza is the most traumatic I have ever experienced. T h e death, pain, chaos, and destruction were reminiscent of a war zone. Even though the scene was devastating, I knew that I had to push forward to document these people’s stories. In doing so, I came across moments that I will never forget.

On the first day of the collapse, I was trying to balance photographing the scene with helping the hundreds of vol­ unteers rescue the survivors. After an hour, two volunteers saying they wanted to show me something guided me to two dead bodies under the rubble. A black cloth covered the face of a woman clinging to the body of a man. It appeared as though they were hugging, huddled together to survive. Though I had been struggling with wanting to both photo­ graph and physically help, the sight of these two individuals who had been caught in their last moments of life embracing each other convinced me to keep shooting. In that moment,

ized that most people simply do not know where their clothes come from. T o garner public opinion about the clothing industry, I asked people along Fashion Avenue in Manhattan if they knew where their clothes were produced. Many people did not know, and some did not even care. I will never forget one person’s response: “Maybe in some sweatshop in some third world country? W ho cares? T h a t is life!”

T h e questions I asked myself, my friends and the re­ sponses I received from strangers about the global garment industry gave me the courage and inspiration to push forward with the issues surrounding the trade. After discussing my concerns with filmmaker N athan Fitch, our project, “T he Cost of Fashion,” was born. W e began work on a multimedia piece to link the events surrounding the Rana Plaza col­ lapse and third world production to western consumerism and cutthroat competition for low prices. W e also created a website to serve as a platform for viewers to learn more about the collapse and ways in which they can help. On February 6, 2014, along with T he Illuminator, a political art collective that has staged hundreds of interventions in

“Though claims of this public service drew me to documen­ tary photography, it wasn’t until I covered the Rana Plaza col­

lapse that I truly understood its necessity.”

I realized that it was my responsibility to bring the voices of these people to the rest of the world through photographs. T h e images I took showcase irresponsible policies and the deadly cost of fashion.

Though I continued to document the aftermath of the collapse for one month, it took longer to process all that had unfolded. W hen I look at my photographs, I can still hear the sounds of the victims’ families grieving. However, even then, I knew that the photographs would eventually be buried by the news and their stories would be forgotten if I didn’t fight to make them known. After experiencing the Rana Plaza tragedy firsthand, I wanted to spread my photographs to share the unjust lives of garment workers and motivate foreigners to take action.

This urge to do something greater became even stronger when I visited New York City in October of 2013, only a few months after the collapse. Seeing all of the large, fancy store windows lined with sale and discount signs, I could not help but think about the labels I saw in the rubble, the faces of the family members who lost loved ones, and the inhumane working conditions of the garment workers in Bangladesh. T he contrast between these two worlds was unsettling. How could people buy a pair of pants for only US$9, less than a glass of wine? How is it possible that Bangladeshi garment workers make US$38 a month while this same amount buys dinner for two in NYC?

W hen discussing these issues with friends there, I real-

public spaces to bring awareness to various social issues, 99 Pickets, a workers’ solidarity group based in New York City, and the International Labor Rights Forum, Mr. Fitch and I arranged a protest on the first night of New York Fashion Week. My images of the Rana Plaza collapse were projected onto the buildings of the Lincoln Center and stores such as T h e Children’s Place, one of many companies that still owe compensation to the victims of Rana Plaza. As the night progressed and we received reactions from people, I felt very grateful that we were able to collectively work together to represent the victims. For example, I remember that evening a woman talked to me about how corporations are destroy­ ing future prospects of the world and exploiting third world countries’ workers, which has a long term impact on the western world. Comments like these reassured me that the work we were doing was effective.

T heir voices reached even further when the documen­ tary that Mr. Fitch and I had been working on for months was published in T he New York Times in April for the one-year anniversary of the collapse. T he short documentary, “The Deadly Cost of Fashion,” has since been viewed more than 400,000 times.

T he response was huge: I received hundreds of emails from people who said the video helped them better un­ derstand how the consumerism drive in the western world drives industry malpractices such as extremely low wages, out-of-date safety practices, and an overall disregard for

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workers’ rights. Fashion designers, actresses, and activists turned to blogs, Facebook, and Tw itter to comment on the film. Canadian actress Alison Wandzura tweeted on the Cost of Fashion page “N o more Joe-Fresh T-shirts for me,” in reference to another company that has yet to compensate the Rana Plaza victims and their families. Miriam Revert, project manager of Slow Supply in Spain, wrote to me say­ ing that the video greatly inspired her slow fashion project, which aims to encourage consumers to place more thought in their purchases rather than falling subject to fast-fashion’s constant onslaught of products that oftentimes creates a need and pressure to buy into every season’s new trends. Lala Lopez, a fashion journalist and consultant, included my photographs from the collapse alongside a blog post for the one-year anniversary. In it she included a moving quote from Tara St. James of sustainable-clothing brand Study NY: “As consumers we have been conditioned to want more, faster and easier. W e have forgotten to ask questions and we no longer recognize quality of construction. I believe the only way to create change and stop future tragedies like the one at Rana Plaza is to start asking questions and demand accountability and transparency from designers, brands and corporations. Buy better, but buy less.”

