Child Labor India Rugs

379 are working in developing countries and many of them were enslaved or bonded laborers.

Child labor india rugs.

In brick kilns carpet weaving garment making domestic service food and refreshment. She immediately implements a strict policy that provides for contract cancellation if any ikea supplier uses child labor. The case ikea s global sourcing challenge. Then in 1994 marianne barner a newly appointed ikea product manager is surprised by a swedish television documentary on the use of child labor by indian carpet suppliers including some that supply ikea s rugs.

After a few years of ikea undergoing speculation of unreliable suppliers in countries such as india pakistan and nepal whom used child labor freely throughout their practices ikea s business area manager of carpets marianne barner was faced with a dilemma that she was quickly forced to overcome. The report tainted carpets. Human rights and global sourcing. The number of child and or forced laborers in many countries such as india nepal pakistan and morocco is staggering.

Weaving factories have learned they can escape law enforcement if any of labor laws by scattering small village units across the countryside with less than 10 workers each since these small factories are not covered by most labor laws in many of these countries. During the past 20 years it has been one of the fastest growing industries and most of this growth has been achieved through the use of child labor. Child labor in ghana. Across india child labourers can be found in a variety of industries.

Ikea s global sourcing challenge. Statistics of international labor organization there are 250 million children aged 5 to 14 todaro smith 2009 p. Slavery and child labor in india s hand made carpet sector documents over 3 200 cases across nine states in india and found several hundred cases each of forced. Indian rugs and child labor a.

The handmade woolen carpet industry is extremely labor intensive and one of the largest export earners for india pakistan nepal and morocco. For example in india estimates of child labor in india vary from the government s 1991 census figure of 11 3 million children under 15 working to human rights watch s estimate of between 60 million and 115 millions child laborers and about 200 000 were employed in the carpet industry. Children work long hours for very little pay. In the case the company confronted child labor issue and customers perceived that the low price they benefit was due to child labor exploitation in india customers would react by avoiding products from ikea that results in a drop in sales.