Drip by Drip – Episode 11: CASE STUDY INDONESIA w/ Nitya 🇮🇩
In this episode, host Amira Jehia (co-founder of Drip by Drip) speaks with Nitya, a labor rights specialist and former Program Officer at the Trade Union Rights Centre (TURC) in Indonesia.
With deep experience in labor rights, occupational safety and health (OSHR), and gender equality, particularly in the textile and garment sectors, Nitya has worked closely with trade unions and stakeholders across Indonesia, India, and Germany.
In this conversation, she shares urgent insights from the frontline of Indonesia’s garment industry—home to over 2.7 million workers, the majority of whom are women.
💧 Key topics discussed:
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How patriarchal systems dominate the labor force—even within unions—and silence female workers
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The divide between formal and informal textile work: what home-based labor really looks like in Indonesia
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The alarming health risks women face, including exposure to toxic chemicals, lack of sanitation, and inaccessible menstrual care
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Why menstrual leave exists legally but fails in practice due to unrealistic production targets
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How Nitya and TURC supported informal workers by creating OSHR units for free medical checkups and occupational health recognition
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Why international brands must pay fairer prices and stop pushing exploitative production timelines
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What “just transition” really means when shifting toward slower, circular fashion models in the Global North
Remark by Nitya:
When I mention home-based workers—“but they can’t. They have to take care of their house and their children, so they prefer their home-based work”—it is important to add that: “It happens due to the patriarchal practices in Indonesia and unequal distribution of household labour.“
CREDITS
Host
🗣️ Amira Jehia – Co-Founder & Managing Director of Drip by Drip
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amira-jehia-92696426/
Guest:
🗣️ Nitya – Labor Rights & Gender Equality Expert, former Program Officer at TURC
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nityasw/
Trade Union Rights Centre (TURC): @turc_id | LinkedIn
🎬 Creative Production: Yared Abraham
🎧 Audio Production: Philipp Blömeke (Wardrobe Voices)
Supported by:
Drip by Drip: Unveiling Fashion’s Thirsty Truth wird gefördert von Engagement Global, mit Mitteln des Bundesministeriums für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) und der Berliner Landesstelle für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit.”
Drip By Drip:
DRIP BY DRIP IS THE WORLD’S FIRST NGO COMMITTED TO TACKLING THE WATER ISSUES IN THE FASHION AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY.
🌍 dripbydrip.org | @dripbydripngo | YouTube | LinkedIn
