The GAP controversy - isn't something new. It is the same old story on sweat shops, child labor and 'developing' world. So a few kids filmed in some factory in Delhi working on the brand. The entire consignment is being destroyed now.
My concern is only that what do the kids do next? In the developed world view or belief they perhaps get back their childhood and education. In reality they go to much worse work places or perhaps similar workplaces and get working. The problem is that these kids would hardly be able to survive if it wasn't for these sweat shops. They earn a basic meal through it. When it goes away they lose pretty much everything.
So in all such controversies that are trying to fulfil the gap in childhood I urge its easy to follow, criticise and work towards destroying the bigger corporations and their brands but its so much more difficult to get to the root cause of the problem and follow where the subject of the controversies...all these kids deprived of their childhood...find their way. To follow them , to create their future is much more challenging than bringing down those giant corporations.
Destruction is always easier than creation - so are the ways of nature, but is that what we seek? Does the problem really lie with GAP? What are the root causes and how do we work towards achieving that - are more pertinent questions to me.
"Does attacking GAP help us take a step forward or backward in addressing Child Rights !" I wonder.
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1 comment:
Hi Bacha, i tend to agree with you on this... where do the kids go next. My take on the issue... this is a gimmick to make items outsourced from the 3rd world countries dirty! It always helps their own industry if the labour has to come from their own country!
While i dont like the idea of child labour, i would think that labour leading to the kids atleast eking out a living on their own is better than their running around as beggars or worse
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