Tiểu luận an analysis of southeast nations involvement in the global value chain in the laboremployment garment industry

Simultaneously, other nations continue to prioritize high volumes of low-value-added products, relying heavily on cheap labor as their primary competitive edge Huynh 2015.While there are

UEH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ECONOMICS, LAW, AND GOVERNMENT

ASSIGNMENT SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT ECONOMY

GROUP 2

AN ANALYSIS OF SOUTHEAST NATIONS' INVOLVEMENT

IN THE GLOBAL VALUE CHAIN IN THE

LABOR-EMPLOYMENT-GARMENT INDUSTRY

Ho Chi Minh City, 2021-11-22

The readymade garments (RMG) sector is a critical driver for Southeast Asia's economic and social

development As a result of the severe effect of COVID-19, the RMG sector has been confronted with a seen-before occurrence Because the supply chain has been significantly impacted, businesses and regulators are concerned about how to mitigate disruptions caused by pandemics As such, this research intends to examine the vulnerability and capability factors affecting the RMG industry in Vietnam, their connection, and the effect on the supply chain resilience of these variables Also, this study investigates the impact of Covid -19 on woman labor working in the RMG industry So that we can propose some solutions to improve the situation post-

never-pandemic

1 INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 epidemic has impacted the worldwide supply chain Natural catastrophes (floods, earthquakes, etc.), terrorist attacks, pandemics, and other occurrences that have a low likelihood but great effect cause supply chain interruptions (SARS, Ebola, Swine flu, COVID-19, etc.) The latest COVID-19 outbreak is undoubtedly the century's most cursed pandemic (Parsons, 2020) By June 2020, it will have killed 0.5 million people and infected 10 million COVID19 has disrupted supply chains for 94 percent of Fortune 1000 companies (Ivanov, 2020; Fortune 2020) According to Dun & Bradstreet, 16 percent of Fortune 1000 businesses have tier-1 and tier-

2 suppliers in Wuhan Tier-2 suppliers offer raw materials to tier-1 suppliers, whereas tier-1 suppliers give raw materials to tier-2 suppliers At least 5 million global enterprises have tier-2 suppliers in that region (Smith, 2020) As a result, China's exports decreased 17% in January-February 2020, and global trade might fall up to 32% in 2020 (Sarkis et al., 2020) However, demand for pharmaceutical items has surged as a result of the pandemic (McKinsey & Company, 2020) While afflicted nations have employed social isolation, communal quarantining, and lockdown to limit the virus, widespread unemployment has created social and economic issues The COVID-19 problem might cost up to 25 million jobs, according to the ILO

Garment, garment, and footwear production in several Southeast Asian nations are competitive because of cheaplabor costs, strategic location, privileged access to the market, and favorable government regulations At the same time, other nations continue to place a premium on producing large quantities of low-value goods using cheap labor as their principal competitive edge (Huynh 2015) Because they relied on a small number of key rawmaterial suppliers, Southeast Asian garment manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to supply chain

disruptions They are also more dependent on foreign suppliers because of the unpredictability of electricity supplies and the insufficient reliability, timing, and scale of local input production While growing labor

expenses are putting economic pressure on certain nations, poor worker productivity must also be addressed (Andersson, Machiels, and Bodwell 2019)

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent So this continent's fashion history is likewise vast and varied The clothing business has evolved to meet the changing requirements of the people Asia's clothing industry has risen considerably with the use of technology This industry's growth has generated many workers, notably female workers It has also addressed people's necessities despite limited income.

China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Turkey are the top five garment exporters by region (accounting for 53 percent of global garment export turnover)

The present COVID-19 epidemic has impacted many parts of Asia's economy and society, including the clothingindustry The epidemic that has halted manufacturing has had a severe impact on Asia's clothes-consuming partners Workers lose earnings due to delays in cross-border commodities delivery

