Over the past decade, consumer
electronics have become a cornerstone to most people across the world and if
they are like most Nigerians, they probably own a cell phone, computer and at
least one television, but the question no one seems to be asking is ‘Where do
all these gadgets come from?’
It would amaze you to know that
these electronics products are manufactured in some of these cities, namely
Reynoza in Mexico; Jaszerbereny and Polgar in Hungary; Chennai in India; Hanoi
in Vietnam; and Pathum Thani in Thailand, but some of the leading electronics
makers may have contributed adversely to impoverishing the world children,
through child labour.
Some of the beneficiaries of this
situation include Samsung, Apple, General Electronics, Nokia, Motorola, Dell,
Panasonic and dozens more, who are direct or indirectly contributing to child
labour at the countries where they have assembling plants, based on poor wage
apart from poor working conditions.
It was also discovered that 36
per cent of all children under 14 were employed in manufacturing during the
period under review, while the average work day for each child is 10 hours.
According to a recent research by
Jen Rhee, a Master student, an estimated 90 per cent of American adults live in
a household with at least one cell phone, 59 per cent of American adults own a
desktop computer, 52 per cent own a laptop computer; while 96 per cent of
American households have at least one television and more than half of homes
have at least three.
Additionally, the report says
that China is responsible for one third (1/3) of the global electronics
manufacturing, wondering, however, where the other 2/3 come from?
In view of the research, DigitalSENSE
News discovered that five manufacturing plants produce bulk of the world’s
television sets, computers, cell phones GPS systems, tablets, and cameras that
populate homes, invariably for various brands and aforementioned brands
precisely.
These electronics products, the
research added were produced. Reynoza in Mexico; Jaszerbereny and Polgar,
Hungary; Chennai, India; Hanoi, Vietnam; Pathum Thani, Thailand, maintaining
that 36 per cent of all children under 14 were employed in manufacturing as at
the time of the research, while the average work day for each child is 10
hours.
Remarkably, estimated at the
report stated that after explosions at an Apple supplier plant in China in
2010, many of the company’s factories came under scrutiny.
“Of 127 Chinese Apple supplier
plants audited in 2010, 80 had not properly stored or handled hazardous
chemicals; 41 did not dispose of hazardous waste as required by law; 37 did not
monitor and control air emissions and 11 had waste water problems,” part of the
report conducted under MastersDegree.net read.
They pointed out that when other
gadget suppliers were examined, it became clear that Apple did not fall far
from the tree and companies like Samsung, General Electronics, Motorola, Nokia,
Dell, Panasonic, and some more from these manufacturing capitals have extremely
poor wages.
On daily average, the report says
wages range between $8.9, about N1,403.08 to $190, about N29,953.50, citing for
instance that the United States tops the factory cities with $190 followed by
Jaszerbereny and Polgar in Hungary with
$13.3; Hanoi - $3.3, Reynosa - $4.52, Pathum Thani $7.19 and Chennai - $8.9.
“These companies don’t just pay
poorly, they’ve also been found to employ children (child labour); face threats
of suicide; face employee protests and be negligent in handling waste; as poor
working conditions allow you to get your gadgets a little cheaper, but is it
worth it?”
Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
