A Vicious Circle: Exploring the Link Between the Climate Crisis and Exploitation

Established 1825

ReporterSummer 2021

A vicious circle: exploring the link between the climate crisis and exploitation

• Fighting for laws to protect people and planet • Our campaign to ditch detention for survivors of modern slavery • Shedding light on the solar industry’s slavery links

Focus on volunteers • Simon’s inspirational freedom ride • Covid-19 impact update Reporter Reporter 2 Summer 2021 INTRODUCTION Summer 2021 3 A hurricane from space Cover credit: NASA on Unsplash

Freedom is a fundamental right

Anti-Slavery International is the oldest international human rights Our movement organisation in the world – founded in 1839 to tackle the slave trade, and working hard ever since. is our strength Today, we draw on our experience to work to eliminate all forms of slavery Jasmine O’Connor OBE Chief Executive and slavery-like practices throughout the world.

We’re not interested in easy solutions. Instead, we deal with the root causes The important work we do supporting poor workers, and how survivors need of slavery and its consequences to achieve sustainable change. people in, and vulnerable, to slavery is to be fully supported and involved in Our vision is to realise freedom from slavery for everyone, everywhere, always. only possible thanks to our supporters’ the way charities and governments and collaborators’ contributions. We design their modern slavery work. We We aim to do this by: know we must always remain nimble have also learned from our supporters • Making ending slavery everyone’s concern. when tackling the many forms that about what motivates them to donate modern slavery takes, responding to and campaign for the cause. • Acting as an ally to survivors and people at risk of slavery, elevating their quickly when a risk or opportunity to voice and experience to create radical change. This broad collaboration that makes up help is identified. • With others, challenging and changing law, policy and practice so our movement is our strength. Despite everyone, everywhere can be free from slavery. We work to disrupt the root causes the immense challenges of the past of modern slavery – discrimination, year, we have seen people mobilise poverty and weak rule of law. By in a manner not seen in recent years: Coffee beans in Brazil working on these root causes we supporters and members increasing The Reporter magazine Credit: Marcel Gomes, Repórter Brasil help prevent people from becoming their financial contributions, record was established in 1825 vulnerable enough to become numbers of you lobbying your MPs, and has been continuously exploited, and make sure support is in companies committing to do more published since 1840. Tell us what you want from Reporter place to help survivors to thrive. and better for people and planet, Series VIII, Vol 25, Issue 3. By reading Reporter you’re participating in a local NGOs joining forces to build a movement that has its roots in the battle against stronger movement for freedom for Anti-Slavery International the trans-Atlantic slave trade. We’re always keen Thomas Clarkson House all, and survivors informing policy The Stableyard to learn from our readers, and would love to hear ... the race to drive down Broomgrove Road and legal change. London SW9 9TL what you’d like to see in the magazine. Please consumer goods prices is United Kingdom drop us an email at [email protected] leading to exploitation for This gives me immense hope. I know tel: +44 (0)207 501 8920 with any ideas, suggestions or comments. that with a diverse and growing email: [email protected] poor workers... website: www.antislavery.org Thank you for being part of our movement. movement of people committed to Editor: Andy Wasley freedom, we will make it a reality Layout: Berie Stott, www.dot-ink.com for everyone. UK Registered Charity 1049160 Follow us In anti-slavery work it’s also critical Company limited by guarantee 3079904 to listen and learn from others. We I would like to say a heartfelt thank Registered in England and Wales Please follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook have been learning from some of our you to our supporters, members and and Instagram to keep up to date with our grassroots partners about how the donors for your trust in our work and campaigns – you can find links to our social media race to drive down consumer goods your commitment to freedom for on our website antislavery.org. prices is leading to exploitation for everyone, everywhere, always. Reporter Reporter 4 Summer 2021 NEWS NEWS Summer 2021 5

UK government’s Supplying hope: research shows how ‘New Plan for Immigration’ business laws could protect workers

