大象传媒

The global perfume industry is worth billions. Some luxury brands sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle. But 大象传媒 Eye Investigations has discovered that when the sun goes down in Egypt, there is a hidden human cost to this industry.

In the summer of 2023, the 大象传媒 visited four different locations in Egypt鈥檚 main jasmine-growing area in the Gharbia region, and found children - some as young as five - working at night to pick the jasmine that was supplied to some of the world鈥檚 leading perfume brands through factories in Egypt. The UN鈥檚 special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery tells the 大象传媒 what it has uncovered "may constitute the worst form of child labour".

We hear the story of one family who say they have no choice but to take their children into the jasmine fields to work, in order to earn enough money to live.

Reporter: Natasha Cox
Producers: Ahmed El Shamy and Louise Hidalgo
Editors: Rebecca Henschke and Rosie Garthwaite
Sound engineer: Neil Churchill and James Beard