2 GARMENT INDUSTRY ANALYSIS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA’S NATIONS:

2.1 Southeast Asia Overview:

Many Southeast Asian nations can compete in the labor-intensive garment, garment, and footwear manufacturingindustries because of their comparatively low labor costs, strategic locations, market accessibility, favorable schools, and supporting government policies Simultaneously, other nations continue to prioritize high volumes

of low-value-added products, relying heavily on cheap labor as their primary competitive edge (Huynh 2015).While there are certain benefits in the global market, the garment and apparel sector faced several severe obstacles when the COVID-19 epidemic erupted To begin, the suspension of commerce between nations to prevent the spread of the illness has had a devastating impact on global supply networks An excellent example

is Chinese handcrafted items that have been trapped in the nation for an extended period, resulting in nearly abandoned orders This demonstrates the vulnerability of Southeast Asian garment and garment makers to supplychain disruptions as a result of their over-reliance on a few major raw material sources Numerous Southeast Asian businesses have been forced to cease operations and lay off staff as a result of order cancellations and production constraints

Additionally, the COVID-19 outbreak altered people's behaviors, resulting in adjustments to everyday demands Along with the supply chain shortfall, there is resource scarcity, including the timing and size of local input production; and the industry's productivity has been hampered by the industry's inconsistent power supply system Rising labor expenses, particularly in some countries, have increased economic pressure and contributed

to low worker productivity, both of which are issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

2.2 Garment industry in some Asian nations (Bangladesh):

COVID-19 has had a profoundly damaging effect on the world economy's economic sectors It is also hard to avoid the strong wave of arriving from this century's pandemic, particularly in Asian nations whose

manufacturing strength is in garment items

Bangladesh - one of ten Asian nations with significant garment and apparel production capability - also suffered from COVID's influence - 19 Previously, particularly during 2018 and 2019, Bangladesh was the second biggestgarment provider in the global clothing supply chain, with 34.13 billion USD in export revenue.

However, until the COVID-19 epidemic in late 2019 or early 2020, this country's garment exports were badly harmed Export revenue was 27.94 billion USD, down roughly 20% with an absolute value of more than 6 billion USD from pre-epidemic levels (according to data of the Export Promotion Bureau - EPB of Bangladesh) Bangladesh had lost its status as the world's second-biggest garment maker at the time and had been supplanted

by Vietnam, which projected an export revenue of around 29 billion USD by the end of 2020 (According to statistics of Vietnam)

In response to this circumstance, the Bangladesh government has also taken measures to give prompt assistance packages to assist companies in resolving their problems Additionally, several measures such as deferring loan payments, lowering interest rates, and promoting payment services have all contributed to the garment industry'sprosperity in this country

It is the Bangladesh government's timely support that has increased the country's garment export turnover to 31.5billion USD in the 2020-2021 fiscal year (which ends in June 2021) (the total industry reached 38.7 billion USD), an increase of nearly 13% over the same period last year, but still 7% below the result of 2018-2019 before the epidemic Exports of knitwear climbed by 21.94 percent year on year to about 17 billion USD, while exports of woven products increased by 3.24 percent year on year to 14.5 billion USD, led by exports of knitted goods Domestic garment exports climbed by 49.17 percent year over year to 1.13 billion USD

2.3 Vietnam's garment industry:

Garments and garments are regarded as critical sectors in several economies, including Vietnam Vietnam's garment and apparel sectors have made significant progress in recent years, both in terms of output and export Whereas the average annual growth rate of garment and apparel manufacturing was 7.9 percent from 2016 to

2020, it rose by more than 33 percent in 2018

The garment and garment sector has shown greater signs of progress in the first nine months of 2021 compared

to the same period last year, owing to the recovery of the production chain and an increase in conventional orders According to the Vietnam Garment and Apparel Association (VITAS), Vietnam's total garment and apparel export revenue reached $29 billion in the first nine months of 2021, up 13.2 percent from the same period in 2020 and down 0.04 percent from the same time in 2019 This means that all of the major export items gained in value over the same time last year, specifically: Apparel reached 21.7 billion USD, an increase of 5%; fabric reached 1.8 billion USD, an increase of 37.4%; fiber reached 4 billion USD, an increase of 56.2 percent; nonwoven fabrics reached USD 557 million, an increase of 77.3 percent; and garment and garment accessories

reached $921 million, an increase of 21.8 percent Total imports of raw materials and auxiliary materials totaled

