In-depth Research
China Labor Watch
How we uncover the truth
In today’s globalized world, the products we consume often involve an intricate network of suppliers, manufacturers, and shippers from all corners of the globe. This makes it challenging for consumers to see or hear from workers who produce the goods they purchase. Censorship, lack of access, and a host of institutional barriers widen this gap, leaving us disconnected from workers who create the products we rely on.
At China Labor Watch, we believe that workers should be heard, and global consumers deserve transparency about the products they consume. We also envision a world where capital investments and production are conducted in sustainable ways that prioritize human and community wellbeing.
To achieve this, knowledge is the first step.
How we drive change
With state-sanctioned mass surveillance and repression on the rise, our work prioritizes amplifying the voices of workers, whose struggles are increasingly silenced.
Since 2000, we have built a network of like-minded partners and aspirers who collaborate with us on investigations. Through this network, we identify violations, conduct thorough investigations, and work to prevent further harm by holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring they cease illegal or unethical practices. Our investigations focus on Chinese-owned enterprises globally, as well as in China.
- Chinese factories: CLW has conducted over 500 labor-centered assessments in Chinese producers supplying multinational companies across industries.
- Global reach: Since 2021, CLW has reached out to hundreds of migrant workers in manufacturing and infrastructure projects managed by Chinese firms across the globe, gaining insight into their labor and living conditions in remote locations abroad.
- Forced labor: CLW conducts investigations on forced labor and labor trafficking through multiple channels including direct worker outreach, desktop research, and field visits. Forced labor prevention requires a holistic and comprehensive view of the journey migrant workers take. This involves a nuanced understanding of community, local, and legal context of violations, factors contributing to their vulnerability, and the patterns and characteristics of the violations.
Research is a pivotal component of CLW’s theory of change. Our research guides us in a variety of ways:
Inform our advocacy: Having accurate, locally based information enables us to lead public exposure and launch advocacy campaigns, directing attention from the civil society community, governments, businesses, and the public and suggesting realistic and informed solutions.
Aid decision-making and enforcement: Knowledge is the basis of government, civil society, and business decisions. Having worker-centered, local knowledge of labor conditions for marginalized communities help inform conscientious and responsible decision-making.
Strengthen worker power: A key challenge to advancing labor rights is a lack of visibility, especially for workers from historically marginalized communities in the Global South. Supplementing the global labor movement with community-based knowledge is important to form broad-based organizations and collective actions.