Analysis of Human Rights Abuse in Global Supply Chains: The Argument Against Excessive Corporate Authority in a Foreign Supplier’s Jurisdiction

Abstract

This research is evaluating practical implications of human rights enforcement in global supply chains in which informal workforce is historically being utilised. In contrast with a prior scholarly work, it is shown how immoral and economically damaging a further severance of regulations on human rights can be for the informal workers and their employers. Using examples of private parties’ lawsuits and by discussing instances of informal workers terminations, the aim is to define the extreme points of the ideological and legal spectrum at certain point of which both global corporation and the suppliers’ Government authorities must find a morally acceptable and legal solution. It can be seen that based on prior private party’s court cases and whistle-blowing events, the labour rights can be conflated with the human rights and cause serious economic damages and legal consequences for a business. The further argument is propagated as to the practical international regulation that allows both the preservation of human rights and the retention of income for the informal workers.

Keywords: Human Rights, Supple Chains, Slavery, Child Labour, Forced Labour