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Committee Directors
Cristina Abellan Bustos
Dear Delegates,
My name is Cristina Abellan Bustos, I am Spanish, but currently specializing in the field of World
Politics and International Justice in Leiden University College The Hague. In addition to MUN
and university, my hobbies include basketball and volleyball among others.
I am thrilled to serve as the Chairwoman of the Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
(SOCHUM) at MUNIK VIII in January. Over the last 4 years I have attended more than 20 MUNs
around Europe as a delegate and Chair. After MUNIK VIII I will have the opportunity to serve as
the Chair of the UNSC in SEIMUN 2017 as well as being part of the Board of MUNOTH 2017. If
this was not enough, I had the opportunity to spend a Summer at Georgetown University
learning about American Politics and Foreign Affairs. When it comes to MUNs, I consider myself
a strict Chairperson but I also like to be able to have some fun moments in the committee as far
as delegates are able to remain professional at all times. I am looking forward to meeting you
all in January and I hope that a lot of good work will be done in our committee related to the
topics we have.
Best,
Cristina Abellan Bustos
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Committee Directors
Raviya Mysorewala
Hello everyone!
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the eight edition of MUNIK. My name is Raviya
Mysorewala and I along with Cristina will be serving as your chair for SOCHUM. I’m currently
studying Political Science at IBA and have been participating in MUNs for 6 years now. This will
be my third time working for MUNIK and I can safely say that every year it grows bigger and
better. Whether you’re an experienced MUNNer or a beginner, we hope to give you an
experience which is memorable and full of learning. It will be my pleasure to assist you in every
possible way I can and if you have any queries, feel free to inbox me on Facebook or email me
at [email protected]. See you all on the 12th of January and good luck!
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Assistant Committee Directors
Saad Ahmed
Dear Delegates,
My name is Saad Ahmed. I am a Freshman at the Institute of
Business Administration, Karachi and am working towards an
undergraduate degree in economics and mathematics. I am
thrilled to serve as the assistant committee director of the
Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) at
MUNIK VIII. Over the last three years, I have been a part of
numerous local MUNs with my best experience at LUMUN XI in
UNSC. I want every delegate in my committee to play a part in
the debate and the resolutions. Feel free to approach me in
case of any questions or support. Be prepared and do extensive
research on the topics. I hope to see you all in January and
hope to see constructive debates and interactive sessions with all of you.
Zafarullah Hashim
Honorable delegates,
My name is Zafarullah Hashim and it is my distinct pleasure to
serve as the Assistant Committee Director for Social,
Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee at MUNIK. I am a
freshman pursuing a degree in Accounting and Finance. I have
been associated with Model United Nations since the past 3
years, and so far, I have won two best delegates. My advice to
you is that you should equip yourselves with a profound
research so you can be an active part of the discussion. I wish
you all a very good luck. If there are any queries you can always
ask me. See you on 12th.
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Introduction to the Committee:
The GA’s Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) is the third of six committees of General Assembly. SOCHUM seeks to address the social and cultural ramifications of
humanitarian crises. The committee system was created to ease the legislative burden of the
GA. The abundance of items on the GA’s agenda means it would be extremely inefficient, if not
logistically impossible, to properly address each and every element during General Debate.
Thus, the agenda is divided between the GA’s six committees to allow smaller groups to delve
more effectively into the issues at hand. The GA assigns SOCHUM agenda items pertaining to
social, humanitarian, and cultural challenges. In so far as SOCHUM is a committee under the
General Assembly, it does not have the independent power to pass resolutions. Rather, during
SOCHUM’s sessions, which occur concurrently with those of the GA, members draft legislation
to then be presented for debate in the GA.
Through the years, the Committee has been a driving force behind many landmark pieces of
legislation including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Currently, the committee is
dealing with a variety of questions of human rights, including gender, racial, and indigenous
rights violations. Although the committee also discusses the appropriate measures to overcome
obstacles to social development, its focus for the past few years has been on protecting human
rights and promoting fundamental freedoms.
The Third Committee is not alone in its pursuit. SOCHUM has already planned to work closely
during the 70th session with the Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, the Conference on Women, and the World Assembly on Aging. Since its creation
in 2009, the Human Rights Council has been a main partner of SOCHUM in its endeavours to
end human rights abuses around the globe. In conjunction with these groups, SOCHUM has
been able to make impressive progress in rectifying the injustices of our world.
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Topic A: Protection of Religious Freedom
Introduction
Religious Freedom or freedom of belief is the right of any and every individual to choose any or
no religion or system of belief without any interference by any state or other actor. As per the
UN General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a religion or whatever
belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or
private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.”1
Historical Background
The Declaration of rights of man and the citizen historically is the first major modern document
that in August, 1789, recognized the Right to religious freedom as a fundamental right for all.
The United Nations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed on 10th December
1948, called for non-discrimination on the basis of race, colour, or religion, paving the road for
the international community accepting freedom of religion as a basic Human Right.
The First document approved by the United Nations to explicitly focus and discuss freedom of
religion or belief came in the form of the United Nations General Assembly’s acceptance of the
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief on 25th November 1981.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 2 of the Declaration states:
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without
distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or
