Apple admits using child labor

From the Telegraph:

By Malcolm Moore

At least eleven 15-year-old children were discovered to be working last year in three factories which supply Apple.

The company did not name the offending factories, or say where they were based, but the majority of its goods are assembled in China.

Apple also has factories working for it in Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, the Czech Republic and the United States.

Apple said the child workers are now no longer being used, or are no longer underage. "In each of the three facilities, we required a review of all employment records for the year as well as a complete analysis of the hiring process to clarify how underage people had been able to gain employment," Apple said, in an annual report on its suppliers.

Apple has been repeatedly criticised for using factories that abuse workers and where conditions are poor. Last week, it emerged that 62 workers at a factory that manufactures products for Apple and Nokia had been poisoned by n-hexane, a toxic chemical that can cause muscular degeneration and blur eyesight. Apple has not commented on the problems at the plant, which is run by Wintek, in the Chinese city of Suzhou.

A spokesman for Wintek said that "almost all" of the affected workers were back at work, but that some remained in hospital. Wintek said n-hexane was commonly used in the technology industry, and that problems had arisen because some areas of the factory were not ventilated properly.

Last year, an employee at Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that is one of Apple's biggest suppliers, committed suicide after being accused of stealing a prototype for the iPhone.

Read the full article

Ex-NBA All-Star accused of sex trafficking

From the AP:

SAN ANTONIO - Former NBA All-Star Alvin Robertson has been charged with sexual assault of a child, trafficking an underage child for purposes of sex and forcing a sexual performance by a child.

The charges were contained in an arrest warrant Friday. Robertson has not been apprehended. Authorities claim the 47-year-old former Spurs star was part of a ring that kidnapped a 14-year-old girl from San Antonio, forced her to have sex with clients and to dance at a Corpus Christi strip club last year.

The girl escaped her alleged captors, prompting an investigation. Seven people have been charged, including Robertson’s girlfriend, and he’s the only one who has not been arrested.

The seventh overall pick in the 1984 draft, Robertson averaged 14 points over 10 seasons and was voted to four All-Star games.

The Business of Human Trafficking

Picture by Kay Chernush for the U.S State Department

Introduction: While law enforcement, government, and non-governmental organizations may be more obvious actors in the movement to end slavery, businesses and corporations have a vital role that is often overlooked. Slavery and labor exploitation flourish because we tolerate them and even benefit from them in the form of artificially cheap products. Corporations thus are in a unique position; some, due to their egregious actions or negligence promote slavery; others, due to their commitment to social responsibility, human rights, and fair-labor practices are actively combating slavery.

Jennifer K.: Though the chocolate industry has garnered a great deal of attention for the use of child labor and forced labor, it's far from the only tainted food. The Solidarity Center released a report in 2008 detailing the True Cost of Shrimp and the ways that workers are exploited to keep prices low. In the Department of Labor's report on goods made with forced labor and/or child labor, the shrimp industry was indicted for the use of both. Ambassador Mark Lagon, former Ambassador-at-Large for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, described the conditions endured by a slave laborer in the shrimp industry in Southeast Asia, "Aye Aye tried to escape this labor camp, but she was caught, dragged back, beaten, tied to a stake in the middle of the common yard, refused food and water, and had her head shaved. All this to demonstrate to her colleagues what would happen to those who tried to escape." Thailand's shrimp industry is particularly horrifying, utilizing children and teenagers, keeping workers locked to avoid escape, and using threats and violence. Moreover, "Thailand is the world’s largest seafood exporter and the United States is its largest buyer. One third of America’s shrimp is imported from Thailand."

Youngbee: Wal-Mart's notoriety with labor exploitation and child labor is widely known. Even an average Joe who isn't familiar with human trafficking remembers the news report on its child exploitation with the Mary-Kate clothing line. The company was caught multiple times for child labor violation since the early 2000. In year 2000, The New York Times reported on an internal Wal-Mart audit "pointed to extensive violation of child labor regulations." The children missed 60,767 breaks and 15,705 meal times. In 2005, the company once again was caught in violation of child labor regulations in Connecticut, where the labor department found 11 violations in three Wal-Mart stores. The good news is that Wal-Mart seems to respond to the bad publicity. In 2008, it told the suppliers to stop buying cottons from Uzbekistan, where children are exploited. But, this does not mean that it no longer relies on child labor and other forms of exploitation. It just means that at least, it began to recognize the gravity of the problem.