Our UK team has had a very busy few months, Sixteen million people are estimated to be in forced labour in the private responding to divisive immigration, asylum and sector – a hidden population that desperately needs our support. Credit: Tom Chen on Unsplash modern slavery proposals from the UK government. It can be hard to be sure that goods sure global supply chains are free We want the UK to be a beacon for The ‘New Plan for Immigration’ on your local supermarket shelves from forced labour. One of the main freedom from slavery. But recent don’t have their roots in human rights ways the G7 could achieve this is In July the government published the proposals from the Home Office could and environmental abuses. Without by introducing Nationality and Borders Bill, which import controls on make lives harder for victims and laws that compel businesses to make aims to enshrine the divisive ‘New goods made or transported with survivors of modern slavery. We’ve sure their supply chains are free from Plan for Immigration’ in law. We were forced labour. Customs authorities recruited a new Parliamentary Officer these abuses, consumers can be left examining the Bill as Reporter went can identify products, manufacturers to help make sure MPs and peers listen wondering if the goods they buy are to print. We have been alarmed by or companies whose goods are likely to us while they deliberate on new causing harm to people and planet. proposals that threaten to discriminate to be tainted with forced labour, and laws. And in March, we also found This is unfair on workers, bad for the against and criminalise vulnerable then block or seize these goods. This ourselves calling on YOU to help us. environment, and means it’s harder for people – effectively labelling them as protects consumers from inadvertently consumers to exercise ethical choices. buying the products. Import controls Ditch Detention either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ due to factors entirely outside of their control. We’ve been working hard with make those responsible for this Earlier this year we learned of charity and campaign partners to forced labour halt and prevent government plans to detain many We’re always open to finding ways insist governments hold businesses further exploitation and provide survivors of modern slavery in to improve the UK’s modern slavery accountable for their supply chains’ remedy to victims. prison-like settings. Under the plans, system. That’s why we work closely with human rights and environmental survivors officially recognised as survivors through the Anti-Trafficking 3. Joint approach. Import controls damage. In Brussels and Westminster, potential trafficking victims would Monitoring Group, to understand must be introduced as part of strong working with partners from across not automatically be released what’s needed by the people that legal, trade and development Europe and the Global South, we’ve from detention, leaving them in depend on a system that should frameworks to address root causes been calling for: environments known to put them at risk protect them and help them to recover. of forced labour. We have called of serious mental and physical harm. But the government’s plans look like a 1. Strong laws that protect people for the introduction of stronger laws, continuation of the failed and destructive and planet. Governments must such as mandatory human rights We launched our Ditch Detention ‘hostile environment’ policy that has done introduce strong laws that make and environmental due diligence campaign to challenge the plans, immense harm to vulnerable people. companies responsible for any human (mHREDD), and believe the two working closely with survivors and rights abuses and environmental approaches – mHREDD and import partner organisations, and asked our We will fight hard against any plans harm caused by their supply chains. controls – are complementary. supporters to write to their MPs to to make life harder for victims and These laws would force companies to protest against the plans. More than a survivors of modern slavery. We’ll be It’s essential that governments take meaningful steps to prevent and thousand people joined the campaign. posting updates on the Nationality and coordinate on this, which is why we’re remedy forced labour, and give victims Sadly, the government didn’t listen, Borders Bill on our website and across happy that the European Commission access to justice. and pushed its policy through social media – including details of how is set to publish proposals for a new parliament with scarcely a whisper of you can help us fight for a better deal 2. Import controls. In June this mHREDD law. Find out more about debate. But our campaign isn’t over. for victims and survivors. year, the G7 committed to making this development on page 8. Reporter Reporter 6 Summer 2021 FEATURE NEWS Summer 2021 7

Why survivor voices matter: “Don’t call me sweetheart!”

As the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG) publishes research by survivors on why their voices should be included in policymaking, here one survivor –

