Child Labor and Fashion Industry

In most countries, child labour is considered as an outright violation of human rights, and for this reason, it is forbidden by law. The fashion industry is a significant sector that ensures that the demands of apparel are met, and dramatically dictates the trend in matters to do with clothing and attires. The industry is characterized by distinct separate levels, which employs different measures for the obtaining of the result of customer satisfaction (Turker, & Altuntas, 2014). Meeting the demands of the industry sometimes proves to be an expensive practice, and many stakeholders have devised countermeasures to meet the requirements (Scott, 2006). One of the means involves employing labour from the underage lot. To investigate the influence of subjecting children to work iii. To probe the extent of child labour to families and the society at large.

Literature Review The literature review will give an exploration on sources that focus on the fashion industries, child labour and the factors that lead to the employment of this labour and also the correlation of child labour and the fashion industry. Also, this section will review sources that explain the adverse effects on the children and even some of the measures taken by significant labour bodies in the world to help counter the insidious and inhumane practice. Fashion Industry Not a single moment, can anyone go on their day to day business without interacting with the field and products of fashion. The kind of work that is dubbed acceptable to children is one that does not in any way possible affect their normal or expected growth of mode of operation (Perry, & Towers, 2009).

It should not negatively impact their physical and emotional health or inhibit the development of the same. It is quite unfortunate that a good number of children are introduced to the kind of work that does more harm than good to their health. The type of work that deprives the very nature of childhood of a child serves as the true definition of child labour. It involves subjecting underage children to a work regime, and this is apparently against human rights and the law in general. This competition does not come short in any way. We live in a globalized world where many textile industries are mushrooming, each trying to stand out in regards to the provision of cheap and affordable priced goods.

To achieve this, some viable measures are employed, without necessarily compromising with the quality of the manufactured products (Lueg, Pedersen, & Clemmensen, 2015). Sadly, in most developing countries, many industries constitute a low-priced and effortlessly exploited labour force. They easily manipulate and employ under aged children, depriving them of their childhood life, and compromising with their fundamental constitutional human rights. Many may beg to question why child labour is in existence, why companies continuously resolve to enrol children where else a good workforce composed of well-abled men and women exist. There are some compelling reasons, and the major one is that child labour cases slide so quickly under the radar and go unnoticed. One of the main reason for the prevalence of child labour is due to their vulnerability which emanates from a lack of supervision or social regulatory mechanism.

Also, there are no unions put in place for bargaining and advocating for better working conditions (Hilton, Choi, & Chen, 2004). Children from an unskilled group of workers and lack the voice and the will to air out their demands and needs, and thus are easy targets and fall prey of untimely employment. Poor girls are usually lured to work in cotton mills, and due to demands from the industry, some factory managements go to the extent of stopping their menstruation by lacing their foods and drinks with hormones (Kozlowski, Bardecki, & Searcy, 2012). Girls and women, in general, are known to be unproductive during their periods, and these poor young girls are left to suffer at the hands of selfish employers. As discussed earlier on, many companies tend to employ children due to their vulnerability.

This is of course in preference to the adults. Getting deeper into matters, there exists a clear link between child labour and poor pay for the adults. The fashion industry plays no part in contributing to the well-being of young children. It does not equip them with any skill whatsoever for future use (Boris & Prugl, 2016). If children work for very long hours with insignificant pay, they are prohibited from moving into more skilled employment as they become adults. The long working hours deprive them the chance to gain substantial skills in other fields. The bottom line is, exposing children to work is not a crime, especially if it permits children to learn new skills that may be useful in their later life.

This paper will adopt the survey method. This method aims at answering the questions what, where, who, how much and how many. A survey is a useful tool in an exploratory and descriptive study. Research design The descriptive survey method adopted in this study will enable researchers to categorically analyze the sampled population in determining child labour in fashion industries in poor parts of the world. Simple sampling technique is used to select the participants of the study. Although in small magnitudes, things are improving. Since the year 2000, child labour population has declined by a third. In conclusion, child labour in the fashion industry is real. Awareness needs to be created, and viable methods need to be employed with immediate effect to help eradicate child labour.

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