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.
UNODC highlights link between trafficking, migration and conflict
The third bi-annual Global Report on Trafficking in Persons notes that globally, children and men now make up larger shares of detected trafficking victims, at 28% and 21% respectively, although most detected victims are still women. The report also reveals that cross-border trafficking and regular migration flows broadly resemble each other.
Exploitation is widespread amongst key industries in New Zealand
Through interviews with 105 workers, the Human Trafficking Research Coalition in New Zealand concludes that exploitation is common across a range of labour-intensive industries, especially in horticulture and hospitality. Migrants are more likely to tolerate abuse in order to qualify for permanent residency.
Poor labour conditions in Tamil Nadu spinning mills
An investigation by the India Committee of the Netherlands interviewed workers from 743 spinning mills across four districts in Tamil Nadu. The research finds few mills in compliance with India labour laws and international standards on forced labour: 95% of mills were not paying the minimum wage for apprentices and standard working hours exceeded 60 hours per week in 50% of the mills.
Experiences of trafficked males in the Greater-Mekong region
Using survey data from 446 trafficked men and boys in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) highlight the extreme occupational hazards and abuse suffered by low-skill workers in fishing, agriculture and manufacturing. 36% of survivors have been injured and 38% have experienced severe violence.
Addressing the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work
Based on lessons learnt from seven European countries, DemandAT shows that a confluence of economic incentives, discriminatory social norms and gaps in law enforcement exacerbates the maltreatment of domestic workers. Demand-side interventions must combine policy actions with awareness campaigns to shift cultural attitudes about the value and rights of domestic workers.
Read on…
And finally…
Latest article by Nick Grono, CEO of the Freedom Fund, reminding us of the central role of businesses and consumers in ending slavery.
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Photo credit: Ginny Baumann