More on Tackling Modern Day Slavery
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Tackling Modern Day Slavery initiative ends
First UK Anti-Slavery Day
UK anti-trafficking measures not fit for purpose
BBC's File on 4 investigates domestic servitude in Britain
Children's Society research uncovers child trafficking
Prostitution and the London Olympics
Conference for funders and NGOs on Human Trafficking
Survey of London brothels published
Progress made in tackling modern day slavery
Third Sector magazine wrote about the initiative in this article
Achievements
Groups within the initiative have used the increased capacity provided by our funding to contribute to significant changes in policy and practice. Some key examples include:
- Government accelerated by two years its planned timetable for ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. In implementing this legal obligation, the Government offered more generous terms in some areas, thanks to lobbying by NGOs including Anti-Slavery International and ECPAT.
- The Anti-Trafficking Monitoring project has contributed to the development of plans for data collection by the Council of Europe's formal monitoring mechanism (GRETA).
- Migrant domestic workers have retained their existing rights (above all to change employer), following an intensive campaign by Kalayaan (in partnership with others including Unite trade union and Oxfam) against threatened changes incorporated in the new Points-Based System for immigration.
- The UK's reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been lifted, one of ECPAT's three campaign calls. This means that all children in the UK have equal rights irrespective of their immigration status.
- Following a short, intense campaign by Anti-SIavery (in partnership with Liberty), a new criminal offence of servitude and forced labour was passed into law in England and Wales in Autumn 2009.
- Women and Girls Network has developed a distinct clinical model for women trafficked into sexual exploitation, including longer and more flexibly timed therapy - as they found the needs to be more complex than their other clients'. WGN's service combines therapeutic work to overcome mental distress with practical support.
- Thanks in part to a campaign by Eaves (in partnership with OBJECT and Rights of Women), the Policing and Crime Act 2009 outlawed the purchase of sex from someone who has been forced to sell it (Clause 14).
Publications
A Chance to Be Free: Tackling Modern Day Slavery final report Download a copy
Tackling Modern Day Slavery Interim report
Trust for London staff: Rachael Takens-Milne supported by Sioned Churchill