Ending Modern Slavery - The Four Pronged Approach

By Keith Best

We all know that the detection of modern slavery is notoriously difficult as it may be happening under our very noses – the restaurant where we eat, the services that we access, the products we buy in shops – all could be tainted by modern slavery and human trafficking.

It is my abiding desire to see more of us alert to this and to encourage or shame (if they will not co-operate) those that provide such goods and services to investigate thoroughly (beyond the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act) and to make that know to their customers – so that we can all purchase with greater confidence that we not inadvertently complicit in this human suffering which disproportionately affects children and vulnerable women as well as engaging men in indentured labour (often, in their desperation, with their tacit consent).

This involves a four-pronged approach. First, we must encourage or cajole all suppliers to undertake a rigorous examination of the pathway of their product so as to be satisfied that modern slavery has not been involved. This requires making a fuss with the CEOs of such producers, attending their annual general meetings and making the point and maybe even some demonstrations.

Yet this will come only with the second prong of active public interest and engagement. Just as the anti-smoking advertisements have, in my lifetime, affected the incidence or smoking or the greater concern about drinking and driving or even the legislation about wearing seat-belts (all of which were opposed in their day) so we need to make the public aware and to feel concern sufficiently to change their attitude from indifference to one of active engagement. It is only when the shoppers are interested enough to discriminate against products that do not certify they are free of modern slavery will the producers take notice and respond by publishing either on the products or on their websites or their advertising that their products are compliant.

This requires a lot of mobilised activity and the first starting point is the third prong – those other organisations which are already taking action. There is no point in reinventing the wheel. Many NGOs both in the UK and internationally are now actively engaged in combatting trafficking and modern slavery and holding governments and other to account. We need to ensure that we are not duplicating their efforts but also we need to build solidarity and a coalition to ensure that our collective efforts are focused and not dissipated by too many trying to do the same thing. This involves a detailed examination of who is doing what and then seeking to co-ordinate and agree common courses of action so that maximum effect can be brought to bear.

Some may wonder why I have left to the last and fourth prong the involvement of parliamentary bodies and parliamentarians both domestically and globally for they are important component parts to the overall strategy to end modern slavery and trafficking. The reason is that experience shows that popular concern and involvement is often most effective and that parliamentarians will follow where the public leads. That is not to diminish the importance of involving legislatures where mere expressions of solidarity on opinion are newsworthy in themselves and where individual pieces of legislation can make a difference in behaviour. We should like to see legislation ultimately that requires the labelling of products as being free from modern slavery or even where some modern slavery may be suspected so that all consumers can know exactly what they are buying. We do not wish to put added costs and burdens on businesses so the voluntary adherence is to be tried first – but at least it would mean that this issue is alongside others of health and safety.

Internationally, despite modern slavery being condemned, there is no single international treaty but a framework of instruments such as the 1926 Slavery Convention, the Palermo Protocol against trafficking and several ILO Forced Labour Conventions. We should press for more activity in the UN Security Council (to see which of the P5 might threaten the use of the veto) and in the General Assembly with suitable resolutions and identifying countries that offend.

There is much to be done but with resolve and perseverance there is no reason why we cannot succeed.

Learn more here: https://www.stoptrafficking.co.uk/free-from-slavery