Neil Howard (oD): To start off please just tell us who you are and a bit about the work that you do.
Sinnathamby Prithviraj: I am Prithviraj from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. I work for the working community within the global textile supply chain, where contemporary forms of modern slavery and the camp labour system, popularly known as Sumangali, are prevalent. Young girls from the age group of 14 – 21 (and sometimes even 13 year olds) being put into hostels and asked to work for three years while being kept in a form of captivity is one of the major issues in the supply chain.
There are a lot of campaigns and advocacy by social workers from our region. As a result, today, this issue has been recognised by the global buyers and brands, as well as the local manufacturers. There is an Act called the Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act. This Act is primarily about safeguarding girls, children and young women living in the hostels, including the factory hostels. That law should be implemented at a large scale, so that the safety of girls within the hostels is ensured.
