Uniforms of Belgian soldiers and policemen made by exploited Romanian workers

BEIJING / NEW DELHI - ‘Economic globalisation has made many countries, particularly in Asia, richer. However, income inequality has also increased in most countries. Companies are constantly looking for the cheapest and least protected labour. Moreover, the internet has given them access to a virtual global factory floor. They can now break work down into small tasks and outsource them through their global agency network more easily than ever before. Consequently, the proportion of wages in the economy is falling almost everywhere, putting workers under pressure in all sorts of ways. Can things be improved?

SURAT - Once upon a time, Antwerp was the world's centre for diamond trading and cutting. As of 2005, the trade is still present, but Antwerp's renowned diamond industry is in decline. In an increasingly globalised world, diamond processing here has become too labour-intensive and expensive.

AMSTERDAM / BRUSSEL / STOCKHOLM - The European approach to legislation on sex work is a complex patchwork of contrasting policies, each of which claims to prioritise the welfare of workers, but often falls short in practice.