Kimberley – explains her role Credit: Sasha Freemind on Unsplash in the research project. that you and I are involved in research, When I arrived in London I was community building, policymaking and filled with excitement, trepidation so on, so that we can create a society and anxiety. The coming together Survivors are experts that is inclusive and rich in diversity. of survivors is incredibly powerful: by experience, which But sadly, this isn’t happening. suddenly all those dreams and Agents for Change is something that survivor The opportunity for survivors to aspirations that were taken away for peer researchers bridge non-survivors lack. evidence the and inclusion have their voices heard is key to their such a long time return, and ideas, gap self-empowerment. They can help passion and insight quickly fill the room. foster a deeper understanding of best I have always been passionate about Survivors come from diverse practice. Their experience provides survivor voices being included in policy backgrounds, they include mothers, a holistic view of the modern slavery development. Survivors are experts by discussion. I hadn’t made an inquiry, doctors, teachers. They are often landscape, an in-depth knowledge experience, which is something that I wasn’t asking for advice, I simply multilingual and come with a wealth of and understanding of modern slavery non-survivors lack. But the survivor wanted to hear their view. I was expertise and qualifications. They are policy frameworks, and a recognition voice is often ignored and silenced greeted with: “Oh sweetheart…” and essentially you and me. It’s important of their strengths. by patronising responses, turning then they refused to engage with me. attention to the individual’s pain Once my rage had subsided, it or suffering. In survivors’ own words occurred to me that this person Many non-survivors working in the didn’t know who I was. They didn’t ATMG’s project offered a group Please listen to our new podcast modern slavery field are unaware of ask about my experience or my of peer researchers a chance to series on our YouTube channel how damaging their own language qualifications. They didn’t know talk about their needs and wishes. to hear peer researchers discuss and, ultimately, ignorance can be. anything whatsoever about me. I could We hope this vital work helps the need for survivor voices in the For example, I recently spoke to an have been from the Independent policymakers better understand anti-slavery movement. Head to official who continues to work, high Anti-Slavery Commissioner or the the impact of the National Referral YouTube and search for Anti-Slavery up the ladder, in the modern slavery Home Office. I could have been their Mechanism. You can read the report International. sector and I was trying to instigate a mother. I could have been you. online at https://bit.ly/2UMIwgI Reporter Reporter 8 Summer 2021 NEWS Summer 2021 9

New European G7: a missed opportunity on climate change? A leather worker law could protect in India In June, leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations met in Cornwall for people and planet Credit: Cividep India the G7 Summit. It was an opportunity for them to show leadership on critical challenges facing the world. The European Union is the world’s This consultation proved to them Before the Summit, we worked hard with partners across the anti-slavery biggest trade bloc. With 450 million that people look to the EU to show sector to call on the G7 to show a clear commitment to global action on consumers, its regulations can have leadership, courage and compassion forced labour – including supply chains – specifically in the Xinjiang Uyghur a big impact on businesses far for oppressed people everywhere. Autonomous Region of China. beyond the EU’s own borders. For maximum impact, the proposed The Summit brought some good news, as it committed G7 trade ministers to The EU can use that influence for law must make sure businesses tackle work together to tackle forced labour. It also promised continuing pressure on good. In the next few months, the both the impact and root causes of China to respect human rights, especially in the Uyghur Region. But the climate European Commission is expected to forced labour and child labour. A legal emergency didn’t receive the attention we felt it needed. Leaders didn’t progress publish its proposal for a business and duty to respect human rights must on meeting a global promise of US $100 billion for climate finance, and didn’t human rights law requiring companies be embedded at every level of every commit to low carbon development. We’re now looking ahead to COP26, the operating in the EU to prevent and supply chain, covering every worker UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this November, with the hope that address human rights abuses and and child. Living wages and freedom the international community will recommit to tackling the climate crisis. environmental damage in their of association must be protected as supply chains. fundamental rights, not benefits that can be sacrificed in abuse during their forced labour. Leading up to this important Trading up in pursuit of low costs. Turkmenistan continues to deny that announcement, we joined the Uzbekistan it maintains this practice. But over European Commission’s public It’s time we made the last year we’ve been pleased to consultation on the proposed law. Europe’s supermarket shelves and For almost a decade we have see some small signs of progress websites completely been calling for an end to abusive in Uzbekistan. The government has free of goods made cotton harvest labour practices abolished its cotton quotas, banned EU law. Global impac in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and We started work at 5.30am, through forced t. forced labour, and even allowed A report considering the potential impact of human rights due diligence laws on labour the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous cotton workers to form the country’s walked more than 5km to the labour and exploitation and forced labour . coffee field and continued non- child labour. Region. Finally we see rays of first independent trade union. stop until after 6pm every day, hope in Uzbekistan. There’s still a long way to go before except for a few Sundays when EU law. Global impact. In a practice with Soviet-era the Uzbek cotton trade is free from the farmer allowed us to rest. heritage, Uzbek and Turkmen abuse. We’re working with partners The sleeping facilities were built We worked with Rights Lab at governments force people into the in the Cotton Campaign to ensure to be a home for animals, not the University of Nottingham, cotton fields to support the states’ Uzbekistan maintains progress in humans. The gate was always to understand the impact of cotton harvests. Teachers, doctors ending forced labour – and to make locked with a dog preventing an EU-wide mHREDD law. and other key workers – even sure Turkmenistan and China do us from escaping. The farmers Take a look at the report at children – face coercion, violence and and their gatekeepers were the same. antislavery.org/eu-business- constantly humiliating us. and-human-rights-law Cotton Campaign: Find out more at cottoncampaign.org Rescued coffee workers, Brazil Reporter Reporter 10 Summer 2021 FEATURE Summer 2021 11

