It's already time for the final Hot Topic of 2024!
To wrap up yet another year of deep discussions, we are revisiting a subject from July 2023, when we highlighted the importance of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. This time, we will explore a few connected issues in greater depth for the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, held annually on the 2nd of December.
The issue of modern-day slavery is still at large as another year concludes, even though slavery was officially abolished in the 19th and 20th centuries. This day, in particular, is an opportunity to look back and learn from the lessons of the past while raising awareness to hopefully make slavery a thing of the past - regardless of the many forms it can take.
According to a global index created by Walk Free, an international human rights group against slavery, just under 50 million people are estimated to be living in modern slavery in 2023, with over half being in Asia and the Pacific alone.
What is modern slavery?
When thinking about slavery, it is easy to recall events in history, such as ancient civilizations and the more recent transatlantic slave trade where it was legal "own" and "inherit" other individuals as though they did not deserve the same fundamental human rights.
Today, modern slavery has evolved from ownership into other criminal activities, which is why it is commonly referred to as an umbrella term to describe situations where individuals are exploited and cannot refuse or leave due to threats, violence, coercion, deception, or abuse of power.
Since it is a crime, most victims are often hidden in plain sight, with many being forced, deceived or manipulated, with many unaware that someone else is taking advantage of them or speaking out because of fear or shame. Modern slavery also has a lasting effect on both mental and physical health, and the crimes are not age or gender specific.
Examples of modern slavery include:
Forced Labour: Work or services that are coerced and performed under threat of punishment, often involving force, trickery and inhumane conditions.
Human Trafficking: Recruiting, moving or harbouring of people for the likes of forced labour, sexual exploitation, or involuntary servitude.
Debt Bondage (Bonded Labour): Where a person is made to repay a debt that is constantly manipulated to the point of impossibility and indefinite labour.
Child Labour: The exploitation of children for work that deprives them of their childhood, education, and well-being, often involving hazardous tasks or conditions.
Forced Marriage: A marriage where one or both parties are pressured or manipulated into marrying against their will, often through threats, violence, or deception.
Domestic Servitude: A form of labour exploitation where people are forced to work as domestic servants under abusive and isolated conditions, with little pay and minimal rights.
Country Lines: Coercive exploitation where criminal gangs target vulnerable people to transport and sell drugs, with some cases of people taken prisoner in their own homes, referred to as "cuckooing".
Sexual Exploitation: Involves situations where people are involved in or exposed to sexual activities or imagery without their full, voluntary consent or through coercion, such as prostitution and rape.
Forced begging: Exploitation where victims are compelled to beg under the guise of charity under coercion and threats by a third party.
The Chokehold of Climate Change
Remember last month's Hot Topic about the importance of COP? Climate change also contributes to human displacement, which leaves room for vulnerability.
Climate-induced disasters like hurricanes, droughts, and floods displace millions of people. These uprooted individuals, desperate and vulnerable, become potential targets for modern slavery.
Picture a humble farmer with a small plot of land by a river. Each morning, they rise with the sun to tend to the crops that feed their local village. Even though it's demanding, this way of life is all they've ever known since they were little, and they would not give it up for the world.
One day, an unimaginable event unfolds. They awaken to a withered, desolate field once nurtured from the last of their seeds. A swift examination of the soil crumbles between their fingertips. Filled with dread and dismay, they turn to the river, discovering it has reduced to a mere trickle overnight.
Nearby, other community members gather—a mix of families and friends whom the farmer has helped in the past. Some shake their heads, casting doubt on the farmer and the field, while others argue. If you were in the same shoes as this farmer, you would face an agonising decision. Would you:
A: Leave and Head Elsewhere
B: Sell the Land or Take up a Loan
C: Stay Put
Although this scenario is hypothetical, the challenges presented in each option are unfortunate realities. For instance, 80% of the population in Niger relies on agriculture which is suboptimal when temperatures in the Sahel are rising quickly. While some organisations are helping to make communities more resilient to the constant droughts, many individuals cannot afford to wait for change to happen. Desperate to survive, they often turn to illegal people smugglers - often motivated by self-interest - to migrate ASAP.
Slavery in Sight
Although modern slavery is a complicated crime to identify, it can be seen everywhere from:
Takeaway meals made by staff who have had their passports taken away.
Nail bars where workers are forced to give that perfect pedicure.
Cleaners that are forced to scrub away their torment.
Care homes that do not care for their workers yet care for others.
Fast fashion serves up looks that can kill in overworked sweatshops.
Supermarket produce, like fruit and seafood, where workers work on unregulated farms and trawlers.
Construction materials built on the foundation of suffering.
Unfortunately, forced or compulsory labour still finds its way into the UK, with criminal organisations posing as legitimate businesses, just as there are ethical employers who understand and value workers from overseas due to their extensive knowledge and skills.
This is also something to take into consideration during any potential last-minute shopping, as it is worth questioning whether any gifts or treats could be products of modern slavery.
Recent News and Modern Slavery
Caxton, Cambridge - 16 Victims Missing for Years
Leabank Nursery, Essex + More? - Exploitation of Seasonal Workers
Does Whoknow About Whatnow?
On a lighter note, you may have recently heard a certain festive charity pop song on the radio.
I, the writer, certainly have. I also have a quick confession: I have already heard this song thrice in November because some people in the office play Christmas playlists for everyone to enjoy. While I will not name any names, I admit I am just as guilty as I have quietly nodded along each time.
This same song has recently been the subject of debate that resembles our main topic. The song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid, released in 1984, was created to raise funds and awareness for famine relief in Ethiopia, Africa.
While the original song's lyrics addressed the issues of hunger and poverty at the time, the song has faced criticism over the years for its oversimplified portrayal of Africa. Critics often highlight how the lyrics amplify harmful stereotypes and fail to engage with the structural issues underpinning poverty and exploitation, such as colonialism, global inequality and also forms of slavery - both historical and modern.
This year marks the song's 40th anniversary. A special megamix has been released to celebrate, blending old and new vocals and a sample of the original BBC news report that inspired the creation of this song. Interestingly, only three of the four versions are present: Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004), and Band Aid 30 (2014).
Every version of the song has its critics. However, this year's include the likes of Ed Sheeran, who provided vocals for Band Aid 30 but would have politely declined to be included this year, and Ethiopia's own Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who recognises that the first version did save lives and that newer versions do not reflect the culture of Africa today.
For instance, lines in the original, like "there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time", are geographically false as the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro has snow all year round, plus the Sahara desert itself has seen snow as recently as 2022. Furthermore, this year's mix also features Bono's lyric, "Tonight thank God it's them instead of you", followed by the rewrite by Emeli Sandé that says, "Tonight we're reaching out and touching you", which goes against the entire purpose of a rewrite.
While some argue that most sentiments surrounding this song seem to have dissipated over time, others, including Bob Geldoff (the lead singer of The Boomtown Rats and mastermind behind Band-Aid), mention that even though time has moved on, famine—both on a global scale and in Africa—still exists. Aside from the effects of climate change, one prevalent example is the civil unrest in Sudan still happening now that amplifies famine and modern slavery.
Whether it prompts reflection, criticism, or nostalgia, the ongoing conversation around this song in pop culture and humanitarian discussions highlights that even a charity chart-topping single can be perceived differently.
Discussion Points for Rule of Law, Mutual Respect and Democracy
Can more be done to strengthen laws to protect victims of modern slavery?
Are global initiatives doing enough to combat slavery?
Can you spot/report modern slavery?
Does oversimplifying broader issues cause more harm than good?
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