international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.”2
1
2
UN general Assembly Resolution A/RES/36/55.
UN General Assembly Resolution 217 A.
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Article 18 states:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others
and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and
observance.” 3
Hence the document is the first instance of agreement within the international community that
Freedom of religion is a basic human right.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Article 2 states:
“Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals
within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant,
without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”4
Article 18 states:
“1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This right shall
include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either
individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or
belief in worship, observance, practice, and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a
religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are
prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the
fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of
parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of
their children in conformity with their own convictions.” 3
Furthering the International community’s affirmation of accepting freedom of religion as a
fundamental right, opened for signature on 16th December 1966, the agreement allowed
further work to be done to present a further comprehensive view of freedom of religion.
3
4
UN General Assembly Resolution 217 A.
UN General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966.
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The Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
Approved by the United Nations General Assembly on 25th November, 1981, the Declaration on
the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief was
the first document to ask states to take steps to discourage religious intolerance as mentioned
in article 4 and article 7:
“1. All States shall take effective measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the
grounds of religion or belief in the recognition, exercise and enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in all fields of civil, economic, political, social, and cultural life.
2. All States shall make all efforts to enact or rescind legislation where necessary to prohibit any
such discrimination, and to take all appropriate measures to combat intolerance on the grounds
of religion or other beliefs in this matter.”5
Article 7:
“The rights and freedoms set forth in the present Declaration shall be accorded in national
legislation in such a manner that everyone shall be able to avail himself of such rights and
freedoms in practice.”6
Further, this document is the first to describe what comes under freedom of religion or belief in
article 6:
“In accordance with article 1 of the present Declaration, and subject to the provisions of article
1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter
alia, the following freedoms:
(a) To worship or assemble in connexion with a religion or belief, and to establish and maintain
places for these purposes;
(b) To establish and maintain appropriate charitable or humanitarian institutions;
(c) To make, acquire and use to an adequate extent the necessary articles and materials related
to the rites or customs of a religion or belief;
(d) To write, issue and disseminate relevant publications in these areas;
(e) To teach a religion or belief in places suitable for these purposes;
5
6
UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/36/55.
Ibid.
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(f) To solicit and receive voluntary financial and other contributions from individuals and
institutions;
(g) To train, appoint, elect, or designate by succession appropriate leaders called for by the
requirements and standards of any religion or belief;
(h) To observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in accordance with the
precepts of one's religion or belief;
(i) To establish and maintain communications with individuals and communities in matters of
religion and belief at the national and international levels.”7
Contemporary considerations
The primary flaw in all resolutions and agreements thus far is the absence of a procedure for
states to take action against religious intolerance and that of any procedure for action to be
taken against nations directly or implicitly promoting religious intolerance.
This loophole has allowed states to support and control the levels of religious intolerance
within the countries with the aim of further pursuing political motives by the government.
Effects of religious intolerance
Propagation of religious intolerance has had considerable and sometimes disastrous effects in
regard to the individual states as described below:
Social
Religious intolerance causes feelings of rejection, non-acceptance and isolation in societies
which cause conflicts within communities, leading to revolts and riots.
Also, religious intolerance leads to polarization within urban centres and businesses which
causes wastage of talent and ability. Furthermore, religious intolerance can lead to monotony
in research and affirmations of people.
Political
Religious intolerance can cause trust issues within a part of a society, causing them to work
together to ensure mutual survival, leading to creation of pressure groups and underground
political networks against the government.
Also, religious intolerance can cause negative feelings against countries supporting said
religions, causing international tensions, and going against mutually beneficial agreements. It
7
UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/36/55.
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has been noted that states with higher levels of religious intolerance have higher levels of
corruption.8
Economic
Religious intolerance can lower investor confidence in the state and lead to investment from
people of other religions being reduced, affecting economies.
Also, the feeling of being isolated within people of a specific country leads to large scale
emigration, leading to local talent to prefer other states which ensure religious security.
Further, the issue can lead to polarization of business and power in a specific part of the society
leading to economic instability in the entire state.
Religious groups and diversity allow for investment in religion in the form of printing of religious
texts and artefacts, religious festivals and tourism, and religious charities.
Military
Persecution or seclusion of a specific demographic would call for allocation of more resources
to security and intelligence agencies, giving them more power and control over the state while
simultaneously having to reduce resources spent on development of industry and
infrastructure.
Effects felt Globally
Religious intolerance affects not the countries imposing the restrictions but on the entire
international community as follows:



Intolerance leads to large scale emigrations causing a rise in human trafficking
globally leadings to migrant crisis’s.
Intolerance can cause people to be aggressive towards global investors and
vacationers causing security issues
Intolerance can cause far right movements to come up, promoting international
terrorism
8
Grim, Brian G. “Corruption Higher Where Governments Restrict Religious Freedom”. Weekly Number Blog.
5/5/2014; & “Religious Hostilities Reach Six-Year High”. PewResearch Centre – Religion & Public Life. January 14,
2014. & “The 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index”. Transparency International.
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Map of Freedom of Thought Report 2015. 9
Current Situation
Situation in conflict areas
Conflict areas are more prone to human rights abuses including
religious intolerance. Most active conflict zones today including
Iraq and Syria, Palestine and Kashmir, have the highest rates of
religious intolerance in the world. In the specific case of ISIS, up
to 15000 minorities including Shia’s, Kurdish, and Yazidi’s have
been killed, while also causing mass migrations of people to all
parts of the world leading to the largest Migrant crisis in
Europe in recent history
Situation in Secular countries
While most secular countries work towards keeping religion
and religious ideology away from state affairs, some countries,
specifically the communist nations have been known to
influence the religion of their people. Communist countries
including North Korea and China have had violent crackdowns
on people of different religions. While the communist states
have no state backed religion, their actions indiscriminately
target people of all religions. Such a system of government is
sometimes called a state atheism policy.
9
“The Freedom of Thought Report of 2015”. The Freedom of Thought Report: A Global Report on Discrimination
Against Humanists, Atheists and Non-Religious.
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Situation in Non secular countries
Non-secular or religious countries have a state sponsored religion with, in most cases, the
majority of the state population following it. In such states, as religion and government overlap
in power and authority, the part of the population following the state religion is given
preference over minorities. For example, most of the population (96% per a recent estimate)
consists of Christians in Papua New Guinea. The country has one of the lowest instances of
religious intolerance with a score of less than 2.4 on the Pew research centre’s Global
Restrictions Index (GRI).
Right to Religious Conversion
Another of the religious rights mentioned in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights is the right to change religion. Conversions were endorsed for the first time by the
Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2012. In this year a report was issued
that stated that the freedom of conversion was a part of the freedom of religion. This right
includes the right to conversion, the right not to be forced to convert and the right to try to
convert others by non-coercive means. The latter mentioned is always a controversial matter
since the right of one person to try to convert another by non-coercive means may crash with
another’s person right to freedom of religion or belief.10
Increase in “Islamophobia”
Due to the recent peak there has been in terrorist attacks related to radical Islamism, the fear,
driven by the populism has raised the indexes of xenophobia in the recent years. These
atrocities committed by terrorist groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram between others only
represent a very small percentage of the total population of the world whose religion is Islam.
However, the recent political populism that has been experienced since the “Brexit” up to the
election of Donald Trump in the United States of America and the rise of populist ideologies in
the rest of Europe, specially France, Greece and Spain show that fear is the most powerful
weapon. This xenophobia is obviously extended to the refugee crisis that is taking place due to
the civil war in Syria and the rise of ISIS in the region. Government of countries such as Hungary
have said that they do not want to have refugees in their country and even in Europe because
they believe that it is an entrance door to Europe for ISIS militants.
The Clash of Religious Freedom and Freedom of Expression & Protection of
Religious Manifestations
A point where the UN conventions to this point fall short is in the matter of religious freedom
versus defamation of religion. Islamic countries under the flag of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation have presented numerous resolutions and motions regarding religious defamation
10
UN General Assembly Report by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief A/67/303.
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starting from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/84 approved in 2000, to the
Commission on Human Rights resolution 22/31, approved in 2013.
Religious states, especially the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have
primarily considered presentation of any kind of sentiment against religion, a specific religion,
or any belief held by any religion as religious defamation and under their resolutions as such,
have presented the point that such instances should be declared public incitement to violence
and hence should be made distinct from freedom of expression.
Also, all motions regarding religious defamation to this point have not given an exact and
binding definition of what constitutes religious defamation. Furthermore, most countries that
do have religious defamation or blasphemy laws do not themselves have a unified, exact
definition of the line between freedom of expression, and religious defamation.
On the other hand, western states take such as only instances of racism and religious
discrimination, to be frowned upon but still protected by freedom of expression. Hence the
point of contention. Western states regard such religious defamation resolutions as blasphemy
laws.
In some states the manifestation of a religious belief that is not the one chosen by the county is
illegal and can be punished with death. There exists a suppression against those who express
their belief usually as a minority and even in cases where it is not illegal, these people can suffer
social repression by other fellow citizens who do not respect their religion. In other countries,
religious symbols are forbidden in public areas and public schools as well as official buildings of
the government, this applies to any and all religions. One example of this is France, where there
has been quite a lot of controversy because women are not allowed to wear headscarf to the
beach11 and kids cannot show any religious symbol in schools (jewellery, clothes, headscarf…).12
Questions to consider
11
12