Shining a light on Credit: Anders Jacobsen on Unsplash the solar industry This is a crisis for the Uyghur people, We’re proud to continue to work and for the global effort to tackle the with a global community of human The solar industry has huge potential to limit climate emergency. We need: rights, development and Uyghur organisations as part of the Coalition • The solar industry to urgently carbon emissions and must play a role in tackling to End Uyghur Forced Labour. end all links with Uyghur forced the climate emergency. But could it also be Working together, we’ll continue to labour. This includes ending all direct hurting one of the world’s most abused peoples? do everything we can to make sure and indirect sourcing of polysilicon businesses and governments cut all from the Uyghur Region; and not Sadly, a report published by Sheffield materials are not tainted by human ties with the Uyghur Region. working with Chinese companies, Hallam University implicates almost rights abuses. Of particular concern, further up the solar supply chain, the entire global solar industry in the Uyghur workers are involved in the that support Chinese government forced labour of Uyghurs and other first stages of production – including forced labour programmes of Turkic and Muslim-majority peoples. crushing quartz rocks and working Solar industry Uyghur Uyghurs in their facilities. in the coal-fuelled furnaces for the Around 1.8 million people in China’s forced labour links: production of polysilicon – as well as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region • Investors and governments further along the supply chain. • 95% of solar panels globally rely face state-sanctioned human rights to pressure the solar industry on one primary material – solar- abuses, including forced sterilisation, Ninety Chinese and international to end Uyghur forced labour. Governments must publish clear grade polysilicon. forced labour and forced separations. solar energy companies – including guidance on the need for the solar Experts say these abuses could from the UK, Japan and the US – have • The Uyghur Region accounts industry to exit the Uyghur Region, amount to genocide. supply chains linked to this forced for approximately 45% of global ban the import of solar energy labour. In the UK, up to 40% of the solar-grade polysilicon supply. Sheffield Hallam’s report shows that products made with polysilicon solar industry is linked, including solar the global solar industry receives raw from the Uyghur Region and from projects commissioned by the Ministry • The Uyghur Region’s largest raw materials from the Uyghur Region implicated suppliers, and introduce of Defence. materials supplier for the solar and it is impossible to be sure these mandatory human rights and industry is heavily implicated in environmental due diligence laws. the forced labour of Uyghurs. In the UK, up to Governments themselves must 40% of the solar urgently make sure adequate due • All four of the Uyghur Region’s industry is linked diligence is undertaken to prevent polysilicon manufacturers are to China’s abuse the use of Uyghur forced labour implicated in Uyghur forced of the Uyghur in government solar projects and labour, either through direct people, including public procurement. participation and/or through raw material sourcing. solar projects • Governments to urgently commissioned support the solar industry to find • The four largest global solar by the Ministry alternative sources of polysilicon. panel suppliers source from at The source should remain of Defence. least one of these polysilicon Solar-grade polysilicon mined for affordable, allowing for growth and manufacturers. the production of solar panels be accessible by all countries. Reporter Reporter 12 Summer 2021 FEATURE Summer 2021 13

this is going to be one of the most challenging campaigns we have

ever mounted. But we can’t afford R R R to step back. Without concerted efforts at a global level, including from experienced campaigners like

