Fashion brands said ‘never again’ but women are still being exploited in supply chains

On the anniversary of the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse, Lizzie Rivera explores how fast fashion is fuelling violence against women

It’s been nine years since the Rana Plaza collapse (AFP via Getty)

The 24 April marks the ninth anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse. You might remember watching with horror as the disaster unfolded, in which at least 1,134 garment workers died – mostly young women sewing clothes for fast fashion brands – and a further 2,500 were critically injured.

It is hard to forget the testimonies in which said workers begged not to enter the building that day because it was common knowledge it was unsafe, and still they were forced to go in.

That year, fashion brands across the world said never again. Nine years later, millions of women are still being exploited in fashion supply chains.