Features of Human Rights - Catherine Hudson
One persistent example of the violation of human rights is within the fast fashion industry. In recent decades, fast fashion has taken over much of the fashion industry as companies have come to value quick mass-production over quality. This unfortunately is costly for both factory workers’ human rights as well as the environment.
Universal: There are an estimated 40 million garment workers in the world today, of which around 85% are women who lack rights and protection. This gender disparity reflects the exploitation of women’s work and infringes on article 3 of the UDHR which states everyone is entitled to without discrimination equal protection of the law. Ethnic minorities and children also form a good part of this workforce and are another reason to question the implementation of this right.
Interdependent: These women are often the main source of income for their children and families. They are forced to work in unethical conditions–regularly exposed to chemicals from toxic textiles– and are significantly underpaid. In Bangladesh, workers are paid as little as 5,000 takas ($97) per month or 25 cents an hour. This is clearly a violation of article 23, the right to work in just and favorable conditions as well as the right to have equal pay. The lack of protection for this right affects article 25 since there is no way these workers can achieve a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families on this income. A most threatening example of the effect of the lack of safe work environments is the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh where 80% of the 1,129 people killed when the factory crumbled were women, along with a number of children –the negligence of article 3: everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Indivisible: Despite the declared protection of all human rights for all human beings, fast fashion businesses have demonstrated that these rights do not apply to their factory workers
Inalienable: The right to a favorable work environment and adequate pay has not been granted to factory workers.
Inalienable: The right to a favorable work environment and adequate pay has not been granted to factory workers.
Universal: There are an estimated 40 million garment workers in the world today, of which around 85% are women who lack rights and protection. This gender disparity reflects the exploitation of women’s work and infringes on article 3 of the UDHR which states everyone is entitled to without discrimination equal protection of the law. Ethnic minorities and children also form a good part of this workforce and are another reason to question the implementation of this right.
Interdependent: These women are often the main source of income for their children and families. They are forced to work in unethical conditions–regularly exposed to chemicals from toxic textiles– and are significantly underpaid. In Bangladesh, workers are paid as little as 5,000 takas ($97) per month or 25 cents an hour. This is clearly a violation of article 23, the right to work in just and favorable conditions as well as the right to have equal pay. The lack of protection for this right affects article 25 since there is no way these workers can achieve a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families on this income. A most threatening example of the effect of the lack of safe work environments is the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh where 80% of the 1,129 people killed when the factory crumbled were women, along with a number of children –the negligence of article 3: everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Indivisible: Despite the declared protection of all human rights for all human beings, fast fashion businesses have demonstrated that these rights do not apply to their factory workers
Inalienable: The right to a favorable work environment and adequate pay has not been granted to factory workers.
Inalienable: The right to a favorable work environment and adequate pay has not been granted to factory workers.
Work Cited
“The Problem with Fast Fashion.” BWSS, 27 Aug. 2019, www.bwss.org/fastfashion/.
“Why Fast Fashion Is a Feminist Issue.” Good On You, 29 Sept. 2020, goodonyou.eco/why-fast- fashion-is-a-feminist-issue/.
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