Modern-day slavery: an introduction What is it? What can be done? How can you get involved?

Anti-Slavery International Founded in 1839, we are committed to eliminating all forms of slavery by: campaigning for its eradication, supporting local organisations’ initiatives to release and rehabilitate people, pressing for implementation of laws against this abuse.

What is modern slavery? Slavery present: child domestic work in the Philippines. Slavery past: captured Africans were transported to the West Coast of Africa for sale to Europeans.

Slavery and international law The Slavery Convention, 1926 “Slavery is the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, The Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956 “ Debt bondage, serfdom, forced marriage and the delivery of a child for the exploitation of that child are all slavery like practices and require criminalisation and abolishment.”

Some characteristics of slavery forced to work -- through mental or physical threat; owned or controlled by an 'employer', usually through mental or physical abuse or threatened abuse; dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as 'property'; physically constrained or has restrictions placed on his/her freedom of movement.

Forms of slavery today Forced labour Human trafficking Bonded labour Some worst forms of child labour Descent-based slavery

Forced Labour “ All work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily ” The Forced Labour Convention 1930 (ILO Convention No.29) 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide.

Forced labour in UAE

Legal definition of trafficking Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of person, by means of the threat of the use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability or of giving or receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery or servitude or the removal of organs. Article 3 (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (November 2000)Trafficking Protocol

Trafficking in Europe: Adriana

Trafficking in the UK

Bonded Labour A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan. They loose control of work conditions and their debt becomes inflated.

Bonded labour in agriculture

Unconditional worst forms of Child Labour Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) “State parties recognise the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.” 8.4 million children Forced and bonded labour 5.7 m Prostitution and pornography 1.8 m Child soldiers 0.3 m Other illicit activity (drug smuggling) 0.6 m *Trafficked children 1.2 m

Child labour

Descent-based Slavery People are born into slavery or are compelled to work for others because of their caste or ethnic group. People are literally owned by others.

Slavery in Niger: Boulboulou

Hadjiatou Mani – Landmark ECOWAS case

Combating slavery – achievements Descent based slavery in Niger Work with local partners, research, lobbying, campaigning and media. New law, freed slaves, changed attitudes, government engagement Trafficking in the UK Campaigning, lobbying, joint work, research, awareness raising, media. New domestic and international legislation, safe housing, heightened awareness In both cases there is more work to be done.

Slavery and you Get informed: visit and see the resources list Take action, join the Campaigns Network Subscribe to Anti-Slavery International Change your lifestyle: buy fair trade

Join the Fight for Freedom Declaration Tens of thousands of ordinary people signed petitions as part of the campaign to abolish the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Sign the Declaration and call for measures to: commemorate the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its abolition address its legacies work for the eradication of all forms of slavery today Sign online at