Stephanie Schiavoni is currently a junior at Bowdoin College, majoring in Government and Legal Studies with a concentration in American Politics. She is a track athlete at Bowdoin and an aspiring lawyer with a passion for human rights issues. Being that her mother is an immigrant, Stephanie is interested in educating the public on the intersection between cultures and oppression. Some of her favorite hobbies include cooking, running, trying new coffee shops, and binge-watching Food Network.
In both developing and developed countries, there has been an increasing demand for the production and trade of palm oil. Palm oil, or its derivatives, is now present in nearly 50% of all products in grocery stores, often being labeled as “vegetable oil,” used in various soaps, processed foods, shampoos, baked goods, cosmetics, cleaning products, and more. Nearly 85% of the world’s palm oil supply is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia, and it is their most prominent agricultural export. Being that 15.2% of Malaysia is covered with palm oil trees, and 4.4% of the land in Indonesia, these countries have utilized this industry as a mode of income and job employment. However, in order to keep up with the growing demand, some palm oil producers have started to rely on forced labor and other various forms of modern slavery. This industry employs upwards of 3.5 million workers in Indonesia and Malaysia, leaving many of them victims of labor exploitation.
Workers in oil palm plantations are particularly vulnerable to exploitation as a result of the isolation of palm groves. Research has shown that this industry leaves workers at higher risk for patterns of abuse, malpractice, coercion, long hours with low wages, poor health, and more frequent workplace injuries. This can be attributed to the labor intensive nature of the job and evidence of weaker enforcement of labor laws. Palm workers were reportedly paid as low as ⅙ the amount originally promised when hired, and often were forced to work overtime without payment. Even more so, children are also at high risk for labor exploitation due to poverty and poor access to education, and have frequently been shown as victims of exploitation on the palm plantations. The U.S Department of State in 2018 found that children are one of the most vulnerable groups to trafficking in the Ecuadoran palm oil sector. Additionally, the International Labor Organization and Walk Free Foundation found that children are believed to be ¼ of the 25 million forced laborers globally.
Not only have palm workers been denied just pay, but have continued to face limits on their freedom of movement and communication. Migrant workers from Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh make up a majority of the plantation-based workforce due to their need for higher incomes and consistent work. These migrant workers depend on their employer for not only income, but food and shelter. This not only gives the employer power over their workers, but leaves the migrants subject to curfews, surveillance, and supervision by armed guards. Should a migrant escape, they often struggle to find legal employment in Malaysia. Even if they do find employment, it is often through an independent plantation with few visits from industry and government regulatory groups, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation again.