Implementation and enforcement of International treaties on protection of religious
freedom including the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance
and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

How can religious freedom be protected while fighting religious
militant/terroristgroups.

Possibility of protection of religious freedom while protecting freedom of expression.
Agence France-Presse. “Burkinis Banned on France’s Cannes Beaches by Mayor. The Telegraph. 11 August 2016.
“French Scarf Ban Comes into Force”. BBC News.2 September 2004.
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
How can the the religious freedom of refugees or stateless people be protected?

What role should education play? Should it be standardized internationally?
Bibliography
UN general Assembly Resolution A/RES/36/55.
UN General Assembly Resolution 217 A.
UN General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966.
UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/36/55.
Grim, Brian G. “Corruption Higher Where Governments Restrict Religious Freedom”.
WeeklyNumber Blog. 5/5/2014. Accessed on the 26/11/2016.
http://theweeklynumber.com/weekly-number-blog/corruption-higher-wheregovernments-restrict-religious-freedom
“Religious Hostilities Reach Six-Year High”. PewResearch Centre – Religion & Public Life. January
14, 2014. Accessed on the 26/11/16.
http://www.pewforum.org/2014/01/14/religious-hostilities-reach-six-year-high/
“The 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index”. Transparency International. Accessed on the
26/11/16.
http://www.transparency.org/cpi2013/
“The Freedom of Thought Report of 2015”. The Freedom of Thought Report: A Global Report on
Discrimination Against Humanists, Atheists and Non-Religious. Accessed on the
26/11/16.
http://freethoughtreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fot15-big-map.png.
UN General Assembly Report by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
A/67/303.
Agence France-Presse. “Burkinis Banned on France’s Cannes Beaches by Mayor. The Telegraph.
11 August 2016. Accessed on the 26/11/2016
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/11/burkinis-banned-on-cannes-rivierabeaches-by-french-mayor/
“French Scarf Ban Comes into Force”. BBC News.2 September 2004. Accessed on the 26/11/16.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3619988.stm
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Topic B: Fight Against Contemporary Forms of Slavery
Historical Background
Slavery in ancient cultures was known to occur in civilizations as old as Sumer, and it was found
in every civilization, including Ancient Egypt, the Akkadian Empire, Assyria, Ancient Greece,
Rome and parts of its empire.
Ancient Greeks
It is often believed that ordinary Greeks as well as the philosophers accepted the theory of
natural slavery, which states that some men are slaves by nature. At the time of Plato and
Socrates, slavery was so accepted by the Greeks that few people indeed protested it as an
institution.
The Roman Empire
Slavery was a vital economic pillar in the wealth of Rome. As the Roman Republic expanded
outward, entire populations were enslaved. The people subjected to Roman slavery came from
all over Europe and the Mediterranean. Slaves were used not only for labour, but also for
amusement (e.g. gladiators and sex slaves). If a slave ran away, he was liable to be crucified.
Egyptian Empire
In Egypt, the principal and oldest cause of slavery was capture in war. The general rule was that
all captives including those outside of the military forces, became a royal resource. The king
certainly did not keep all of these slaves, though some were resettled in colonies for labor.
However, he also granted some of them to temples, to meritorious individuals and also as
booty for his soldiers. Also, a trade in (possibly captured) people from foreign countries was
also possible. For example, Amenhotep III ordered forty girls from Milkilu, a Canaanite prince,
paying 40 kit of silver for each.
Akkadian Empire
The lowest social order was the slaves. One could become a slave in a number of ways: being
captured in war, selling oneself into slavery to pay off a debt, being sold as punishment for a
crime, being kidnapped and sold into slavery in another region, or being sold by a family
member to relieve a debt. Slaves had no single ethnicity nor were they solely employed for
manual labour. Slaves kept house, managed large estates, tutored young children, tended
horses, served as accountants and skilled jewellery makers, and could be employed in whatever
capacity their master saw they had a talent in. A slave who worked diligently for his or her
master could eventually buy their freedom.
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Early Muslim Empire
Muslims enslaved people from many cultures as well as Africa. Other sources included the
Balkans, Central Asia and Mediterranean Europe.
Slaves in the Islamic world were not always at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Slaves in
Muslim societies had a greater range of work, and took on a wider range of responsibilities,
than those enslaved in the Atlantic trade.
‘Under Islamic law people can only be legally enslaved in two circumstances:

as the result of being defeated in a war that was legal according to sharia

if they are born as the child of two slave parents.’
Ottoman Empire
Slaves were bought and sold in markets throughout the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th
century. The empire maintained an elite slave standing army called ‘The Janissaries’ (meaning
'new soldier' in Turkish). Janissary recruits were chosen from groups of boys who were taken
into Ottoman service in periodic levies on Christian peasant families, predominantly those in
the Balkans. The boys were brought to Istanbul, converted to Islam, and then trained for
military service. The organization became an important Ottoman military force soon after it was
established because the Janissaries were perceived to be the sultan's most trustworthy soldiers.
Transatlantic slave trade
Transatlantic Slave trade refers to the forced movement, between 1500 and 1900, of blacks
from West Africa and West Central Africa by the Europeans to be sold as slaves in markets
across Europe. The transatlantic slave trade was the biggest deportation in history and a
determining factor in the world economy of the 18th century. It is estimated that between 25
to 30 million people, men, women and children, were deported from their homes. It was a
miserable catastrophe for the blacks of that time. The French historian Jean-Michel Deveau
calls it "the greatest tragedies in the history of humanity in terms of scale and duration
Modern Slavery:
The Global Slavery Index 2016 has estimated that 45.8 million people are in some form of
modern slavery in 168 countries. They are trapped in forced labour and debt bondage, in
domestic servitude and forced marriages, or exploited by human traffickers. Although slavery is
illegal in every country in the modern world, it still exists and is thriving. 13
13
ILO. 2016. Forced labour, human trafficking and slavery, http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang-en/index.htm
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “No one shall be held in slavery or
servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” It is imperative that
the committee devises a comprehensive mechanism to combat and identify the different forms
of modern slavery. Furthermore, it must also establish consensus on the definition of modern
slavery. (OHCHR, 2005)14
Definitions of Modern Slavery
The definition of slavery first appeared in an international agreement in the League of Nations
Slavery Convention of 25 September 1926.
Article 1
(1) Slavery is the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching
to the right of ownership are exercised.
(2) The slave trade includes all acts involved in the capture, acquisition or disposal of a person
with intent to reduce him to slavery; all acts involved in the acquisition of a slave with a view to
selling or exchanging him; all acts of disposal by sale or exchange of a slave acquired with a
view to being sold or exchanged, and, in general, every act of trade or transport in slaves. 15
A relatively elaborate definition appeared in ‘The Supplementary Convention on the Abolition
of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery in 1956’ (the
“Supplementary Convention”)
Article 1
Each of the States Parties to this Convention shall take all practicable and necessary legislative
and other measures to bring about progressively and as soon as possible the complete abolition
or abandonment of the following institutions and practices, where they still exist and whether
or not they are covered by the definition of slavery contained in article 1 of the Slavery
Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926:
(a) Debt bondage, that is to say, the status or condition arising from a pledge by a debtor of his
personal services or of those of a person under his control as security for a debt, if the value of
those services as reasonably assessed is not applied towards the liquidation of the debt or the
length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined;
14
OHCHR. 2005. The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery,
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/UNVFSPublicationsen.pdf
15
OHCHR. 1927. Slavery Convention,
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/SlaveryConvention.aspx
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(b) Serfdom, that is to say, the condition or status of a tenant who is by law, custom or
agreement bound to live and labour on land belonging to another person and to render some
determinate service to such other person, whether for reward or not, and is not free to change
his status;
(c) Any institution or practice whereby:
(i) A woman, without the right to refuse, is promised or given in marriage on payment of a
consideration in money or in kind to her parents, guardian, family or any other person or group;
or
(ii) The husband of a woman, his family, or his clan, has the right to transfer her to another
person for value received or otherwise; or
(iii) A woman on the death of her husband is liable to be inherited by another person;
(d) Any institution or practice whereby a child or young person under the age of 18 years, is
delivered by either or both of his natural parents or by his guardian to another person, whether
for reward or not, with a view to the exploitation of the child or young person or of his labour.16
Contemporary forms of slavery
Traditional slavery:
It is also known as chattel slavery and is the least prevalent today.’ According to the American
Anti-Slavery Group, in Mauritania—where slavery was legally abolished in 1980—90,000
darker-skinned Africans still live as the property of the Muslim Berber communities. In Sudan,
slavery is making a comeback as the result of a war waged over the past twelve years by the
Muslim north against the Christians and Animists in the south. Sudan means "land of the
blacks" in Arabic, and for centuries black Africans were abducted in Sudan as part of the
Arabian slave trade. Anti-Slavery Group researchers have described a revival of a racially-based
slave trade, where armed northern militias raid the southern civilian villages for slaves. Reports
to the UN Commission on Human Rights have underscored the racial aspect of such practices:
victims are exclusively persons belonging to the indigenous tribes of the Nuba Mountains
(darker-skinned Africans). Government-armed Arab militias are known to kill the men and
enslave the women and children as personal property or to march them north to be auctioned
off and sold.’
16
OHCHR. 1956. Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the SlaveTrade, and Institutions and
Practices Similar to Slavery, http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/slaveryen.pdf
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Debt bondage
It is also known as bonded labour and is one of the most widespread forms of slavery in the
world. A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of
repayment for a loan. The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no
pay. The value of their work becomes invariably greater than the original sum of money
borrowed. Often the debts are passed on to the next generations. 17 In South Asia it still
flourishes in agriculture, brick kilns, mills and factories. In the Punjab region of India hundreds
of thousands men, women and children are forced to work as bonded labourers in quarries and
brick kilns where they receive little or no pay in return for a loan typically used for survival,
including medical costs.
Debts taken on by migrant labourers in their countries of origin, often with the involvement of
labour agencies and employers in the destination country, can also contribute to a situation of
debt bondage. Such circumstances may occur in the context of employment-based temporary
work programs in which a worker’s legal status in the destination country is tied to the
employer and workers fear seeking redress. 18
Serfdom:
A form of servile labour that binds a person by law, custom or agreement to work on land that
belongs to someone else. It is not the provision of labour in return for access to land, but rather
the inability of the labourer to change status that makes this a form of slavery. Serfdom is often
hereditary and can affect entire families over generations. 19
Forced Labour
The term “forced or compulsory labour” is defined by the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930
(No. 29), Article 2.1, as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace
of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily”. In general,
forced labour, could include activities such as ‘recruiting, harbouring, transporting, providing, or
obtaining – involved when a person uses force or physical threats, psychological coercion,
abuse of the legal process, deception, or other coercive means to compel someone to work.’
‘While sometimes the means of coercion used by the exploiter can be overt and observable
(e.g. armed guards who prevent workers from leaving, or workers who are confined to locked
premises), more often the coercion applied is subtler and not immediately observable (e.g.
confiscation of identity papers, or threats of denunciation to the authorities)’. ‘Forced labour
17
OHCHR, 2016. Debt bondage remains the most prevalent form of forced labour worldwide – New UN report,
http://www.ohchr.org/SP/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20504&LangID=E
18
UN DoS. What is Modern Slavery? , https://www.state.gov/j/tip/what/
19
OHCHR. 2005. The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery,
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/UNVFSPublicationsen.pdf
19 | P a g e
therefore presents major challenges in terms of detection, for the purposes of both data
collection and law enforcement.’ 20
Migrants are particularly vulnerable to forced labour, but individuals also may be forced into
labour in their own countries. Female victims of forced or bonded labour, especially women
and girls in domestic servitude, are often sexually exploited as well.’
Forced labour is most frequently found in labour intensive/and or under-regulated industries
such as:





Agriculture and fishing
Domestic Work
Construction, mining quarrying and brick kilns
Domestic work
Prostitution and sexual exploitation
ILO estimates that there are at least 20.9 million people in forced labour worldwide. The figure
means that, at any given point in time, around three out of every 1,000 persons worldwide are
suffering in forced labour. 21
In around 10 per cent of cases the State or the military is directly responsible for the use of
forced labour. Notable examples where this takes place are Uzbekistan, Burma, North Korea
and China. However, in the vast majority of cases forced labour is used by private individuals
who are seeking to make profits from the exploitation of other people. Victims of forced labour
are
20
ILO. 1930. Forced Labour Convention, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/--declaration/documents/publication/wcms_182004.pdf
21
Anti-Slavery Organisation. Forced Labour,
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/forced_labour/default.aspx
20 | P a g e
frequently from minority or marginalized groups who face institutionalized discrimination and
live on the margins of society where they are vulnerable to slavery practices.22
Sale of children and worst forms of child labour
ILO convention No 29 states that ‘Any work or service undertaken by a child is considered as
forced child labour where some form of coercion or deception is applied by a third party, either
directly to the child or to his or her parents, in order to oblige the child to take a job or perform
a task, or to prevent him or her from leaving the work’. Accordingly, child labour might include
situations which are characterized by slavery, sexual exploitation, illicit activities and hazardous
work that is likely to harm the health, safety or morale of children. Examples include forced
begging, domestic servitude, work in quarries, brick kilns and dangerous work in the fishing
industry for long hours and no pay. 23
Most incidents of child labour and forced labour occur in the informal economy (both rural and
urban) and in illicit activities. Common examples that have raised concerns globally include
textiles and clothing, carpet weaving, fishing and agricultural produce such as cocoa, cotton,
palm oil, sugar cane, tobacco, cut flowers, and fruits and vegetables. However, even the most
modern of industries and their manufacture processes depend on minerals that could be
produced as much by small-scale artisanal entities in unregulated or under-regulated
jurisdictions as by large multi-national companies in well-regulated sectors. They risk having
child or forced labour in their supply chains. As noted by the UN Special Rapporteur on
contemporary forms of slavery, “Global enterprises with supply chains that are long and
complex and involve complicated networks of subsidiaries, franchisees, suppliers, contractors
and subcontractors are more likely to be faced with challenges related to contemporary forms
of slavery. While the first tier of supply chains is less susceptible to the risk of contemporary
forms of slavery, the lower levels have been shown to be at risk of products or raw materials
being sourced from home-based or small workshops in the informal economy and made in
situations of debt bondage, forced labour or the worst forms of child labour” 24
There are two kinds of factors behind forced labour; supply factors and demand factors Supply
factors include high levels of illiteracy, poor access to social services and inadequate economic
infrastructure, particularly in rural and poor urban areas. Poor households are more likely to
suffer from income shocks and/or get into debt, which increase their exposure to forced labour
22
Ibid.
OHCHR. 2015. United Nations voluntary trust fund on contemporary forms of slavery,
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Slavery/UNVTCFS/UNSlaveryFund.pdf
24
Bhoola. 2015. “Report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and
consequences.” United Nations, Human Rights Council,
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Slavery/SRSlavery/Pages/AnnualReports.aspx
23
21 | P a g e
or to sending children to do hazardous work. Demand factors include problems such as
widespread dependence on unskilled and low-skill labour in large segments of the economy,
particularly in agriculture and the urban informal sectors. Related to this is the fact that the
victims are easily exploited, hence their labour is cheap, if paid at all. The most important
demand factor, perhaps relates to weaknesses in the legal framework for preventing these
forms of labour exploitation, especially weak enforcement of the applicable laws.
Slavery related to private companies
Some private companies, especially in LEDC’s may conduct slavery in the form of forced labor.
In these cases, usually workers are migrants but it is not a necessary condition. The workers’
passports maybe confiscated so that they cannot leave the country, which is a form of captivity.
Additionally, their families may be threatened either in the form of physical harm or in the form
of denying certain conditions or basic necessities that contribute to the wellbeing of the family
(debt bondage).
The countries where this happens do not usually have a strict control over the conditions the
workers have to face. Workers do not have an accessible procedure they can follow to report
this form of slavery to the police, and if they end up being able to report it usually the company
can bribe the police so that the police will not investigate the issue.
Trafficking
Human beings are recruited, using threats, deception or coercion, for the purposes of economic
or sexual exploitation. Traffickers confiscate victims’ passports, withhold wages, and force
victims to work against their will. In other cases, individuals are trafficked and exploited for the
purpose of removing their organs. 25
In 2003, the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons established a
universal trafficking definition and set a goal for countries to prevent and combat trafficking
and assist victims.
Human Trafficking occurs when people are forced into exploitative situations for profit. Human
trafficking is closely connected to slavery. 26Not all slaves are trafficked, but all trafficking
victims are victims of slavery. Men, women and children are trafficked for a wide range of
purposes, including but not limited to forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude,
child soldiers etc.
25
OHCHR. 2015. United Nations voluntary trust fund on contemporary forms of slavery,
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Slavery/UNVTCFS/UNSlaveryFund.pdf
26
Soroptimist Organisation. 2012. Sex Slavery, http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html
22 | P a g e
Trafficking is a hidden crime. Unfortunately, the full scale of this brutal trade can’t be
definitively detected, but it’s estimated that nearly 21 million people are trafficked for profit
around the world today. Most countries are involved in human trafficking to some extent,
either as a place of recruitment, transit or destination for trafficked individuals. It is estimated
that most trafficking cases occur in Asia, particularly across the Greater Mekong region of
Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam
People are vulnerable to trafficking for a number of reasons, including lack of education and
employment opportunities, discrimination and social isolation, and lack of protection by adults
or social systems. 27
Organized crime is largely responsible for the spread of international human trafficking.
Widespread corruption and greed has made it possible for human trafficking to thrive. Though
national and international institutions may attempt to regulate and enforce anti-trafficking
legislation, local governments and police forces may in fact be participating in sex trafficking
rings.
Sexual slavery
Sex slavery is the exploitation of individuals, often through the use or threat of force, within
national or across international borders, for the purposes of forced sex work. Commercial
sexual exploitation includes pornography, prostitution and sex trafficking of women and girls,
and is characterized by the exploitation of a human being in exchange for goods or money.
Some sex trafficking is highly visible, such as street prostitution. But many trafficking victims
remain unseen, operating out of unmarked brothels in unsuspecting—and sometimes
suburban—neighbourhoods. Sex traffickers may also operate out of a variety of public and
