The millions of migrant labourers who are fuelling China's economic growth are treated as an urban underclass, according to a new report by Amnesty International. Despite recent reforms, they are shut out of the health care system and state education, live in appalling, overcrowded conditions and are routinely exposed to some of the most exploitative working conditions.Photo: © HEPEP•China
"China's so-called economic 'miracle' comes at a terrible human cost -- rural migrants living in the cities experience some of the worst abuse in the work place," said Catherine Baber, Deputy Asia Pacific Director at Amnesty International. "They are forced to work long stretches of overtime, often denied time off even when sick, and labour under hazardous conditions for paltry wages."
"As well as being exploited by employers, migrant families face discriminatory government regulations in almost every area of daily life. They are denied housing benefits and health insurance available to permanent urban residents and their children are often effectively shut out of the state education system."
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA170092007
China's growing underclass
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/chn-010307-feature-eng
People's Republic of China
Internal migrants: Discrimination and abuse
The human cost of an economic ‘miracle’
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa170082007
Please also see:
Wild swings on Wall Street
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/stoc-m02.shtml
Global markets slide after China sell-off http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/feb2007/stoc-f28.shtml
Anti-Slavery International http://www.antislavery.org
"As well as being exploited by employers, migrant families face discriminatory government regulations in almost every area of daily life. They are denied housing benefits and health insurance available to permanent urban residents and their children are often effectively shut out of the state education system."
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA170092007
China's growing underclass
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/chn-010307-feature-eng
People's Republic of China
Internal migrants: Discrimination and abuse
The human cost of an economic ‘miracle’
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa170082007
Please also see:
Wild swings on Wall Street
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/stoc-m02.shtml
Global markets slide after China sell-off http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/feb2007/stoc-f28.shtml
Anti-Slavery International http://www.antislavery.org