Anti-Slavery International, potentially R R R millions more people look set to fall into modern slavery because of the injustices created by climate change. This year, the UK is President of the exploitation and environmental harm UN Climate Change Conference at first hand. The report includes (COP26), so we have an opportunity compelling case studies from Peru and Mexican migrant caravan to make sure that modern slavery Bolivia, looking at the reality of the Credit: Sean Hawkey is put at the heart of global climate vicious circle. policymaking. Right now, we have We know from our work on modern an opportunity to design a global slavery in the UK and worldwide that recovery that has human rights and Climate change and modern to tackle the issue – and to support climate justice at its heart: we need to survivors – we must tackle the root build a new global economy, based on causes. When we look at the effects equity, justice and sustainability. slavery: a vicious circle of climate change, it’s clear that Climate change For people already at risk of modern slavery, the climate crisis is a global We can’t afford to step problem. It FROM A presents a horrifying new threat to their freedom. VICIOUS TO back: millions more needs a global A VIRTUOUS Climate change affects everyone. between these two challenges, and people look set to fall into solution. We CIRCLE The increase in intensity and frequency demonstrates why our focus on modern slavery because couldn’t be of extreme weather events like climate change and the environment of the injustices created prouder to add cyclones and hurricanes, together with is a necessary part of our campaign by climate change. our voice to the clamour Addressing climate change, rising sea levels and desertification, to end slavery for everyone, environmental destruction and contemporar leaves millions of people at risk of everywhere, always. for change. y slavery losing their homes and livelihoods. In the report, we show that climate And environmental degradation is change and modern slavery form a leading to extreme inequality, as vicious circle, in which the climate well as driving migration and leaving Read the full report by crisis forces many people into people at risk of exploitation. We Dr Christopher O’Connell, unpaid labour, actively contributing cannot ignore the link between the CAROLINE research fellow at to environmental harm. The report’s climate crisis and modern slavery. Dublin City University, at author, Dr Chris O’Connell of Dublin antislavery.org/climate-change- Our new report, From a Vicious to City University, spoke to people A Bolivian family on their field modern-slavery a Virtuous Circle, examines the link who’ve experienced this cycle of where crops failed this year Credit: Sean Hawkey Reporter Reporter 14 Summer 2021 NEWS NEWS Summer 2021 15

Sad news on child labour Tackling forced child begging in northern Nigeria New global estimates on child labour released by the International Labour Organization and Unicef show In December we published a new report on forced child begging in northern Nigeria, where an ancient schooling tradition has morphed an increase for the first time in two decades. into a system of exploitation. At the beginning of 2020, 160 million child labour by 2025 must include a Nigeria has more children growing affected by it – including Almajirai children – 63 million girls and 97 clear focus on ending child slavery. up without a formal education than children themselves. Distressingly, million boys – were in child labour anywhere else in the world. Of its our research found that Almajirai Your support allows us and our globally, accounting for almost 1 in 10 estimated 15 million out-of-school – growing up without parents and partners to continue the fight. Our of all children worldwide. children, nearly 10 million are Almajirai: abandoned by their government – projects around the world are having a boys as young as four who are sent suffer most from an acute sense This is a shocking development. Global lasting impact on ending child slavery, to Islamic boarding schools to receive of loneliness. progress against child labour has including our work to end forced religious education. stalled for the first time in 20 years, child begging in Nigeria and a project What’s needed is wider access to and the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to prevent child trafficking through Once, these Qur’anic schools food and basic education, and strong to drive millions more children into information campaigns in Nepal. provided a chance for children from enforcement of Nigeria’s existing child labour. The new estimates warn poor families to access education federal and state laws on education The new child labour estimates remind that nine million more children globally and increase their opportunities in and child welfare. Nigerian authorities us that there is a long way to go – but, are at risk of being pushed into child life. But since the 1980s, the system have committed to caring for children, with your support, we continue to work labour by the end of 2022, as a result has moved away from its roots as a but we need to see a dramatic hard so that no child is left in slavery. of the economic and social shocks of traditional form of structured religious escalation of support from other the pandemic and school closures. guidance to one based on exploitation. actors: humanitarian, development and In many cases, boys are forced to beg aid organisations, civil society, parents The data shows that we are losing Global child labour on the streets in order to sustain the and Almajirai communities themselves. ground in the fight against child labour. statistics schools, their masters and the boys’ If the world is serious about ending it The longer the Almajirai children’s own subsistence. by 2025, we need to pursue a ‘leave • 160 million children are in plight is ignored, the bleaker the no one behind’ approach. That’s why child labour Today, millions of these boys are forced prospects for dignity, human rights we’re clear that global efforts to end • An increase of 8 million children to beg. They are exposed to physical, and socioeconomic justice in Nigeria, since 2017 psychological and sexual violence and the greater the threat to regional while being denied a decent education. and international security. We • are in hazardous work Child labour compromises 79 million Alarmingly, these boys and young hope our report will help advance children’s education, restricting • 112 million work in agriculture men – abused, marginalised and ill- the children’s case so that future educated – make ideal prey for terrorist generations can look forward to a their rights and limiting their • 122 million work in rural areas future opportunities, and leads to and trafficking networks in the Sahel. brighter future, free from exploitation. • 8.9 million more children will vicious inter-generational cycles Our report on the Almajirai system, be working by the end of 2022 Shackled to the Past, studied its Read about the report at of poverty and child labour. because of Covid-19. effects by interviewing hundreds antislavery.org/forced-child- Unicef (Source: ILO/Unicef) of people within the communities begging-in-nigeria Reporter Reporter 16 Summer 2021 FEATURE Summer 2021 17

