Like many international companies, Gap Inc sends out huge production orders to subcontractors in the developing world, where it should be said child labour is virtually endemic. The company has 100 inspectors monitoring 2,700 factories world wide, but evidently the Indian subcontractor broke the rules.

The reporter who exposed the Gap child labour horrors says the children were working under dreadful conditions, and that they all came from the poor Indian state of Bihar, which is a favourite hunting ground for traffickers looking for cheap underage labour. The poor parents of these children are tricked into selling their children for a few rupees with the promise that they will be well cared for and able to send back their wages.

Despite Gap's rigorous social audit system which it launched in 2004 to weed out child labour in its production processes, it is plainly visible that the system is being abused by unscrupulous subcontractors.

With the West's demand for cheaper clothing, we need to really put a true cost on such practices. Clearly this is a modern day slavery issue and national governments also need to put their own house in order as well as the brands who need more dependable inspectorates.

Children making clothing for children, what parent would buy a garment knowing this? The cost of policing is not cheap to audit these factories properly but it must be done to avoid the dreadful exploitation of children now and in the future.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---