The Current

Advocacy News + Updates

Today, Verité released a new study, the result of a research project aimed at determining whether forced labor does in fact exist in the production of electronic goods in Malaysia. 

Verité's CEO, Dan Viederman, says, “Verité’s study is the most comprehensive look at forced labor in the Malaysian electronics sector to date. Our report provides a clear sense of the scope of the problem in the industry, as well as the root causes underlying this egregious form of abuse, which center on unlawful and unethical recruitment practices.”

Nearly 1 in 3 foreign workers in the Malaysian electronic industry were found to be in situations of forced labor. The report said 92% of all foreign workers surveyed paid exuberant recruitment fees that surpassed legal limits and industry standards, and indebtedness was a primary reason for workers being unable to leave their jobs. Additionally, 94% of workers had their passports confiscated, and the majority said it would be impossible or difficult to get their passports back.

Find out more about the men and women who put together the electronic devices used every day around the world and the prevalence and reality of forced labor slavery in Malaysia.