Walk Free

The United States, the world’s largest aid donor, has suspended foreign aid under President Donald Trump’s directive.   There’s already evidence of significant impacts on efforts to combat modern slavery. Human rights groups in countries including Kenya, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Kuwait have had to stop all programs. 

50 million people are living in modern slavery globally. 🌎 From migrant workers experiencing forced labour in global supply chains to people who are trafficked and forced to work - modern slavery risks can look very different in each country. 📹 Our Research and Policy Analyst Ana Ardila explains more. 👉 Read the Global Slavery Index, which is also available in Spanish. Visit our website and select ‘Download’, then the ‘Spanish’ button at the top of the pop-up box: https://lnkd.in/gDFsqcgF

Saudi Arabia has become the first Arab country to launch a National Policy on forced labour and worker rights. Migrant workers often face dire working conditions, wage theft, and gruelling hours that exceed international labour standards. There’s a strong need for improved coordination across national, regional, and international levels to strengthen global efforts against forced labour.

Modern slavery is deeply connected to the demand for goods and services from higher-income countries. The buying practices of wealthier governments and businesses make them complicit when exploitation happens in lower-income countries where global supply chains reach.     The world's wealthiest nations must step up and fill these funding gaps to ensure the global movement to end modern slavery is not abandoned. https://lnkd.in/gjJNEp-G

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a major step forward in the fight against modern slavery. This is the first time the international court has released a dedicated Policy on Slavery Crimes, providing clear guidance on prosecuting these crimes under the Rome Statute. Walk Free contributed to the consultation, ensuring issues impacting vulnerable youth and migrant workers were considered. But while this policy is a milestone, critical questions remain - especially on how human trafficking is covered in practice and how the non-punishment of victims principle will be applied. Legal reforms are also progressing to strengthen global accountability, including proposals to recognise the slave trade as a crime against humanity and a war crime. 📖 Read the ICC’s policy to understand more.

Under Iraq’s new law, girls can legally marry from the age of 9 in certain circumstances, according to interpretations of religious laws by different sects. The legal marriage age for boys has also been reduced from 18 to 15. This change significantly reduces protections for women and children, exposing them to greater risks of exploitation and abuse. We will continue to call for ongoing international pressure to eradicate harmful practices like child marriage and to protect the rights of women and girls worldwide.

Aotearoa New Zealand has the opportunity to take a significant step forward in protecting vulnerable workers. The introduction of the Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Modern Forms of Slavery Bill would require businesses to report on their efforts to address modern slavery risks. The country imported an estimated $7.9 billion worth of goods linked to child and forced labour in 2022, with households spending $77 weekly on high-risk products.

A grievance mechanism is a formal complaint process accessible to stakeholders facing adverse impacts from business activities. Grievance mechanisms are a key component in the detection of human rights risks and impacts and in the provision of response and remedy.

The lack of transparency on forced labour in supply chains represents a glaring gap in companies’ reporting. Walk Free and Wikirate have assessed the largest and most influential companies reporting under the UK and Australian Modern Slavery Acts. This report provides a snapshot of their level of disclosure of modern slavery risks, identifies good practices, and highlights gaps in reporting quality.

Child labour is a major issue in the supply chains of some of our most well-known global brands.   There’s evidence of children as young as 6 being exposed to harmful pesticides, alongside issues such as debt bondage, wage violations, poverty-level wages, and abusive working conditions.   This can’t be ignored - brands must do more to ensure their products are free from exploitation.