Sweatshops has been linked to many types of global issues like child labor laws, fair wages, and most importantly exploitation. Exploitation is a global issue because it can be found almost everywhere. “ British mining companies’ exploitation of Sierra Leone also plays a major role. If mining companies demonstrated more corporate social responsibility, they could significantly improve the lives of 6 million people.” said Isabella M, an undergraduate student at the London School of Economics. This proves that the people of Sierra Leone, a small African town, are being exploited. Although the town's residents live in a very environmentally rich area, they can’t make enough money to escape poverty. The big british companies went and took over their natural resources,diamonds, and began using them as miners. Although they gave them jobs they did not pay them as much as they should’ve, and didn’t give them the right working environment.
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Across the globe sweatshops are very present in different countries. According to some statistics shown in a picture, “A key finding from this index is that there are an estimated 29.8 million people in modern slavery globally.” This proves that millions of people, all around the globe are being affected but sweatshops. One example of a developing country that faces issues with sweatshops and labor laws is China. Although, China is seen as this very industrialized country many of its citizens are left with the only option to work at a sweatshops. According to Ruth Daly from The Richest, “A shocking 482 million people in China ‘live on less than $2 a day’, according to a report carried out by War on Want.” This is what sweatshop workers have to deal with. The “weaker” people are targeted as the desired worker; since, they will work any amount of time for any pay. “Transnational corporations (TNCs) now roam the world to find the cheapest and most vulnerable workers.” They’re mostly young women in poor countries like China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Haiti, and many others working up to 14 or more hours a day for sub-poverty wages under horrific conditions.” says the National Labor Committee (NLC) mission statement. This proves that just like vulnerable African people, they are getting exploited as well. Exploitation is a global issue, mostly because not very much of it is known. It is hidden from people in order to keep the exploitation going, and making rich people richer and poor people poorer. No one is being saved from this exploitation, not even the children. According Afrol news is said, “According to the global trade unionist, “child labour is widespread in Sierra Leone and law enforcement is weak.” Several thousand children were found to be working in diamond mining, mainly boys, “in an environment which closely resembles slave labour.” They work long hours and in harsh conditions, engaging in activities like digging, sifting, and shifting.” This proves that children were forced to work in sweatshop like conditions. Risking their lives all for their jobs, and the companies not caring about their health or age. Sweatshops go hand in hand with many of the serious global issues that affect us today.
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For example people living in Indonesia suffer the same issue. One well known issue that surrounded the Indonesian textile and garment industry was when Nike’s involvement in a sweatshop scandal. According to Daly he said, “ As Nike has several factories in Indonesia, the spotlight has been on the poor conditions faced by workers for some time. Workers have claimed that they have been mentally and physically abused by their supervisors receiving slaps and being called names…”This shows that workers in Indonesia were being mistreated in Nike’s factories. Towards the end of his article Daly mention something along the lines that Nike confirmed the allegation, but was trying to fix their working conditions. Lastly, Bangladesh is another location where sweatshops are affecting the everyday lives of people. Sweatshops all around the globe have no safety regulations or take the safety of their workers into consideration. Causing a huge issue when it comes to workers health and making sure everyone is safe. According to Daly, “the eighth floor in Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka collapsed. Tragically, 1,100 employees died as a result of the collapse with over 2,000 injured. Bangladesh is the world’s second biggest exporter of clothes and with several factories that fail to conform to safety regulations…” In other words this particular sweatshop in Bangladesh failed to follow any type of safety requirements, causing the death of 1,100 employees and injured over 2,000 employees. This shows that the sweatshop was not being ran properly and ignored the health risks the workers were facing on a daily basis. These were only three of the many other countries that have sweatshops issues. It was very apparent that sweatshops can be seen globally. However, it mostly affect developing countries that do not have strict labor laws.
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