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Alke Boessiger, UNI’s Head of Commerce had the honour of presenting Amirul Haque Amin with the International Nuremberg Human Rights.

The international jury in its citatation praised Amin for "the tenacity and intrepidity with which he has tried to improve the lives and working conditions" of Bangladeshi garment workers.

In her speech, Boessiger said, Amin, the president of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) and his union colleagues were leading the daily fight for a better and safer life for millions of garment workers, including fair wages, the right to organise and the recognition of labour rights.

Find below excerpts from Boessiger’s speech. 

“Even after the Rana Plaza disaster where more than 1’100 workers died, Amin and his colleagues have a daily fight with factory owners that still won’t accept the need for change in their factories. These people face perpetual harassment, threats and injuries or even death. Amin and his colleagues are fighting for the most basic standards of safety in the factories and even the right to form unions.”

“Thanks to concerted efforts by Amin, UNI Global Union, IndustriALL Global Union, DGB, ver.di, IG Metall and the Clean Clothes Campaign, multinational global players made an unprecedented pledge to support the Bangladeshi garment sector.”

“The Bangladesh Accord, a legally binding agreement designed to make all garment factories in Bangladesh safe, was signed on 15 May 2013 by 25 Brands.

Today the Accord covers 220 brands and around 1’600 factories with more than 2 million workers.

Under the leadership of Amin we will together change the clothing supply sustainably - and together we will continue to fight until the garment industry is just and safe for millions of textile workers.”

“I want to assure Amin and all his colleagues in Bangladesh that we will continue to be at their side.

I thank Amin and his supporters wholeheartedly for their courage and perseverance. We all know that the road ahead remains long and full of struggle and debate. For this ongoing struggle I wish Amin a lot of strength.”