Recent analysis shows that over the past 10 years child labor violations across the U.S. have tripled, reports the Washington Post. Investigators have uncovered an uptick in labor violations in standard work for teens, like fast food-restaurants and other service industries. Multiple instances of minors working in dangerous jobs that federal law prohibits, like meatpacking, manufacturing, and construction, have also been uncovered at increasing rates. Despite that, at least 16 states have one or more bills to weaken their child labor laws. What’s going on? “Irresponsible and dystopian”
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Chocolate Scorecard 2024: sweet progress & bitter challenges
It’s that special time again when we dive deep into the world of chocolate, especially with Easter right around the corner. This isn’t just about indulging in your favorite sweets; it’s about understanding the impact behind each bite. The 2024 Chocolate Scorecard is out, and there’s a lot to talk about, especially regarding our fight against forced child labor in the cocoa industry – what has changed, can we celebrate (spoiler: YES!), and what work is left? Let’s break it down, shall we? What is the Chocolate Scorecard? The Chocolate Scorecard is a report card for
Freedom United exposes U.S. regression on child exploitation
My Freedom Day should be everyone's, every day. Except we're facing unprecedented rollbacks in labor laws across the U.S. facilitating the exploitation of children, which of course eases the path toward forced labour. My Freedom Day March 14 is designated My Freedom Day - a day of student-driven action to raise awareness of modern slavery. This year I was at Atlanta International School, where students organized a film festival from their own submissions, activities for the youngest students, presentations for parents. We launched our campaign for a U.S. where every child is protected from
We will never stop fighting for sex workers’ rights
As we observe International Sex Workers' Rights Day, news from California gives us pause to reflect. California, once hailed as a leader in progressive policies is now attempting to take a step backward in its commitment to protecting sex workers' rights. In 2022, we worked alongside partners in California to successfully repeal an archaic loitering law that targeted sex workers. We pushed for this change because laws that deny sex workers protections prevent them from being able to work safely, increasing the risk of violence and exploitation. Now, the recent legislative actions are
Challenging myself – and you – to rethink fashion
I’ve always been someone who loves to buy new clothes for the sake of buying new clothes. For the longest time, I didn’t consider the consequences this may have for the world and the people who produce these garments. Then, I met Nasreen Sheik and everything changed. Nasreen is a wonderful person - and a survivor of modern slavery. Hearing about the condition in which she was forced to make pieces of clothing by hand, earning close to nothing, and only getting paid when she finished a certain number of items per day was shocking. She spoke about getting ill due to the toxins in the