private locations, such as massage parlours, spas and strip clubs. Adult women make up the
largest group of sex trafficking victims, followed by girl children, although a small percentage of
men and boys are trafficked into the sex industry as well.
Sex trafficking can be extremely lucrative, especially in areas where opportunities for education
and legitimate employment may be limited. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC), the greatest numbers of traffickers are from Asia, followed by Central and
South-eastern Europe, and Western Europe. Crime groups involved in the sex trafficking of
women and girls are also often involved in the transnational trafficking of drugs and firearms,
and frequently use violence as a means of carrying out their activities.
27
Worldvision Organisation. Child slavery and trafficking, https://www.worldvision.com.au/global-issues/workwe-do/child-slavery
23 | P a g e
One overriding factor in the proliferation of trafficking is the fundamental belief that the lives of
women and girls are expendable. In societies where women and girls are undervalued or not
valued at all, women are at greater risk for being abused, trafficked, and coerced into sex
slavery. If women experienced improved economic and social status, trafficking would in large
part be eradicated.28
Sex Tourism:
A billion-dollar industry, Sex Tourism encourages the sexual exploitation of women and girls.
Many sex tours explicitly feature young girls. The tours are marketed specifically to paedophiles
who prey on young children, and men who believe that having sex with virgins or young girls
will cure sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Often, these men spread HIV and other STDs to
their young victims, creating localized disease epidemics.29
Factors behind slavery
Social Factors
Poverty:
Traffickers trick those looking for employment into slavery by making promises of a stable
employment. However, these victims soon find themselves in brothels, as household servants,
in factories or in farm fields. Poverty can make it impossible for the poor to move to an area
where they can get employed as free workers, so in order to survive they might take loans. If
the society has a lack of financial institutions, they might be pushed towards unregulated
money-lenders who charge high interest rates or insist on large loans that leave the poor
vulnerable to debt bondage. Money-lenders may deliberately structure credit arrangements to
trap people into long term debt bondage.30
Gender:
Women and girls are the largest demographic affected by the slave trade. Women compose
about 80% of trafficked women in the U.S. alone. Women are also a strikingly larger percentage
of the world’s poor. Scholars point to the feminization of poverty as the reason for such a
disproportion.
Women are affected the worst during times of economic distress because of various reasons.
Factors include: Women often have lower social and economic status than men. (Women are
frequently sold by their families into slavery because they are not valued as much as men.)
28
Soroptimist Organisation. 2012. Sex Slavery, http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html
Ibid.
30
BBC. 2014. Why Slavery Persists, http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/slavery/modern/persistence.shtml
29
24 | P a g e
There is an ever-present gender wage gap. Women need to play multiple roles and their lack of
time limits their access to formal employment and general advancement. 31
Lack of education and awareness:
Those who are poor and vulnerable to becoming enslaved are easily persuaded and tricked by
slave traffickers. Potential victims lack largely lack the awareness to look for signs that might
indicate they are about to be entrapped. Without education, a slave does not also have the
tools to gain his/ her rightful freedom
Migration:
Millions are on the move from impoverished rural areas to cities, and from poorer countries to
wealthier ones, in search of work. Traffickers are able to trick them by posing as legitimate
labour recruiters. Migrants are especially vulnerable—they are often very far from home, don’t
speak the local language, have no funds to return home, and have no friends or family to rely
on.
Economic Factors
The modern set of economic conditions, on which slavery now firmly rests, have arisen. Slaves
today are, in purely economic terms, short term, and low-capital investments with incredibly
high rates of return. For example, in 1850, an average slave in the American South cost the
equivalent of $40,000 in today’s money. Today a slave costs about $90 on average worldwide.
The ILO’s report, Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour, states that forced labour
produces profits of about $150 billion annually.
A common link in many forms of contemporary slavery is the use of illegal contracts. Domestic
servants in the Philippines, textile workers in the United States, and sex workers in Thailand are
all examples of contract slavery. The vulnerability of the world’s poor is a key ingredient to the
successful implementation of this type of slavery. Slave traders offer desperately poor people,
usually in rural areas, employment through illegitimate contracts. Once the victim has been
subjugated, the contract is used to keep the slave convinced that the arrangement is valid. 32
31
Rose Gerber. Modern Day slavery,
http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/NC/OnslowCounty/NorthwoodsMiddle/Uploads/Forms/More%20Cause
s%20of%20Modern%20Day%20Slavery.pdf
32
Justin Guay. The economic foundations of contemporary Slavery,
http://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/researchdigest/slavery/economic.pdf
25 | P a g e
Political Factors
Slavery, specifically, human trafficking depends upon bribery and corruption for its existence.
Without the bribery and collusion of police officers, immigration and border control,
government workers, transportation officials, judges or anyone in power, traffickers could not
enslave an estimated woman, men and children, transporting many from one end of the world
to the other.
Slavery in Conflict Zones:
Experts believe that civilians living in areas affected by armed conflict, are deprived of
economic opportunities, justice, and security. Therefore, the risk of exploitation through human
trafficking and sexual slavery is higher, particularly for women and children. In World War, the
Japanese Army forced women within its occupied territories into sexual slavery, who were
referred to as comfort women. Women at comfort stations were forced to render sexual
services to many officers and men. The Ordeal of the comfort women continued even after the
war. It is known that many women did not return to their homes out of a feeling of shame and
remained in a foreign land for the rest of their days.
Slavery in conflict zones is still a problem. ISIS which is infamous for beheading and brutality is
responsible for the genocide and sexual enslavement of the Yazidi community in Iraq and Syria.
The Yazidi women are taken as sex slaves by the militants. Often, the Yazidi girls are trafficked
and sold for money. A Yazidi woman who survived ISIS captivity, Nadia Murad has informed the
26 | P a g e
world about the Gross Human Rights violations at the hands of ISIS against her community, and
wishes the prosecution of ISIS fighters as war criminals. 33
ISIS has also been involved in the radicalization of young women, particularly in the west. It
would tempt them to come to their caliphate with false promises of wealth, marriage and
forgiveness of sin. However, upon arrival they are nearly always kept as sex slaves and put in
abhorrent conditions.
Victims of Modern Slavery
After escaping from months or years of victimization, survivors of slavery often need a wide
array of services that recognize the unique trauma they have experienced. In order to rebuild
their lives, survivors may be in immediate need of housing, counselling, medical care, legal
advocacy, job training, interpretation, immigration relief, substance abuse recovery, or food
and clothing assistance. 34
These services are in fact part of the reintegration process that the victims need. At present,
many Non-profit organizations are working towards those goals. Few examples include Polaris,
CAST, WORLD VISION, and Soroptimist. These organizations not only protect the existing victim
but also frame policies to help the potential victim.

