Combating Modern Slavery

Over the last decade, the world’s largest corporations – from The Coca Cola Company to Amazon, Apple to Unilever – have taken up the cause of combatting modern slavery. Yet, by most measures, across many sectors and regions, severe labour exploitation continues to soar. Corporate social responsibility is not working. Why? In this landmark book, Genevieve LeBaron lifts the lid on a labour governance regime that is severely flawed and limited. She takes a close-up look at the millions of corporate dollars spent on anti-slavery networks, NGO partnerships, lobbying for new transparency legislation, and investment in social auditing and ethical certification schemes, to show how such efforts serve to bolster corporate growth and legitimacy as well as government reputations, whilst failing to protect the world’s most vulnerable workers. To eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking in global supply chains a new approach is needed; one that confronts corporate power and profits, dismantles exploitative business models, and regulates the booming private industry of accounting firms, social auditors, and consultants that has emerged to ‘monitor’ and ‘enforce’ labour standards. Only worker-driven initiatives that uphold fundamental rights can protect workers in the contemporary global economy and make forced labour a thing of the past.

Leading social scientists and historians debate key controversies in the field of modern slavery and human trafficking studies.

This text analyses the various international legal instruments regulating people trafficking including treaties, 'soft law', and the definition contained in the UN Trafficking Protocol, and argues that trafficking in persons ought rightly to be considered a part of jus cogens.

An estimated 40 million people are modern-day slaves, more than ever before in human history. Long after slavery was officially abolished, the practice not only continues but thrives. Whether they are women in electronics or apparel sweatshops, children in brick kilns or on cocoa farms, or men trapped in bonded labour working on construction sites, millions of people globally are forced to perform labour through coercion, intimidation or deceit. In a world of growing inequality and trade-offs between the haves and the have-nots, consumers, business and government are all part of the problem and the solution. While we have all become accustomed to fast fashion and cheap consumer goods, the affordability of these commodities often comes at the price of human exploitation. Addressing Modern Slavery examines slavery in the modern world and outlines ways it can be stopped. 'Addressing Modern Slavery is essential reading for anyone committed to understanding and tackling the scourge of modern slavery in contemporary businesses and supply chains.' — Fiona McGaughey, University of Western Australia ‘Justine Nolan and Martijn Boersma have expertly confronted the tragic reality of modern slavery and show us how exploited men, women and children are harmed in global supply chains. A slave may be far away or in our immediate neighbourhood. The book is based on years of careful research and outlines steps we can all take to respond to modern slavery.’ — Jennifer Burn, Professor, NSW Interim Anti-Slavery Commissioner ‘This is a hugely impressive book which builds a compelling argument as to why all organisations must work towards the elimination of modern slavery’ — David Cooke, Managing Director, Konica Minolta ‘The book should be a valuable resource for policymakers, business executives and civil society organisations alike, for it not only assesses the efficacy of existing regulatory initiatives and business practices, but also outlines what needs to change to eliminate modern slavery.’ — Surya Deva, City University of Hong Kong ‘This book exposes both the need and the opportunities to drive reform on modern slavery, particularly on forced labor. From case studies around business practices to examples grounded in the lived experiences of workers, Addressing Modern Slavery presents a comprehensive overview of the issue and empowers us all with the information we need to act.’ — Amol Mehra, Managing Director, Freedom Fund ‘Addressing Modern Slavery shines a light on the terrible human cost of our insatiable consumption. Pervasive labour exploitation is all too often forgotten in our emphasis on growth and GDP. This book is both a wake-up call and a powerful demonstration of how connectivity and collaboration can help us eradicate a systemic and urgent challenge.’ — Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General, Amnesty International

This book provides a sobering look at modern-day slavery—which includes sex trafficking, domestic servitude, and other forms of forced labor—and documents the development of the modern anti-slavery movement, from grassroots activism to the passage of anti-slavery laws. Slavery was formally abolished across most of the world by the end of the 19th century, but it continues to lurk in the shadows of the modern world. As with slavery of yesteryear, modern slavery hinges on the exploitation of vulnerable populations—and especially women and children. The result is the same as in bygone centuries, when slavery was practiced in the open: unimaginable misery for those exploited and financial gain for the exploiter. Modern Slavery: A Documentary and Reference Guide is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, academics, policymakers, community leaders, and others who want to learn about modern-day slavery. Covering forms of modern slavery that include sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and domestic servitude, the book provides a complete examination of the modern-day anti-slavery movement. Its coverage includes historical antecedents, the various and sometimes opposing schools of thought about how to combat modern slavery, and the legislative processes that united them and resulted in a groundbreaking approach to combating human trafficking. The book uses primary source material, including survivor stories, witness testimony, case law, and other materials to discuss the nature and scope of modern-day slavery, the grassroots movement to stop it, and U.S. leadership in the international arena. Examples of primary source material include the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (2005); remarks and statements from Presidents Bush, Clinton, and Obama on human trafficking and modern slavery; the United Nations' Office of Drugs and Crime report, A Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2009); excerpts from the U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, including harrowing victims stories from around the world (2013 and 2014); and excerpts from 2015 Senate hearings, including testimony from Holly Austin Smith, trafficking survivor, and from Malika Saada Saar, Human Rights Project for Girls.

Modern slavery, in the form of labour exploitation, domestic servitude, sexual trafficking, child labour and cannabis farming, is still growing in the UK and industrialised countries, despite the introduction of laws to try to stem it. This hugely topical book, by a team of high-profile activists and expert writers, is the first to critically assess the legislation, using evidence from across the field, and to offer strategies for improvement in policy and practice. It argues that, contrary to its claims to be ‘world-leading’, the Modern Slavery Act is inconsistent, inadequate and punitive; and that the UK government, through its labour market and immigration policies, is actually creating the conditions for slavery to be promoted.

Written by the world's leading experts and campaigners, Modern Slavery: A Beginner's Guide blends original research with shocking first-hand accounts from slaves themselves around the world to reveal the truth behind one of the worst humanitarian crises facing us today. Only a handful of slaves are reached and freed each year, but the authors offer hope for the future with a global blueprint that proposes to end slavery in our lifetime All royalties will go to Free the Slaves.

"This book looks at recent efforts to combat contemporary slavery worldwide and explores how the history and iconography of slavery has been invoked to support a series of government interventions, activist projects, legal instruments, and rhetorical performances"--