Welcome to the Slavery Research Bulletin, the Freedom Fund’s monthly brief designed to bring you new & compelling research from the global anti-slavery movement.
Human trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations
Research by Caritas France examined the trafficking of vulnerable groups from conflict and post-conflict situations. The study found that methods of exploitation vary significantly from one region to another and recommended that international donors assess and target the specific needs of each area rather than formulate broad anti-trafficking programs at a global level.
Reviewing the evidence on child marriage
A review commissioned by the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research synthesised current literature on the nature of and approaches to combat child marriage. The need for multi-sectoral efforts across health, education and social marketing as well as the use of monitoring and evaluation data to make course corrections were highlighted as critical factors.
Forced marriage between Cambodia and China
The United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons has shed light on the growing phenomenon of forced marriages in China, based on the account of 42 victims from Cambodia. Although the practice is illegal in both countries, illicit brokers collude across borders to recruit, transport, deceive and coerce women into unwanted marriages. The report suggests formalising and regulating migration channels, including for marriage, to reduce exploitation.
Mobile phones provide hope to communities in India
Free the Slaves and Kaarak Enterprise Development Services have tested a mobile-based education and outreach program through voice messages to vulnerable communities in Uttar Pradesh, India. After delivering over 5,000 voice messages, the follow-up surveys found that 79% of respondents found the information useful and relevant, and 86% of users shared the information with their families.
Address “minor” labour abuses to prevent extreme exploitation
Experts convened by FLEX, a UK-based labour rights group, have published a new report highlighting a strong causal link between “minor” labour abuses and more severe labour exploitation in several UK industries and especially among migrant workers. The report calls for early identification of and action against abuses such as non-payment of minimum wage and unfair dismissal in order to prevent these developing into more severe forms of exploitation.
Read on…
- Research from the University of Missouri [gated] has found that mega sporting events such as the Olympics and World Cup can be a mixed blessing for low-skilled workers in host nations.
- A four-year study [gated] on 1,861 anti-trafficking NGOs around the world has identified an uneven geographical and thematic distribution. The author calls for greater focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, and more attention to the issue of labour trafficking.
And finally
Some food for thought in two blogs about evaluation in the development sector by 3ie (‘Is impact evaluation still on the rise?’) and DFID (‘What is the value of evaluation?’).
News & updates
For more news and updates about the Freedom Fund, visit our Newsroom. You can also view archived issues of our bulletin here.
Contact us
Our team would love to hear from you. Please email: [email protected]
