Indonesia is the world’s biggest palm oil producer, with an estimated 7.6 million women working in its fields, about half the total workforce, according to the female empowerment ministry. In much-smaller Malaysia, the figures are harder to nail down due to the large number of foreign migrants working off the books.
As the decades passed, palm oil became an essential ingredient for the food industry, which saw it as a substitute for unhealthy trans fats. And cosmetic companies, which were shifting away from animal- or petroleum-based ingredients, were captivated by its miracle properties: It foams in toothpaste and shaving gel, moisturizes soaps and lathers in shampoo.
The day she was attacked in 2017, she said the boss took her to a remote part of the estate, where her job was to ferry wheelbarrows laden with the bright orange palm oil fruits he hacked from the trees. Suddenly, she said, he grabbed her arm and started pawing her breasts, throwing her to the jungle floor. Afterward, she said, he held the ax to her throat.Then, she said, he stood up and spit on her.
While Indonesia has laws in place to protect women from abuse and discrimination, Rafail Walangitan of the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection said he was aware of many problems identified by the AP on palm oil plantations, including child labor and sexual harassment.“We have to work hard on this,” he said, noting the government still has a long way to go.
Many families living on plantations struggle to earn enough to cover basic costs, like electricity and rice. Desperate women are sometimes coerced into using their bodies to pay back loans from supervisors or other workers. And younger females, especially those considered attractive, occasionally are given less demanding jobs like cleaning the boss’ house, with sex expected in exchange.
A powerful global industry group, the Consumer Goods Forum, published a 2018 report alerting the network’s 400 CEOs that women on plantations were exposed to dangerous chemicals and “subject to the worst conditions among all palm oil workers.” It also noted that a few local groups had cited examples of women being forced to provide sex to secure or keep jobs, but said few workers were willing to discuss the sensitive issue.
That includes Indonesian companies like London Sumatra, which withdrew from the RSPO last year after the association cited it for a series of labor abuses. London Sumatra told the AP that it adheres to labor laws and takes “the health of our workers very seriously.”
Spread the news.. Good reporting..
Not to mention the deforestation of those areas leaving animals, etc living in those areas with no place to go.
Trust the Science, not the 'science'
This is Capitalism. The pursuit of money with no regard for the people doing the work to keep the money pump going.
Some of this is covered in 'The Globalisation Tapes, a 2003 documentary made by palm oil plantation workers union members and directed by The Act of Killing's JoshuaOppenheim and christinecynn
I’m glad this article came back on my feed so I could read it. Palm oil products are killing people and large corporations keep making them. We need to read labels and stop this horrific abuse of women in Indonesia & Malaysia. I’m particularly disappointed in BurtsBees!
The Iceland’s Christmas ad campaign, which went viral after being banned in UK due to it being too ‘political.’
And same with other products too
Thank you for this. I manage our CSR program for my company and have forwarded this to those responsible for sourcing.
This is messed up. So, in order for some women to feel beautiful, other women have to be raped? There has to be a solution where they all win without one suffering.
PattyArquette OMFG
PattyArquette Palm oil is pre-carcinogenic, avoid at all costs!
It’s also in virtually every jar of no stir peanut butter so as annoying as that oil on top can be, get natural peanut butter that does not contain palm oil.
Heartbreaking. I wish had included a comprehensive list of companies so consumers can make informed choices on whether to patronize them.
How are iphones made again please?
Don't use any palm oil.
ProcterGamble AvonInsider unileverusa LOrealParisUSA
thanks
So its back to whales then?
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