Out in the world somewhere there is a girl like me. Whilst I type this sitting in a comfortable chair, sipping water from a cheap plastic bottle, she is sewing my next pair of jeans. It’s hot, and she has been working 20 hours a day to earn a wage that does not cover the cost of living for both herself and her family. She is denied bathroom breaks whilst working, and is forever at risk of becoming ill. She is forced to take birth control and pregnancy tests on a regular basis, so that her employers do not have to pay maternity leave costs should she become pregnant. The company providing such terrible working conditions would not listen to her problems. Like me, this girl has a family, a home, and a body that needs taking care of. This girl, so similar to me in some ways, works in a sweatshop in Bangladesh.
A sweatshop is defined a place of employment that violates more than one labor law. Labor laws govern aspects such as minimum wage, overtime, child labor, occupational safety and health, worker’s compensation and industry regulation. Sweatshops employ millions of people, mostly young women, in horrendous conditions around the world, all whilst their employers take home profits in the billions. These women are barely able to survive in the poor conditions, and their wages are miniscule.
The United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) has identified the following conventions as fundamental to the rights of human beings at work, irrespective of countries’ levels of development:
- Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
- The elimination of forced and compulsory labor
- The abolition of child labor
- The elimination of discrimination in the workplace
Across the globe, these guidelines are violated, with no one held accountable. Every item that we purchase which has been produced under these violations, particularly those in high street fashion stores, supports companies that ignore the international protocol for fair and safe industry conditions.
I did not know who made my clothes growing up. Nor did I ever consider the sacrifice made by girls just like me to make me a pair of jeans that I will throw away a few years later. 85% of sweatshop workers are young women between the ages of 15-25. The connection of women globally through clothing fascinated me as soon as I researched the origin of my beloved garments, and I realised I wanted to help minimise my involvement in the violation of the rights of women across the globe.
So how can we, as modern women, help this crisis? Well, put simply – the market predominantly exists for women. Companies are scrabbling amongst themselves to persuade females to buy their products, because these businesses know that women are the largest demographic of shoppers worldwide and so their impact on the economy is increasing annually. The global incomes of women are predicted to reach $18 trillion by 2018, according to global professional services firm EY. Companies being so focused on women as a demographic means that women can significantly change the lives of millions of people working in sweatshops, all by simply changing their shopping habits. Yep, it can really be that easy!
It’s estimated that women make up 70-80% of all consumer purchasing. Imagine if that 80% decided to buy from only ethically produced clothing companies. Imagine if that 80% decided to swap clothes, rummage through charity shops and thrift stores, and pass on their clothes to friends and family. The benefits of buying ethically are endless. It encourages innovative product sourcing and ethical business standards, whilst also shaming those companies that ignore the social and environmental consequences of their actions. It empowers the consumer, giving you a real say in how the products you buy are made, and how the company that makes them conducts its business. It is an opportunity for women to support one another worldwide. Women uniting in a common cause can change the lives of sweatshop workers everywhere.
In my next article, I will be sharing my journey and tips on how to become a conscious ethical consumer to help out our sisters in sweatshops across the world.