On 2 December, the world marks United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. But slavery continues, despite being against the law. Millions of women, children and men around the world are living in slavery today.
Slavery takes many forms. It is bonded labour, forced labour, early and forced marriage, hazardous child labour, the commercial sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing form of slavery. A US Government report estimates at least 800,000-900,000 people are trafficked across borders each year; this does not include people trafficked within a country.
Traffickers use violence, coercion and deception to force people into a range of exploitative work. Boys as young as four are trafficked to the United Arab Emirates as camel jockeys, men into forced labour in Brazil and women and girls, like Adriana, are trafficked into prostitution in Europe:
When Adriana was 15 her father forced her to marry Driton. She believed the marriage was real but Driton was a trafficker and her father had sold her for over US$16,000. Driton took her from Albania to Paris via Athens and through threats and beatings forced her into prostitution. Eventually, she escaped, but was caught by French police and returned to Albania.
Trafficking, like all forms of slavery, is illegal under international law, yet in many countries laws are not implemented and victims of trafficking are treated as criminals.
"Governments must act against slavery. They need to address the conditions that lead to this abuse, and prosecute those who profit from slavery. The failure to implement laws and reluctance to help those most vulnerable keep the system of slavery alive," Mary Cunneen Director of Anti-Slavery International says.
Slaves are forced to work through the use or threat of violence. They are owned or controlled by an 'employer' through mental or physical threat, dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as property. They are physically constrained or have restrictions placed on their freedom of
movement.
· Slavery is found in most countries and on every continent. Hundreds of
women and children are trafficked to the UK each year to work as domestics
or sexually exploited.
· On 26 December 2003, the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children will come into force.
Once in force all states that have ratified it will have to ensure that
their national policies and practice fully comply with the Protocol. The
Protocol supplements the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime,
which came into force on 29 September 2003.
Beth Herzfeld (b.herzfeld@antislavery.org)
Press Officer
Anti-Slavery International
Thomas Clarkson House
The Stableyard
Broomgrove Road
London SW9 9TL
UK
Today's fight for tomorrow's freedom
Visit our campaign website http://www.stophumantraffic.org to help us end human trafficking or visit http://www.antislavery.org to see how else you can help,
Please also see:
Despite laws, slavery has still not been eliminated, Annan says
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=9034&Cr=slavery&Cr1=
Exhibit recalls race's painful past in America
November 25, 2003 by Desiree Cooper, Free Press Columnist;
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/des25_20031125.htm
Slavery takes many forms. It is bonded labour, forced labour, early and forced marriage, hazardous child labour, the commercial sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing form of slavery. A US Government report estimates at least 800,000-900,000 people are trafficked across borders each year; this does not include people trafficked within a country.
Traffickers use violence, coercion and deception to force people into a range of exploitative work. Boys as young as four are trafficked to the United Arab Emirates as camel jockeys, men into forced labour in Brazil and women and girls, like Adriana, are trafficked into prostitution in Europe:
When Adriana was 15 her father forced her to marry Driton. She believed the marriage was real but Driton was a trafficker and her father had sold her for over US$16,000. Driton took her from Albania to Paris via Athens and through threats and beatings forced her into prostitution. Eventually, she escaped, but was caught by French police and returned to Albania.
Trafficking, like all forms of slavery, is illegal under international law, yet in many countries laws are not implemented and victims of trafficking are treated as criminals.
"Governments must act against slavery. They need to address the conditions that lead to this abuse, and prosecute those who profit from slavery. The failure to implement laws and reluctance to help those most vulnerable keep the system of slavery alive," Mary Cunneen Director of Anti-Slavery International says.
Slaves are forced to work through the use or threat of violence. They are owned or controlled by an 'employer' through mental or physical threat, dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as property. They are physically constrained or have restrictions placed on their freedom of
movement.
· Slavery is found in most countries and on every continent. Hundreds of
women and children are trafficked to the UK each year to work as domestics
or sexually exploited.
· On 26 December 2003, the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children will come into force.
Once in force all states that have ratified it will have to ensure that
their national policies and practice fully comply with the Protocol. The
Protocol supplements the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime,
which came into force on 29 September 2003.
Beth Herzfeld (b.herzfeld@antislavery.org)
Press Officer
Anti-Slavery International
Thomas Clarkson House
The Stableyard
Broomgrove Road
London SW9 9TL
UK
Today's fight for tomorrow's freedom
Visit our campaign website http://www.stophumantraffic.org to help us end human trafficking or visit http://www.antislavery.org to see how else you can help,
Please also see:
Despite laws, slavery has still not been eliminated, Annan says
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=9034&Cr=slavery&Cr1=
Exhibit recalls race's painful past in America
November 25, 2003 by Desiree Cooper, Free Press Columnist;
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/des25_20031125.htm