18 billion USD, up 27.9 percent year on year

However, until the third quarter of 2021, the situation for Vietnamese garment and apparel firms was

exceedingly tough due to the extraordinarily problematic and extended growth of the COVID-19 outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern regions confront a variety of obstacles,

including shutting, ceasing production, producing in moderation, being unable to complete orders, being forced

to deliver late, sending products via plane, or being delayed Order cancellations wreak havoc on the supply chain

Numerous firms in the southern regions incur significant expenditures as a result of attempting to organize production "3 on-site," "1 route - 2 destinations," or "4 green," but yet only having approximately 10% - 30% of employees report to work This is detrimental not just to the economy, but also to the customer's reputation These trends are evident in August exports, which fell 15.9 percent compared to July 2021 and 2.63 percent compared to August 2020; September exports, which totaled 3 billion USD, fell 9.2 percent compared to August

2021 and 10.5 percent compared to September 2020

3 IMPACT OF COVID – 19 ON GARMENT INDUSTRY:

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the apparel sector in Southeast Asia Order cancellations and

manufacturing constraints have led several Southeast Asian businesses to close their doors and lay off staff The industry's pre-pandemic issues have been compounded, resulting in increased volatility and shortages of key production elements such as raw materials, which affect many segments of the value chain Closures of factories

in other countries have hampered the timely arrival of imported inputs and interrupted garment manufacture Additionally, research indicates that the COVID-19 epidemic may increase demand for sustainable fashion items

as customers turn away from new clothing purchases and toward reusing them (Richetti and Palma 2020).The COVID-19 situation has also brought to light the industry's dearth of support services for vulnerable workers, aggravating disparities In the short term, lack of access to essentials, uneven home obligations, hiring discrimination based on gender, and an increased risk of gender-based violence may make women workers in thebusiness more vulnerable Additionally, there are long-term effects, as restricted access to social assistance, uncontrolled working conditions, and less access to health care services may all contribute to women's economicand social empowerment (ILO 2020) The epidemic may also have a significant impact on children since economic constraints and inadequate safety nets force many youngsters into child labor (ILO and UNICEF 2020)

3.1 Supply chain disruption:

Due to the fast growth of COVID-19, businesses all over the globe have been forced to examine and review theiroperations As firms strive to get goods and supplies to individuals in need, supply chain management is a prime

example of this Business supply networks must be reliable in the face of demand shocks, logistical restrictions

as well as global or local shutdowns The short-term supply chain effect is the primary focus for most firms, with

a concentration on fulfillment Several of them are there to learn from the hard lessons of COVID-19 and to reconsider their approach to supply chains, with a focus on resilience in particular It's been a long time since the government and other organizations have taken action to alleviate the financial challenges faced by

manufacturers There should be no compromise on the safety of workers and employees at any industrial site During the lockdown period, they reopen factories with a few fair terms and conditions to reduce their loss.Garment producers have been attempting to discover a means to remain robust in the face of calamities, like this time's pandemic Due to the high level of uncertainty on both the supply and demand sides, which creates difficult supply and demand difficulties, a collaborative effort including the government, foreign purchasers, local groups, garment manufacturers, and labor rights organizations is essential However, a concentrated effort involving all of the main stakeholders is very improbable, as the stakeholders' level and the dimension of interestdiffer Due to the peculiar circumstances, purchasers decided to schedule a crushing season instead of the usual season, affecting the chain of all the parts Individuals in this sector have expressed their concern that it is not easy to return to normal in a short period with financial and other help

3.2 Women in the garment sector:

The literature on women's participation in global value chains is mostly concerned with women's fulfillment of low-paid, labor-intensive jobs in the manufacturing sector, a topic that is ubiquitous across industries Women's economic and social empowerment may be impacted in both good and bad ways as a result of this Women's inclusion in global value chains, according to Barrientos (2019) and the World Bank (2013), represents an opportunity for developing countries and emerging economies to integrate themselves into global value chains

by utilizing women as a source of cheap labor, allowing companies that employ women in their workforces to compete on price Barrientos (2019) emphasizes the advantages that women have reaped as a result of this inclusion, saying that labor in the food and garment industries that were previously performed by women for free

is now being compensated This has the potential to economically empower these women

