Stories about Labor
Surviving economic hardships through Kazakhstan's ‘toi business’
The thriving toi business is a prism through which it is possible to read the complexities of the present, namely chronic unemployment, underdeveloped infrastructure, and strategies of survival under capitalism.
Exploring a Kurdish quarter in Azerbaijan
The residents of the “gypsy quarter” in Yevlakh consider themselves part of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people. Despite this, they face a lack of resources, state support, and widespread discrimination.
Veteran Hong Kong labor rights activist arrested on suspicion of foreign collusion
The 65-year-old labour rights activist Elizabeth Tang was arrested outside Stanley prison on suspicion of foreign collusion after visiting her husband Lee Chuek Yan who is charged with "inciting subversion."
New report: Defeating gender inequality in Georgia
The new report is an attempt to advance gender equality and female participation in each aspect of life in Georgia through strengthened civil society cooperation.
Bangladesh reassesses its Belt and Road Initiative strategy with China as the US offers a new alternative
After big promises made in 2015, China's belt and Road Initiative is taking a much slower pace in Bangladesh as a result of pushback from communities and the Bangladeshi government.
Why have nurses in Bulgaria been protesting again?
In the beginning of November, a director of a hospital in the Bulgarian city of Dobrich sued 136 medical workers, after they announced intent to protest low salaries with a strike.
Lawsuit against Meta in Kenya paves the way for African countries to sue tech companies
The ruling that the Facebook parent firm Meta can be sued in Kenya could open the floodgates not just for Meta but for other technology companies, including OpenAI.
Biodynamic agripreneurs are set to trigger an organic farming trend in Nepal
A new wave of organic farming using biodynamic composts is becoming popular in Nepal. It is helping to revive the soil and also providing better harvests and yield.
Public self-immolation puts the spotlight on mental health issues in Nepal
A Nepali entrepreneur set himself on fire in front of the federal parliament building to bring attention to the challenges in Nepal's private sector and the state's mental health crisis.
Cut from a different cloth: Former Nepali migrant worker is now an entrepreneur
Former migrant worker Krishna Raj Timilsina returned to Nepal and started his own garment business; now he is providing jobs for many fellow Nepalis.
The Southern Caucasus has a brain drain problem
Young people and professionals from Southern Caucasus are increasingly turning towards opportunities abroad citing local unemployment, lack of feasible opportunities and prospects for future in their home countries.
Cambodia bans music video of police attacking workers in 2014
"It is LICADHO’s belief that the music video is not incitement, and is protected speech under the Cambodian Constitution. We are saddened by this restriction on freedom of expression."
Money may not grow on trees, but in Nepal it grows on bushes
Money may not grow on trees, but it grows on bushes in Nepal that are used to print Japanese currency notes. Argeli promises to be one of Nepal’s best-known exports.
Call to Action on International Migrants Day: Stop forced labour and restore workers’ agency
Domestic workers in the GCC countries are majority migrant women. Employers have full control over their work and lives. This article echoes their requests and explains the exploitation.
In defense of whom? Protesting Jordan’s perpetual state of emergency
Human rights groups challenge Jordan's Defense Law but the government wants to keep it in place until the World Health Organization has declared the pandemic finished.
Rare street protests across China: Is Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy turning people against their government?
Frustration with Xi Jinping's heavily enforced policy of 'Zero-COVID' has turned Chinese people against their government in unprecedented street demonstration now affecting all main cities in a heavily-policed state
What role does the Chinese government play in the latest Foxconn workers protest?
The recent protests had taken place against the backdrop of the exploitative labor conditions.
Australia’s World Cup team urges better treatment of migrants and LGBTQ+ individuals in Qatar
Australian football players participating in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar have released a powerful video highlighting human rights abuses for workers and the LGBTQ+ community in the host country
Qatar refuses payoffs to FIFA World Cup 2022 workers
Three weeks ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar’s Labour Minister has rejected calls from human rights groups to compensate migrant workers involved in building stadiums and other infrastructure.
COVID-related fear and rumors in Foxconn factory drive workers to flee
Numerous witness accounts suggested that it was fear generated from rumours, COVID-related misinformation and closed-loop factory management that drove the workers to run.
Hong Kong’s wealth gap reaches ‘tipping point’ under COVID as unemployment rises among poor
The pandemic has worsened Hong Kong’s wealth gap, with the city’s poorest making 47 times less than its wealthiest residents. In the pre-COVID-19 era, the highest earners made 34.3 times more.