Shreya Exploitation and forced labor are widespread problems in today's society. In November 2009, International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) released their 2010 Sweatshop Hall of Shame report, which apparel and textile companies that employ inhumane and exploitative labor practices in the name of providing cheap consumer goods. Many of these companies force laborers to work in dangerous conditions and pay them below poverty to poverty wages. If the workers attempted to protest or organize, some of the companies have used illegal practices, such has threatening and beating the workers, to prevent them from voicing their concerns. The official 2010 Sweatshop Hall of Shame inductees are:

1. Abercrombie and Fitch
   
2. Gymboree
3. Hanes
4. Ikea
5. Kohl’s
6. LL Bean
7. Pier 1 Imports
8. Propper International
9. Walmart.
   

Many of these companies project a different image and seem to have inconsistent policies. For example, a recent article talked about how Ikea is working with Unicef to help fight child labor. However, according to the report, Ikea has been purchasing linen from a factory where four workers died as a result of unsafe working conditions. We are part of this problem and we can be part of the solution. There are many ways to support non-sweatshop products in the apparel industry. For more information on buying clothing made under ethical and just conditions, visit www.Sweatfree.org/shoppingguide.

Meg: Nike is a good example of how consumer pressure can be used to improve the labor practices of businesses. Many of us can remember the negative publicity and boycotting of Nike during the nineties, when it came under fire for slave labor conditions in its factories. In response to the negative exposure, Nike admitted to its mistakes, specifically with regards to children, and started taking steps to improve conditions. Although opinions seem to vary about whether Nike has sufficiently improved conditions in its factories, it is clear that public opinion is important to the company and has had an effect on its actions. However, these days it seems that so many large companies have been linked to slave labor that it has become almost commonplace. If we avoid becoming desensitized, I think we can do a lot of good in influencing labor practices just by using our power as consumers to discourage businesses with poor labor practices, and encourage businesses that are taking positive steps. For a great first step, check out change.org's weekly Red Light Special.

Interview with Maya Worman on Our Border

The Department of Homeland Security recently launched a new social networking site called Our Border. Maya Worman of DHS kindly agreed to answer a few questions about the site.

What is Our Border?

Our Border, http://www.ourborder.ning.com, is a social network maintained by the Dept. of Homeland Security that promotes direct communication and collaboration among its members by highlighting issues, ideas, and events relating to the Department's mission.

What is the goal of Our Border?

It is a meeting place for those interested in following issues, as well as those that are already active leaders in the issues discussed on Our Border. Members of Our Border can initiate or strengthen relationships within the issue areas of their choosing, collaborate with partners thousands of miles away, raise overall awareness and generate support for local efforts and events. The goal is simple: come to Our Border--talk about what you are working on, learn from your new partners, and share what works.

Who contributes to the site?

The membership is growing by word of mouth and direct invitations from content facilitators and current members to an international network of individuals, academic professionals, local and regional officials, decision leaders, emerging advocates and municipal governments--any person interested in preventing, interrupting or stopping human trafficking, or interested in learning the facts about the issue--is welcome to join.

What is your role in relation to Our Border?

I am a member of a group of DHS employees looking to develop and expand how the Department communicates with the public--through the utilization of social networks, face-to-face community meetings, and the information we make available on our main web site, www.dhs.gov. The federal government is committed to providing direct lines of communication about issues that affect us all, especially when resolutions require community engagement. Our Border is one of those direct lines.

How does Our Border relate to human trafficking?

Our Border is the host for the human trafficking group. By including human trafficking outreach and coalition building in Our Border, growing networks focused on advocacy in other areas--bi-lateral cooperation, commerce, travel and trade facilitation, etc.--have access to information and discussions about human trafficking that they may not have direct exposure to otherwise.

How can people get involved/can it be used to help fight human trafficking?

Joining the site is the first step. Join Our Border and then join the Human Trafficking group within Our Border. Encourage your friends to do the same to stay updated on what is happening in the realm of human trafficking. Advocates can use the site as an additional way to communicate, promote events, grow awareness, or share ideas. The site can be used as a repository for what is happening at the community level, and as a way to build coalitions with individuals, groups and federal law enforcement partners.

What tools are available on the site?

The site is similar to other social networking applications. The content is populated and utilized by the resourcefulness of its members. Discussion forums, picture and video sharing, direct communication, document storage, etc. are a few of the standard site tools.

What do you hope the site will accomplish?

We hope the site will be a valuable resource for its members. We hope that members will log on to find out what is happening in communities like their own, learning best practices or new ideas for combating a colossal problem. We hope that advocates will utilize this tool to connect with the public and explore the partnerships that Our Border has facilitated. We hope that students and emerging advocates find authoritative facts to share with their friends, schools, community groups, and that soon people on the street aren't surprised to learn about the millions of adults and children, at any given time, held against their will in forced labor and sexual servitude.

