Tackling Modern Day Slavery initiative ends
Trust for London's Tackling Modern Day Slavery special initiative, set up in 2007, comes to an end this month.
To mark this occasion, we published a final report, A Chance to Be Free, reflecting on the achievements and challenges of the 3 years.
The Tackling Modern Day Slavery special initiative invested almost £600,000 in tackling trafficking, prostitution and domestic servitude including grants to Anti-Slavery International, ECPAT UK, Eaves, Kalayaan and Women & Girls Network.
The report concludes that these organisations have had enormous successes - particularly through campaigning for legislative change - but there remain huge challenges for victims of contemporary slavery to be identified, protected and adequately supported.
We also tried to assess the added value of the involvement of Trust staff alongside funding. The organisations told us that bringing them together regularly helped to strengthen multi-lateral links and to provide a shared platform to undertake more effective campaigning. Trust for London also made a direct contribution through:
- Organising an event for funders and NGOs which led to the first joint voluntary sector 'audit' of anti-trafficking activity.
- Commissioning a consultant to help the groups to improve data collection and confidential sharing to generate more robust information about trafficked people in the UK.
- Facilitating the involvement of Trust contacts in the Eaves/OBJECT campaign to outlaw the purchase of sex from someone subjected to exploitative conduct. This apparently played a critical role in the final passage of the legislation through the House of Lords.
Looking Ahead
Trust for London is continuing to support some of this work through its open grants programme and is encouraging other independent funders to invest in campaigning and services for these very marginalised people. In particular, we are keen for funders to recognise that:
- Forms of 'slavery' remain in the UK even though its hidden criminality make numbers difficult to estimate.
- Forced labour may affect as many people (including men and boys) as sexual exploitation.
- Issues of trafficking and prostitution are complex (and contested) but funders may support services for vulnerable people without taking a position on national policy.
- Funding campaigning can be very effective but there remains a need to fund services too. Organisations which combine both can be particularly effective.
The report was launched at a private event at the Drapers' Hall, with an invited audience of independent funders and policy-makers.
Download a copy of A Chance to Be Free report.
Find out more about the Tackling Modern Day Slavery special initiative.