As in any modern industry, technology has revolutionized the production and distribution of seafood. Today, highly perishable products, once caught solely in the wild, can be farmed, processed, packed, and shipped to destinations worldwide in a matter of days. One of the most lucrative of those products is shrimp. In little more than 30 years, the shrimp industry has been revolutionized through an unprecedented increase in efficient production, resulting in tremendous profitability for producers. However, the “shrimp boom” is sustained through a staggering, largely hidden, cost to workers, their families, and the environment. Not for the first time, the drive to make a product for the world market quickly and cheaply leaves a trail of abuse, misery, and damaged lives. The true cost of shrimp is not what is seen on a supermarket price tag or a restaurant menu.

Bangladesh and Thailand are both major locales for shrimp production and processing. The Solidarity Center focuses on these two countries in this report. In both, companies use the lack of labour rights and weak labour law enforcement to exploit shrimp processing workers. Yet, it is these workers who make the shrimp industry profitable.

Solidarity Center staff and local allied organizations laboured diligently to document concerns about the lack of corporate social responsibility within the shrimp industry. Research uncovered prevalent labor rights and human rights violations — unpaid wages, unsafe and unhealthy workplaces, and the harsh physical mistreatment of workers. Child labour, forced labour, physical intimidation, and sexual abuse of shrimp industry workers are also carefully documented.

The Degradation of Work: The True Cost of the Shrimp - Solidarity Center, 2008 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

EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse
GuidancePublications

The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights recognises that children have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well-being, among other provisions. The 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes the right of the chi...Read More

TAGS: Europe
National Hotline 2017 Kentucky State Report
Graphics & InfographicsPublications

The data in this report represents signals and cases from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 and is accurate as of July 11, 2018. Cases of trafficking may be ongoing or new information may be revealed to the National Hotline over time. Conseq...Read More

Trafficking in Persons Report 2023
Publications

Based on the theme of partnership, this year’s report examines the ways in which governments and other stakeholders have collaborated to advance anti-trafficking priorities and goals, and emphasizes the importance of including a breadth of groups ...Read More

TAGS: Global
National Hotline 2019 Mississippi State Report
Graphics & InfographicsPublications

The data in this report represents signals and cases from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 and is accurate as of July 30, 2020. Cases of trafficking may be ongoing or new information may revealed to the National Hotline over time. Consequen...Read More