Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
In 1995 Craig Kielburger founded
Free the Children
He was 12 years old
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
• In 1995, Kielburger read about 12year old Iqbal Masih of Pakistan who
had been murdered for speaking out
against child labour. Masih had been
sold into child labour at the age of
four. Iqbal worked 12 hours a day,
six days a week tying tiny knots to
make carpets.
• Kielburger learned there are 250
million child laborers in the world, one
half of them working full time and in
hazardous conditions.
• With friends, he formed Free the
Children
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
What is Free the Children?
• An international network
of children
• Children helping children
• An organization by, of and
for children that fully
embodies the notion that
children and young people
themselves can be leaders
of today in creating a
more just, equitable and
sustainable world.
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
Organization goals
• Free children from
poverty and exploitation
• Instill in children and
young people the idea
that they are powerful
and can bring about
positive social change
• Encourage children to
improve the lives of their
peers
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
Sexual Exploitation
• About 30% of the 185,000 prostitutes
in Vietnam are under the age of 16
Child Labour
• 73 million working children are less
than 10 years old
Child Soldiers
• About 300,000 children are exploited
as child soldiers. An estimated 800
are killed or maimed by landmines
every month.
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
Cost of Style
• If a pair of Nike Trainers cost $136.63, the cost can divided
into the following areas
 $34.16
Profit
 $ 6.15
Suppliers
 $10.93
Nike (Brand Name Copyright)
 $17.08
Retailer (Shoe Store)
 $ 5.47
Labour
 $ 8.20
Advertising
 $17.08
Raw Materials
 $70.82
Other Costs (overhead, taxes, transport)
• Worker wages are 4% of the price you pay. Workers being
paid more does not necessarily mean you will have to pay more
for your Nike shoes. Double labour cost is equivalent to a pair
of laces.
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
• In Bangladesh, the garment industry
accounts for over 75% of the country's
exports and the industry employs over
1.5 million people (mostly women) in
3,300 factories. Wages range between
$27.50 and $70.00 per month. The
standard working day is 12 hours but
overtime is compulsory and workers
sometimes work through the night.
Women making padded jackets for a
major brand name get $1.15 per jacket
-- The jacket sells for $280. in
Canada. Workers get one day off per
month and physical abuse is common
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
•
In Indonesia, 66% of foreign investment is
in manufacturing with shoe and garment
production a key sector. Garment workers
are mainly young women aged between 2022. It is estimated that it would take 3%
of Nike's annual advertising budget to pay
all its Indonesian workers a living wage. The
minimum wage in Indonesia ranges from
$60.00 to $120.00 a month. Many
companies claim they are paying above the
minimum wage. For example Adidas claims it
is paying 25% above the minimum wage.
However, this figure only adds up if Adidas
are including overtime pay in the equation
(i.e., a wage for a 12 hour working day
instead of the normal 8 hour day).
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
•
In Vietnam, one million workers (over 70%
of whom female) work in about 800 garment
factories. It is the fastest growing sector
in the national economy and accounts for
about 30% of the country's total exports.
Garment factories are leaving Thailand to
start producing in Vietnam where wages are
lower. Exploitation, abuse and compulsory
overtime occur throughout the industry and
in foreign owned companies where most of
the big sports brands are produced. The
Vietnamese government is actively promoting
the rights of workers but finding it
increasingly difficult to balance that with
attracting foreign investment.
Craig Kielburger - Free the Children
•
Free the Children is active in more than 35
•
More than one million youth have participated
•
Free the Children has
countries
– built more than 400 primary schools providing
education to over 35,000 children every day
– shipped more than 200,000 school and health
kits around the world
– sent more than $8 million US dollars worth of
medical supplies to health clinics in developing
countries
– led campaigns against sweatshop and child labor
– convinced governments to stiffen laws to charge
tourists who sexually exploit children