In late 2007, Soroptimist launched a major campaign aimed at raising awareness about
the devastating practice of sex trafficking.

Polaris has been operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline and BeFree Textline
to connect survivors with critical support to get help and stay safe.

World vision gives economically unstable parents job training and financial assistance to
improve their incomes. It also supports Child protection watch groups to create a safer
community environment. 35
Groups Prone to Slavery:
Women, specially migrants both in MEDC’s and LEDC’s (sexual slavery, forced labor, human
trafficking and trafficking of organs, mail-order brides, forced marriage, sale of wives)
Children, migrants and LEDC’s or countries that have gone through a conflict (sexual slavery,
child labor/servitude, incest, human trafficking and trafficking of organs…)  UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child
33
Sewell Chan and Somini Sengupta. 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/11/world/middleeast/yazidis-isisnadia-murad.html
34
Soroptimist Organisation. 2012. Sex Slavery (Link: http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html)
35
Ibid.
27 | P a g e
People who have been slaves in any form previously (these people are more difficult to
reintegrate and may end up being slaves again due to lack of education and poverty. They are
also socially stigmatized)
Certain ethnic/religious minorities in every country may be considered as inferior and therefore
may be more likely to become slaves of any form.
Actions Taken to Combat Contemporary Forms of Slavery
The global slavery index 2016 recognises Netherlands, United States of America, United
Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Belgium and Norway as the countries that
have the strongest response to modern slavery. These countries are characterised by strong
political will, sufficient resources, and a strong civil society that holds governments to account.
Furthermore, as per the global slavery index 2016, countries taking the least action to combat
modern slavery are North Korea, Iran, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Hong Kong, Central African
Republic, Papua New Guinea, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
Some of these countries are characterised by government complicity, low levels of political will,
or high levels of conflict and political instability.
Netherlands
The Netherlands was the first country to set up a National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human
Beings and Sexual Violence against Children who, as an independent figure, reports on a regular
basis to the Dutch Government on the nature and scale of human trafficking and recommends
improvements regarding the anti-trafficking legislative and policy framework.36
It has developed a “legal and institutional framework for action against human trafficking, with
the adoption of anti-trafficking legislation and comprehensive national action plans, as well as
the setting up of a task force to co-ordinate public action against trafficking.
United States of America
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was authorized in 2000 and was the first federal
law to address sex trafficking and labour trafficking in the United States. The TVPA focused on
the prevention and protection for trafficking survivors, as well as prosecution for traffickers.
‘The U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report offers suggestions for nations to
comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.’ 37
36
Human rights Europe. 2014. Anti-trafficking unit praises fight against human slavery,
http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2014/06/netherlands-anti-trafficking-unit-praises-fight-against-humanslavery/
37
Natalie Jesionka. What’s being done to stop Human Trafficking? https://www.themuse.com/advice/whatsbeing-done-to-stop-human-trafficking
28 | P a g e
In-person registration program has been initiated to enhance protections for domestic workers
employed by foreign personnel at foreign missions in Washington. The State Department plans
to expand that registration program to workers employed by personnel at international
organizations throughout the U.S. 38
Iran
Iran is a source, transit, and destination for men, women, and children trafficked for the
purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude. Iranian women are trafficked
internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and forced marriages. Iranian and Afghan
children living in Iran are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial
sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude as beggars or labourers to pay debts, provide
income or support drug addiction of their families. The constitution prohibits forced labour and
debt bondage. However, the prescribed penalty consists of a fine and up to one-year
imprisonment. 39The international community, particularly the US, believes that the penalty is
not sufficient to deter trafficking
Timeline of UN efforts
1948: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, created by the United Nations, provides: “No
one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all
their forms.”
1949 The Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and Exploitation of the
Prostitution of Others prohibits any person from procuring, enticing, or leading away another
person for the purposes of prostitution, even with the other person’s consent. This forms the
legal basis for international protections against traffic in people still used today.
1973 The U.N. General Assembly adopts the International Convention on the Suppression and
Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, which outlaws a number of inhuman acts, including
forced labour, committed for the purposes of establishing and maintaining domination by one
racial group over another.
1975 The U.N. Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery is founded to collect
information and make recommendations on slavery and slavery-like practices around the
world.
38
VOA. 2016. US steps up to fight end modern slavery, http://www.voanews.com/a/united-states-steps-up-fightto-end-slavery/3132983.html
39
U.S. government. Country Report, http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Iran-2.htm
29 | P a g e
1989 The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child promotes basic health care, education, and
protection for the young from abuse, exploitation, or neglect at home, at work, and in armed
conflicts. All countries ratify it except Somalia and the United States
2000 The U.N. passes the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons as
part of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The trafficking protocol is the
first global legally binding instrument with an internationally agreed-upon definition on
trafficking in persons
2004 The U.N. appoints a Special Rapporteur (Reporter) on Human Trafficking.
2005 The U.N. International Labour Organization’s first Global Report on Forced Labour puts
the number of slaves worldwide at 12.3 million. The organization’s 2012 update increases the
number to 20.9 million people
2015 The U.N. adopts 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with 169 targets that include an end
to slavery: “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern
slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of
child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all
its forms.”
Questions to Consider

What Economic, legal, political and education measures can be taken to combat modern
slavery?

How can each form of slavery be dealt with?

What measures can be taken to help people who have experienced it and are
traumatized?

How can perpetrators of modern slavery be dealt with?

How can the issue of modern slavery be tackled in conflict zones?

How can we tackle the issue of modern slavery with regards to terrorist organizations
such as the ISIS and Boko Haram?

How can specific sectors of the population that are prone to slavery be protected?
(ethnic, religious, socio-economic, gender)

How can awareness about this issue be increased?

How can there be accountability for countries who have adopted conventions to fight
slavery?
30 | P a g e
References
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http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm
OHCHR. 2005. The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/UNVFSPublicationsen.pdf
OHCHR. 1957. Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the SlaveTrade, and
Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/slaveryen.pdf
OHCHR. 2002. Abolishing Slavery and its Contemporary Forms.
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/SupplementaryConventionAboliti
onOfSlavery.aspx)
OHCHR. 1927. Slavery Convention
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/SlaveryConvention.aspx
UN DoS. What is Modern Slavery? https://www.state.gov/j/tip/what/
OHCHR, 2016. Debt bondage remains the most prevalent form of forced labour worldwide –
New UN report
http://www.ohchr.org/SP/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20504&LangID=E
ILO. 1930. Forced Labour Convention
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/--declaration/documents/publication/wcms_182004.pdf
OHCHR. 2015. United Nations voluntary trust fund on contemporary forms of slavery
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Slavery/UNVTCFS/UNSlaveryFund.pdf
Anti-Slavery Organisation. Forced Labour
http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/forced_labour/default.aspx
Soroptimist Organisation. 2012. Sex Slavery
http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html
Huffington post. 2011. Rabbi Steve Gutow
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-steve-gutow/bound-togethercontempora_b_411797.html)
BBC. 2014. Why Slavery Persists
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/slavery/modern/persistence.shtml)
31 | P a g e
Rose Gerber. Modern Day slavery
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Freetheslaves organisation. Slavery today
http://www.freetheslaves.net/about-slavery/slavery-today/)
Justin Guay. The economic foundations of contemporary Slavery
http://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/researchdigest/slavery/economic.pdf)
Monique Villa. Huffington Post. 2012
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Worldvision organisation. Child slavery and trafficking
https://www.worldvision.com.au/global-issues/work-we-do/child-slavery)
Human rights Europe. 2014. Anti-trafficking unit praises fight against human slavery
http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2014/06/netherlands-anti-trafficking-unitpraises-fight-against-human-slavery/)
U.S. government. Country Report
http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Iran-2.htm)
Natalie Jesionka. What’s being done to stop Human Trafficking?
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VOA. 2016. US steps up to fight end modern slavery
http://www.voanews.com/a/united-states-steps-up-fight-to-end-slavery/3132983.html)
New York Times. 2016. Sewell Chan and Somini Sengupta
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/11/world/middleeast/yazidis-isis-nadia-murad.html)
The Sun. 2016. George Sandeman
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1604988/escaped-isis-sex-slave-says-blonde-blueeyed-girls-are-particularly-popular-amongst-jihadis/)
Guardian. 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/13/boko-haram-frees-21-schoolgirlsfrom-group-abducted-in-chibok
32 | P a g e