In November 2020 an Indonesian teenager powerfully recounted her experience of being raped by her employer not once but four times. Her harrowing story of sexual assault mirrors a reality of consistent occurrences of human rights abuses on commercial palm oil plantations.

The palm oil industry is not only a major contributor to climate change but also the stage for persistent human rights violations. These take place on plantations that supply some of the world’s biggest businesses, including well known beauty brands.

Unbeknown to many, the consumption of palm oil is a daily practice for most of us. A highly versatile vegetable oil used in a myriad of products from bread to deodorant and shampoo, its versatility has come at a cost. The oil can be produced cheaply leading to an incredibly high demand for converting rainforest into plantations releasing high amounts of carbon emissions into the air. Once the trees grow too tall and make it too difficult to reach the fruit, acres of rainforest are cut down.

Alongside deforestation, there is also evidence of severe human rights violations taking place on the plantations including child labour, sexual abuse, and unsafe working conditions. 

THE EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS

Although the trees were originally sourced from Africa the majority of plantations exist in Southeast Asian ecosystems, in particular in Indonesian and Malaysian forests. Together, Indonesia and Malaysia account for 85% of the world’s palm oil supply (estimated at 65 billion dollars).

Not only are palm oil plantations developed without local community consultation over the use of their land (indigenous communities in Indonesia are regularly forcibly displaced) but a culture of exploitation of workers has developed, bearing similarities to European colonial plantations. As time has passed, not much has changed.

With the global demand for palm oil increasing, the need for lowly paid labourers is surging in order to match consumption growth. And the work is not easy. Wading through sometimes flooded jungle terrain in unbearable heat carrying and slicing heavy spiky fruit, men and women are subject to working in dire conditions with little pay and no security. The increased need for labour has resulted in a reduction in safe working conditions and an abuse of labour rights including the lack of fair payment. Cosmetic brands are receiving their supplies of palm oil from plantations where many only earn two dollars a day. Poor working conditions have led to women complaining about nose bleeds, fevers after years of exposure to dangerous pesticides and an inability to deliver healthy children. The effect of exposure to air pollution from forest fires and Paraquat, a toxic chemical banned in the EU, are not mitigated by employers through adequate protective and safety gear.

Child labour mostly presents itself on plantations with dependents being unable to meet quotas and children primarily helping by collecting fruit. The children help after school with some of them eventually altogether dropping out. This relentless cycle has prevented many from breaking free of poverty as they are unable to carry on their education and develop other skills. Although a comprehensive labour legislative framework exists, enforcement of these rights is poor and palm oil plantation workers are excluded from the labour protections afforded to other sectors.

Notably, many companies have remained largely silent on issues concerning the sexual assault of women on palm oil plantations. In Sumatra in November 2020 a 16-year-old girl described how she was attacked by her boss and taken to a remote part of the plantation hidden amid the trees. After she had been raped,  he “put an axe to her throat and warned her: Do not tell”. In fear or retaliation, women are afraid to report regular abuse often unwilling to even give their full names. While Malaysia’s government claims to have received no reports about rapes on plantations, Indonesia has acknowledged sexual abuse is a growing concern.  

MOVING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL INDUSTRY

The environmental and social justice concerns raised by the palm oil industry has not seemed to halt its production and we are still struggling to adopt sustainable and responsible practices regarding its procurement and fabrication.

Its disguise in label names as an ingredient listed by more than 200 names instils an even more sense of distrust in the industry. These names include Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Ethyl Palmitate and Octyl Palmitate. In order to avoid products with palm oil it can be as simple as looking in the ingredients list for the word palm. As consumers we are being encouraged to be more conscious with our choices and make active decisions on which brands and companies we feel comfortable supporting.   

Nevertheless, the palm oil industry plays an important role in alleviating rural poverty and providing a means of economic growth for both those in the agricultural sector and the national economy in Indonesia and Malaysia. Simply promoting for the ends of its production isn’t a comprehensive and viable solution. Promoting the production of sustainable palm oil in a responsible manner including encouraging companies to produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) can however be a step forward. Alongside the adoption of more sustainable practices, promoting decent work in the industry will be needed as long as the products on our supermarket shelves use palm oil. 

Neomi is an LL.M and LPC graduate with a background in human rights and Public International Law. As an aspiring solicitor she has interned with NGOs and charities in London and Geneva and is eager to pursue a career that champions social justice.

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