Women can reap greater economic benefits in countries that can upgrade their positions in value chains, as they see opportunities for promotion to traditionally more male-dominated management positions, but they can also reap greater societal benefits as they are afforded increased worker protections as a result of fulfilling roles that can add greater value Increased demand for labor, followed by increased competition for labor, as in the case of the Kenyan flower or Nike apparel value chains, and improved working conditions as a result of public

governance (as with minimum wages and labor standards, as in the case of the Kenyan flower value chain) are all examples of what can lead to improved working conditions In such cases, enhanced economic empowermentfor women in the value chain may go hand in hand with sociocultural upgrading for women in the industry (Barrientos, 2019) Women's involvement in global value chains, on the other hand, might be counterproductive

to their empowerment According to Barrientos, Bianchi, and Berman (2019), when global value chains induce price squeezes, such as when they are controlled by a limited number of lead purchasers, employees' human rights, as well as their income, may be harmed This has the greatest impact on people of certain ethnicities Menand women are treated differently in global value chains, according to Barrientos and colleagues (2019), with women seen as an easily available supply of low-cost labor Barrientos (2019) points out that when

manufacturers employing women compete aggressively on price, their pay and workers' rights would be

undermined This is especially true when women provide the majority of labor-intensive low-wage labor In suchconditions, the social compliance of businesses is weak, with employees missing the ability to protest decisions and social audits failing to detect gender-based discrimination and harassment, among other things (Barrientos etal., 2019)

In times of crisis, this might leave women particularly vulnerable In times of crisis, women are more

susceptible, according to the Work and Opportunities for Women study Forstater (2010) focuses primarily on theeffect of the global financial crisis of 2007–2008 on the global value chains of the clothing industry This arrangement, which saw trends in suppliers diverge, helped to shape the garment sector's dynamics before the crisis A tier of highly competitive "commodity manufacturers" competed on low costs, while a higher value-addconsolidated supplier was differentiated from the lower cost "commodity manufacturers." Existing patterns wereintensified as a result of the crisis, with pressure being applied to low-cost suppliers resulting in layoffs Among women and migrant workers, this was especially widespread in countries where garment manufacturing had already begun to experience a steady structural decline before the crisis, as well as in countries where garment production had already begun to decrease As Forstater (2010) points out, women in certain countries were exhibiting their susceptibility by participating in low-wage, labor-intensive employment in value chains

3.2.1.COVID-19's economic effect on women in the clothing industry

The economic effect on persons working in the garment value chain was caused by COVID-19 supply and demand shocks (CastaedaNavarrete, Hauge, & LópezGómez, 2020) As a result of their dependency on China for raw materials and equipment, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam were unable to sustain manufacturing (Leitheiser et al., 2020; Sen et al., 2020) In Bangladesh, for example, 93% of manufacturers reported experiencing supply problems during the outbreak (Leitheiser et al., 2020)

While supply from China swiftly recovered as virus instances decreased, demand from the US and Europe fell as

a result of increased virus cases and accompanying consumer lockdowns While global textile trade increased 40% in Q3 2020 and 16% in Q4 2020 (UNCTAD, 2021), the decline in demand has substantial implications for several manufacturing nations' workforces Output quantities depended partly on demand, but also on a country'scapacity to sustain production In contrast, nations with fewer COVID-19 instances were better able to meet the remaining demand: Vietnam, for example, recorded a maximum production drop of -18.3% Indonesia (Yayasan CARE Peduli, 2020), Myanmar (Hall, 2020), and Cambodia (von der Dellen, 2020)

Given that women execute the bulk of manufacturing labor, especially unskilled employment, we may assume that negative economic repercussions on garment value chains have disproportionately harmed women There is insufficient evidence on the particular consequences of supply and demand shocks on women in Asia Due to supply and demand fluctuations, all garment makers reported being influenced by supply and demand shocks (IMF, 2021), notwithstanding Vietnam's greater resistance to COVID-19 (Giang & Hong, 2020) In a survey with just six women and three men, both male and female employees reported income losses of 20% to 50% (Giang & Hong, 2020) In surveys of 57 garment workers, the ILO (2020c) found that between 20% and 50% of employees had their income decreased, and 30% had their salary slashed by more than half While Giang and Hong-do do not disclose significant variations in income losses between men and women, the fact that this industry employs 80% of women means that women would be disproportionately impacted (Giang & Huong, 2020).

