Written by Enrico D’Ambrogio

More than 70% of EU imports of textile and clothing come from Asia. Many Asian workers have to work in sweatshop conditions, but the issue appears in global media only when major fatal accidents occur, like that at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, in 2013.

Long working hours, low wages, lack of regular contracts, and systemically hazardous conditions are often reported. Trade unions, when allowed, are unable to protect workers.

Not all Asian countries exporting textile and clothing to the EU have ratified “Fundamental” ILO conventions and their concrete application is far from the norm. UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises fix good standards of corporate social responsibility for Western brands operating in such countries, but are not binding and do not provide for sanctions if not applied. In practice, they have failed to defend workers’ rights.

A number of measures have been suggested to change this situation, including in repeated European Parliament resolutions. Such measures would require action by Asian governments, international brands and the importing countries. They include greater union rights, more regular work, brands doing more due diligence when dealing with contractors, efficient and more cooperative audits, more stable purchasing practices, making some guidelines and principles legally binding, and putting pressure on Asian authorities to have workers’ human rights better respected.

Workers' conditions in the textile and clothing sector: just an Asian affair? Issues at stake after the Rana Plaza tragedy - European Parliament, 2014 DOWNLOAD

post

page

attachment

revision

nav_menu_item

custom_css

customize_changeset

oembed_cache

user_request

wp_block

wp_template

wp_template_part

wp_global_styles

wp_navigation

wp_font_family

wp_font_face

acf-taxonomy

acf-post-type

acf-field-group

acf-field

ai1ec_event

exactmetrics_note

Global Review of Existing Literature on the Sexual Exploitation of Boys
Publications

This global systematic review explored the published and grey literature about the sexual exploitation of boys. Findings from 69 qualifying publications from 37 countries around the world are reviewed. The report presents common characteristics acro...Read More

Technical Convening: Methodologies for Measuring the Prevalence of Modern Slavery
Publications

In the last five years, there has been growing attention and investments into prevalence estimates. The increasing investment into prevalence estimates is much welcomed, but it has also led to fragmented efforts among researchers. People at The ...Read More

TAGS: Global
Slavery Free Recruitment Systems: A Landscape Analysis of Fee-Free Recruitment Initiatives
Publications

This brief has been prepared by Phil Marshall, Technical Consultant to the Issara Institute. This paper summarizes the current discussion around fee-free recruitment, including: (1) definitions of fee-free recruitment; (2) linkages between migra...Read More

Real Care is Rare: An on-the-Ground Perspective on Blood Diamonds and the Fifth ‘C’
Publications

A new report, Real Care is Rare. An On-The-Ground Perspective on Blood Diamonds and the Fifth ‘C’, highlights the existence of modern day blood diamonds due to ongoing ties between diamonds and brutal human rights abuse (amongst other ...Read More

TAGS: Global