The practice of one of the world’s largest and most well known businesses has been under scrutiny for a number of years. Wal-Mart, an international chain of retail stores, selling about almost anything one can imagine needing from clothes to office supplies to food. A few years ago, news had surfaced about the ill practices of the corporation in regards to child labour, forced labour and sweatshops in Bangladesh. It was reported that many children under the age of 11 are forced to work in harsh conditions for anywhere between 12-20 per day, seven days a week. In North America, there are legislations that protect and prevent child labour, but unfortunately in a poverty stricken country like Bangladesh it has become somewhat of a societal norm.
…show more content…
Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to education”. Children should not be subjected to dangerous conditions that interfere with their well-being and overall human rights. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the U.S. It employs almost 3 times the amount of employees as the second largest business, IBM. There is no excuse as to why Wal-Mart executives, being aware of these conditions, should have permitted the mistreated of children in order to maintain low prices. This is moral recklessness. They have not taken adequate initial measures due to a lack of concern. These children belong in schools. Unfortunately, they come from families that see work more important than education due to high poverty rates. There has to be some form of protection for these children. It is Wal-Marts responsibility to ensure all employees, domestic and abroad, are treated with equal rights. It is unethical for children, many under 11, to be abused and forced to work for pennies, while Wal-Mart continues to be one of the richest and fastest growing companies in the …show more content…
It is not said if they have withdrawn their agreements with any of these factories and they are not subject to review by outside organizations, but it goes without saying, this would definitely not be the solution to the underlying problem. It is most important that Wal-Mart attempt to subsidize the education of its workers as the forced labour has often interfered with the children’s school time. Education is critical to the growth of a society and human development. Additionally, many of these employees (women and children) faced terrible working conditions. They are physical, verbally and mentally abused by management. Managers have a fiduciary responsibility to the company’s stockholders. They are threatened with employment termination and violence if they do not meet quotas. Wal-Mart needs to consistently monitor these factories and have the employees give regular updates on their working conditions. For most of them, sewing at the factory is the only work available to them and their only means for providing for themselves are their families. Simply terminating child workers or Wal-Mart terminating their contract with these factories does not end the injustices they have face or will continue to
Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to education”. Children should not be subjected to dangerous conditions that interfere with their well-being and overall human rights. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the U.S. It employs almost 3 times the amount of employees as the second largest business, IBM. There is no excuse as to why Wal-Mart executives, being aware of these conditions, should have permitted the mistreated of children in order to maintain low prices. This is moral recklessness. They have not taken adequate initial measures due to a lack of concern. These children belong in schools. Unfortunately, they come from families that see work more important than education due to high poverty rates. There has to be some form of protection for these children. It is Wal-Marts responsibility to ensure all employees, domestic and abroad, are treated with equal rights. It is unethical for children, many under 11, to be abused and forced to work for pennies, while Wal-Mart continues to be one of the richest and fastest growing companies in the …show more content…
It is not said if they have withdrawn their agreements with any of these factories and they are not subject to review by outside organizations, but it goes without saying, this would definitely not be the solution to the underlying problem. It is most important that Wal-Mart attempt to subsidize the education of its workers as the forced labour has often interfered with the children’s school time. Education is critical to the growth of a society and human development. Additionally, many of these employees (women and children) faced terrible working conditions. They are physical, verbally and mentally abused by management. Managers have a fiduciary responsibility to the company’s stockholders. They are threatened with employment termination and violence if they do not meet quotas. Wal-Mart needs to consistently monitor these factories and have the employees give regular updates on their working conditions. For most of them, sewing at the factory is the only work available to them and their only means for providing for themselves are their families. Simply terminating child workers or Wal-Mart terminating their contract with these factories does not end the injustices they have face or will continue to