In Myanmar, 90 percent of the 700,000 textile workers are women, usually aged 16 to 23, who regularly migrate from rural regions to Yangon (Hall, 2020)

Because of the decline in demand for their goods, over half of these individuals may be suspended without pay

or lose their employment permanently (Hall, 2020) Interviews with 23 female and five male garment factory workers revealed that canceled orders resulted in factories closing “immediately”, with no advance notice and nopay (Hall, 2020) Hall (2020) emphasizes that not all jobless garment workers in Myanmar will be eligible for government assistance While the government has declared it would compensate 40% of factory workers' salaries, this only applies to those enrolled with the Social Security Board No one addressed this, according to Hall (2020) An Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation and Andaman Research & Advisory research foundthat just 29% of Yangon garment workers had written contracts, leaving the rest informally employed and possibly ineligible for government assistance

Cambodia's majority-female textile workers also felt the demand shock Cambodia's clothing and footwear sector employs over 770,000 workers, 639,000 of whom are women (83 percent ) It is estimated that canceled orders have impacted 60% of Cambodian companies and 500,000 people (Fair Labor Association, 2020) Despite the recovery of clothing manufacturers, von der Dellen (2020) adds that at the outset of the pandemic 91,500 workers were laid off for one to two months, and up to 200,000 employees (89 percent women) were in danger of losing their jobs Employees who are suspended must be paid 40% of the $190 monthly minimum salary, according to the Fair Labor Association (2020) The government provided $40 every month and the manufacturers agreed to give $30 As a consequence, many suspended employees fell into poverty

Supply and demand shocks hit Bangladesh Anner (2020a) reports that 45.8% of suppliers said: “a lot” to “most”

of almost finished or completed orders were canceled, while 5.9% had all orders canceled 72.1 percent of purchasers refused to pay for suppliers' raw materials, while 91.3 percent refused to pay for suppliers' productionexpenses, forcing 58 percent of factories to close 98.1 percent of customers declined to contribute to furlough

salaries, and 97.3 percent refused to contribute to severance compensation, leaving manufacturers to cover these expenses despite lack of income As a consequence, 72.4% of furloughed employees were not paid Anner (2019a) shows that this occurred during a period of pricing pressure on suppliers due to an oligopolistic market and rising competition from suppliers in China and Vietnam As a result, both suppliers and their workers had unstable circumstances.

In the US, like in other nations, the demand shock affects women disproportionately Anner (2019b) puts the figure at 74%, while Better Work Bangladesh (2020) puts it at 61% (Anner, 2019b; Better Work Bangladesh, 2020) Anner (2019b) reports that women earn less than males, with an average monthly pay of $77.34 vs $92.94for men, and only 4.3 percent reporting that their salaries always covered their living expenditures versus 12.2 percent for men This shows that already insecure employees in this industry are especially exposed to economicshocks Better Work Bangladesh (2020) further states that women are viewed as slower and hence less

productive employees than males and that they are less likely to be supervisors than men Women are more likely than males to be laid off in several Indian workplaces, and most women over 40 have not been rehired, according to the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA, 2020b)

This study sought to assess the immediate consequences of COVID-19 on the lives of 255 female textile workers

in Bangladesh They were afraid of losing their jobs, not being paid, going hungry, and contracting COVID-19 56% feared lockdowns preventing everyday requirements, 35% feared unpaid wages, 39% suffered food shortages, and 9% were sick This caused mental health difficulties, with 91 percent citing work anxiety, 52 percent worried consumers won't purchase again, 28 percent expecting job loss, and 49 percent anticipating payment delays The fact that women make up a disproportionate number of garment workers means that womenare disproportionately impacted by these issues Employers may also target pregnant women for layoffs

Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation has filed 50 cases on behalf of pregnant garment workers in Bangladeshwho have been fired by employers, while the Bangladesh Garment and Manufacturers Exporters Association disputes this

Demand shocks have impacted women in garment factories throughout South and Southeast Asia, but these value networks also involve informal homeworkers Suppliers outsource manufacturing tasks to homeworkers, who are often self-employed This form of labor is vital for women since it allows them to combine work with domestic and family chores It also benefits women who are unable to work outside the house due to religious orcultural gender prejudice (Von Broembsen, 2020) WIEGO (2020a) estimates that five million home workers areemployed in the garment industry in India alone A study of 340 textile firms in Delhi and Bengaluru found that 58% use these freelancers (WIEGO, 2020a ) Homeworkers in the clothing industry struggled to keep working during the pandemic because they couldn't stockpile before supply shocks and then were hit by demand shocks that cut orders (WIEGO, 2021a) The OECD recognizes these women as real supply-chain employees, entitled tothe same rights as others (WIEGO, 2021a), but they lack institutional support structures (ILO, 2020a; Von

Broembsen, 2020) However, governments have committed help for informal house workers: A cash incentive of5,000 baht (about 50% of minimum wage) was granted to informal workers in Thailand following campaigning

by WIEGO (WIEGO, 2021a) WIEGO (2020a) proposes a 2% “supply-chain relief contribution” from

purchasers to help homeworkers However, even purchasers who have committed to supporting homeworkers often have little visibility over the workers to whom manufacturers outsource labor, and hence cannot directly assist them (Von Broembsen, 2020) Laut von Broembsen (2020), companies should retain records of

homeworkers and their work, and aid in training and formalizing assignments But this is rare Homeworkers aretherefore more sensitive to COVID-19's economic effects

As previously indicated, several nations have increased output after the first supply and demand shocks Better Work (2021) shows that some manufacturers have moved to make personal protection equipment (PPE) to keep going, however, it is uncertain if this is a viable business model Regardless, the initial decline in demand has impacted many suppliers throughout Asia, and hence many female workers' wages

3.2.2.COVID-19's domestic effects on garment workers

COVID-19 affects women's home life because of their simultaneous domestic and commercial roles in the garment value chain While women who have had their hours decreased, furloughed, or laid off due to COVID-

19 may have more time for domestic and care tasks at home, they have less means to maintain dependents Better Work Bangladesh (2020) also states that domestic workers are more likely to be laid off AFWA reports that childcare facilities at industries in Bengaluru, India, have closed, forcing women to choose between work and childcare duties According to AFWA, in India, teenage girls are being compelled to labor to assist

struggling families To support their families, girls in Tamil Nadu are being taken to work and live in spinning mills, raising fears that they will never return to school, that they are working in dangerous circumstances, and that shifts may be up to 16 hours per day (AFWA, 2020b) In Vietnam, both women and men reported increased time spent on domestic labor, although women reported it more than men (Giang & Hong, 2020) The epidemic has raised the demand for unpaid care labor, which is expected to fall on women in Myanmar (Hall, 2020) In Indonesia, CARE (Yayasan CARE Peduli, 2020) reports that women working fewer hours in textile

manufacturers are taking on greater care duties Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW, n.d., a) describe many migrant employees returning home due to factory closures However, many rural migrants working in the garment industry are unable to return home due to travel limitations, leaving childcare to other family members

in their community Due to the epidemic, many men are working shorter hours, therefore the domestic care duty may be split more equitably between men and women Deshpande (2020) observes that in India, the domestic labor load is now divided more evenly between women and men since more men have lost employment and so have more time to spend on domestic chores Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the consequences of women and men spending more time at home (WOW, n.d., a; Tejani & Fukuda-Parr, 2021; Homenet South Asia,2020) GBV rises when women and men spend more time together at home, with few opportunities for women

to leave It's difficult to assess the influence on GBV levels since reports don't always represent all incidents Hall (2020) summarizes the research on GBV in Cambodia without concluding whether levels are rising or falling There were 22 informants (17 women and 5 males) who worked in jobs requiring monitoring or reacting

to GBV cases, 10 of whom had access to particular case numbers Four reported again, while six reported no change or a decline Most responders did not observe or hear any change in GBV levels Six persons saw an increase, while five had a decline Interestingly, women who saw a drop in GBV ascribed it to males drinking less and bars closing Reduced earnings have led to an upsurge in thefts, which disproportionately harm women (Hall, 2020) These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size and the fact that reported cases of GBV may not always correspond to real cases