T hrough protests, the creation of the video and the project, my goal is to not only bringing awareness to the issue at hand but also to the work that remains to be done. In May 2 013, just weeks after the Rana Plaza tragedy, over 35 brands and retailers entered into a unique compulsory covenant with Bangladeshi and international trade unions, with N G O s as witness participants and the International

A crushed man and woman embracing in the rubble of the Rana Plaza collapse. Claiming 1,129 lives, the Rana Plaza collapse is considered the deadliest garment factory incident in history.

Labor Organization as a neutral chair. Over 100 apparel brands and retailers have now signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, committing to work together to ensure safety in almost half of the country’s gar­ m ent factories. T he Accord, which will run for five years, includes impartial reviews by coached fire and building safety experts, public reporting, mandatory repair and revamps financed by brands. T he Accord is written in the form of a binding contract, which makes these commitments legally enforceable. On the other hand Alliance, which is a group of 26 N orth American companies, formed to improve and launch the Bangladesh W orker Safety Initiative, a binding, five-year undertaking with the commitment of improving safety in the Bangladeshi RM G sector after the collapse. Subsequent to the Rana Plaza collapse, to improve the condition of Bangladeshi garment factories, two organiza­ tions Accord and Alliance are working with the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and the ILO to inspect the garment factories all over the country. Recently they visited and inspected 508 factories out of the 626 under their control, banning one factory in Chittagong and further investigating five. Alliance also has plans to open a help line to which workers from 50 factories can call to get support or make complaints. Beginning in July of this year, A l l i a n c e will also train garment workers on fire training.

T o cover payments to Rana Plaza victims and their families, the Rana Plaza Donors T rust Fund was established in January 2 014 to collect contributions from all around the world. Though the international brands and buyers are not interested to donate funds to the Rana Plaza Donors T rust Fund, international labor groups have been putting pressure on the international brands and buyers to donate funds for the victims. So far US$7 million have been donated to the international fund, but US$40 million is needed for the complete compensation. Fifteen companies out of the 29 companies that had clothing manufactured in the build­ ing have yet to give compensation to the Rana Plaza T rust Fund. According to the Clean Clothes Campaign, the Rana Plaza building housed factories that created clothing for 29 companies who, on average, made a profit of US$20 billion per year.

T h e Rana Plaza C oordination C om m ittee, which formed last September and is led by the International Labor Organization (ILO), has dedicated itself to persuading gov­ ernments from the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and others to pressure compen­ sation from these international companies which have not paid the expected compensation.

T hrough my work with the Rana Plaza collapse victims as well as with activists who work to put pressure on the com­ panies that still owe compensation to the victims, I realized the role that photography plays in trying to create change. I hope that by capturing and sharing my photographs with the world, they will not only bring about more awareness but also encourage people to take action. I believe it is the job of journalists to digest the complexity of an issue and then share the simplified version with general public. Although

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A rescue worker walks across the rubble of the collapsed Rana Plaza commercial complex. The Bangladeshi army, fire service personnel, police, and volunteers participated in a rescue effort that continued for weeks after the April 24, 2013 collapse, ending on May 13.

activists work behind the scenes, oftentimes they are not equipped with the tools to spread awareness through visual means. Photographers provide that visual means to spread information about an issue in an easily digestible way. For example, the aim of the documentary “T h e Deadly Cost of Fashion” was to help bridge the gap between clothing productions in Bangladesh to the western consumer. By also including a website for more information, the project “T he Cost of Fashion” also helped connect activists to viewers seeking more avenues to help. By combining multimedia, photograph, and activism, “T he Cost of Fashion” can be

by transcending borders, religion, race, and social class and provoke those around the world to step up and act. Thus, it is our responsibility as media-makers to provide information to others so that they can make more informed decisions. W hen people are confronted by powerful imagery, they have a choice: either look away from the image or address the problem. Getting society and others to address the issues through imagery is my aim as a photographer. T o meet this responsibility, I keep in mind several questions while photo­ graphing: W hat kind of impact will this photo have on die viewer? W hat kind of impact does it have on me? Does the

“Through the power of imagery, we are pushed to question our core beliefs and our responsibilities to each other as international citizens. In this sense, photography has the power to shine an un­

compromising light on critical issues... ”

considered a photo advocacy project. I have seen changes in public consciousness brought on

by the power of photography, video, and activism. Society is comprised of those afflicted by an issue, those responsible for the issue, and those fighting to spread awareness about the afflicted, and while I believe in the goodness of humanity, a lack of information can lead to thoughdess and harmful decisions. T hrough the power of imagery, we are pushed to question our core beliefs and our responsibilities to each ot her as international citizens. In tins sense, photography has the power to shine an uncompromising light on crucial issues

photo tell an honest story of the subject? These questions help me create a visual narrative that ultimately symbolizes a larger issue, greater feelings, or significant events. W e some­ times put our lives on the line because we believe opinion and influence matter. W e aim our pictures at people’s instincts, consciences and compassion, and ultimately we leave them with the choice to either deny or accept the truth at hand. I i I

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