Ending Child Trafficking through Prevention

From the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Jonathan Todres:

As Haiti grapples with numerous tragedies following its recent earthquake, another horror story has emerged: Many children left homeless there now risk being trafficked. Only this is not a natural disaster, but one created entirely by humans.

Child trafficking is not new to Haiti, or to any other part of the world. It is a global phenomenon that victimizes millions of children, including many here in the United States. . .

Over the past decade, the United States and many other governments have taken significant actions to combat human trafficking, but their approach is flawed. Little attention is paid to the ultimate goal — prevention. In all my research over the past decade, I haven’t found any evidence suggesting that child trafficking has declined. . . In fact, it might be increasing.

Although the international community has agreed upon a sensible, comprehensive three-pronged approach to combating trafficking, often referred to as the three P’s — 1. punishment of perpetrators; 2. protection of victims; and 3. prevention — in reality governments have focused primarily on the first step and, to some extent, on the second. . .

Prevention, however, has been largely ignored, even though without it we will be caught in an endless cycle of chasing perpetrators and providing victims services after the harm to children has already occurred.

Read the full article here.

Like Todres, I think that we need to increase the discussion about prevention, both because it is often ignored or dealt with lost and because it is vitally important to completely eradicating slavery. As Todres notes, this conversation must include efforts to address the ways we contribute to slavery, particularly in our choices as consumers. Todres' points about engaging many different sectors, from health-care workers to law enforcement to corporations to the education sector, are also well taken. I would argue, though, that we must also make sure that survivors themselves and people at risk for trafficking take a leading role in this discussion. Prevention may not be the most glamorous of the "three Ps," but it's one that we must more seriously and actively address if we want to end slavery.

Photo taken by Kay Chernush for the State Department.

State-Level Human Trafficking Policy

During the 2010 legislative session, state legislators around the United States are reviewing and enacting a range of anti-trafficking laws. Though federal laws and legislation play a leading role in fighting human trafficking, state-level policy has a vital role to play in filling in gaps, addressing the local trafficking context, and increasing victim identification. Pending and proposed state legislation ranges from attempts to catch up with other states to innovative efforts.

Earlier this month, a Vermont Senate Committee began considering a bill that would make Vermont's state trafficking laws comprehensive. Currently, only sex trafficking is covered under Vermont's law; labor trafficking is ignored. Vermont is one of five states that lacks a comprehensive law.

Several states are considering legislation that would strengthen penalties for trafficking. The Utah House passed a bill that would make it a separate charge for each person someone trafficked. A California bill that has received support of many anti-trafficking NGOs would increase sentencing minimums and maximums for human trafficking, and would also include fines of up to $500,000. The bill also would mandate human trafficking training for law enforcement officers and increase measures to protect victims.

Oklahoma is also reviewing a bill that could enhance penalties for trafficking, but in a slightly different way. Senate Bill 2258, which recently was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, would increase penalties for destroying or taking someone's personal identification documents. Since traffickers often control victims through controlling victims' documentation, supporters argue this bill would help fight trafficking.

The California State Senate recently approved a bill that would require manufacturers and retailers to develop, implement, and maintain policies to help eliminate human trafficking in their supply chains. This bill takes a unique approach to anti-trafficking work by encouraging corporate responsibility. If it is successful, it could be a useful and influential model for other states.

An Oregon bill that unanimously passed the State Senate and is now headed to the Governor for final ratification aims to raise awareness and increase identification of victims. The bill would allow for stickers with the national human trafficking hotline number to be disseminated to and displayed by establishments that sell alcohol. Texas enacted a similar bill in 2007.

Polaris Project's U.S. Policy Program tracks state anti-trafficking policy efforts. The Action Center includes information on how to advocate for pending anti-trafficking legislation.

Oregon Senate Passes Bill to Help Create Awareness

The Oregon Senate approved HB 3623 on February 19, 2010. Once signed by the governor, the bill will allow the Polaris Project to include stickers with the national hotline number in routine mailings from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to restaurants, bars, and other places that serve or provide alcohol. Business owners will be encouraged to display the stickers on windows in order to raise awareness and provide a number to call for those who are victims or who may know of a victim.

According to The Oregonian, during a one-night nationwide sting last year, Portland police officers picked up more sex trafficking victims than any other of the 29 cities involved, except Seattle.

More information on HB 3623 can be found here.