3.2.3.Women's health in the clothing industry

To satisfy client expectations while complying with social distancing norms, suppliers frequently have to choose between their own and their workers' economic stability or their health Employers may not have taken

procedures to ensure that health hazards to workers are minimized, according to accumulating research on employer health and safety practices Employers that have established COVID-19 awareness and health and safety policies face challenges about their enforcement and universal application A SEDEX (2020) study of 469 suppliers from 51 countries found that 78% had educated staff on health protection, 72% had adopted physical distance, and 15% had expanded workers' access to health insurance Workers in Cambodia and Vietnam were warned about the dangers of COVID19, according to the ILO (2020f) According to the same document, Sri Lankan workers' temperatures are measured at transit points, and sewing machines and canteen chairs are socially separated (ILO, 2020f) However, the ILO (2020f) warns that any precautions made may not be

enforced across factories Also, not all employees may be similarly affected For example, 10% of suppliers responding to SEDEX stated health and safety requirements only applied to regular employees, putting

contractors and informal labor in danger (SEDEX, 2020) It is noted that although certain steps are implemented – such as PPE – others are not – such as social separation According to the ILO (2020f), just 20% of individualspolled in Cambodia stated social distancing mechanisms were in place in common spaces such as canteens, and only 14% said work areas had been altered to allow for social distance The ILO (2020f) reports that over half ofthose questioned in Bangladesh had not obtained PPE In Myanmar, respondents claimed clothing manufacturerssupplied masks, sanitizer, and hand-washing facilities, while some felt more was required To safeguard

employees' health, trade unions in Cambodia pushed the government to temporarily cease garment

manufacturing, however many workers returned to work within months (von der Dellen, 2020) Homeworkers are in danger, according to Homenet South Asia (2020), since they work in close quarters with others and lack access to PPE or sanitizer

The epidemic has also caused concerns with mental and reproductive health A CARE (2020) poll of

Bangladeshi textile factory workers found 91% concerned about their employment According to Better Work Bangladesh (2020), women who lost income due to the pandemic were less likely to buy sexual and reproductivehealth items

Women who work in the garment value chain seem to be in danger of harmful working conditions if they return

to factories Women may also be forced to choose between returning to dangerous jobs or losing money

4 IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON GLOBAL VALUE CHAIN OF SOUTHEAST ASIA’S NATIONS:

4.1 China:

One may argue that COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on global value chains COVID-19, on the other hand, has a varied influence on each country's commercial sector Businesses that sell sporting equipment, for example, are anticipated to rebound when lockdown restrictions are eased and outlets in big marketplaces reopen Meanwhile,firms that sell formal attire continue to face several obstacles

For China - dubbed the "world's factory" - the global value chain has triggered a severe earthquake Because, since the US-China trade war began in 2018, the US and many developed Western countries have pushed for the process of "decoupling" the supply chain from China Rather than that, countries rely on supply chains in Asia, particularly Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam Until the end of 2019, the strong outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply and demand in this country, resulting in a severe economic crisis For the garment industry, China is still a major supplier to the world, particularly South Asian countries, when it comes

to products such as added-value synthetic fibers, winter wear fabrics, shoes, slippers, polyurethane tape,

clothing, and nonwoven rolls, but they also believe that it will take at least six to nine months for the clothing supply chain to return to normal In such a scenario, nations such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan,Sri Lanka, and Vietnam that are linked to China's global value chain, such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, will be unable to continue producing owing to their reliance on raw materials

as well as Chinese equipment (Leitheiser et al., 2020; Sen et al., 2020) In Bangladesh, for instance, 93% of producers reported experiencing supply problems during the outbreak (Leitheiser et al., 2020)

assistance Although the government has indicated that it will compensate 40% of earnings for workers in