Caring for those affected by Covid-19

Those who are in, or vulnerable to slavery, are among the most impoverished people on earth, and among the most vulnerable to Covid-19.

We worked hard through 2020 to help protect people from the short-term effects of the pandemic and prevent a long-term increase in modern slavery. Here are some of the ways we helped – with your generous support: Niger: Nepal:

• Trained 54 staff on Covid-19 and • Provided emergency food Emergency supplies given out in Niger Below: Handwashing stations were set up best hygiene practices. supplies and soap to more than as part of our Covid-19 response to stop the spread of coronavirus 1,710 households in five regions Credit: Timidria • Distributed food and soap to in the far west of Nepal. 360 households with children Senegal: enrolled in our project schools. Mauritania: Provided weekly deliveries of water • Provided Covid-19 emergency • • Distributed resources such as support to children in Qur’anic to nine communities. handwashing facilities, soap, schools who are forced to beg. • Held awareness-raising events on water-boiling devices, bleach Covid-19, reaching 1,580 people. and hand gel to 678 vulnerable • Distributed health and hygiene kits people of slave descent, survivors across the 130 Quranic schools • Broadcast 40 radio shows on of slavery and vulnerable families supported by our project. preventing the spread of Covid-19. across eight regions. • Developed Covid-19 leaflets in seven national languages. In Niger, people are learning best hygiene practices. Credit: Timidria Case study: Alhad and his family, Niger Before Covid-19, our living conditions were better. I had an animal trade and earned enough to meet my family’s needs. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this business brings in nothing. I no longer earn enough to look after my family. With this crisis, the cost of living has doubled. I was forced to live off my savings as my business was no longer running. Today, I have just received food support. I cannot but thank the generous donor. This support is going to give me a little breathing space. These supplies will be enough for my family for a month. Reporter Reporter 18 Summer 2021 CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS Summer 2021 19

Meet Anti-Slavery I needed to do something for those who are being trafficked, International’s new abolitionists who are scared, vulnerable, being treated badly, in the UK We couldn’t do our valuable work without your generous and around the world. All of us support. We also rely on the energy, commitment and have a duty to help them. contribution made by our volunteers. Here, two volunteers in our fundraising and communication team explain how and why they got involved.

“I went on to gain a degree in Sushma Puri an unscrupulous, criminal employer. International Development. I focused Remembering that story years on global inequality, and my thesis Sushma is a journalist later made me think that I could do was on child domestic workers in and documentarian. something about similar issues now. Dhaka, which led me to Anti-Slavery “I’ve been a journalist for over “So that’s why I decided I needed to International. The website became a 35 years, in TV and BBC radio. do something for those who are being reference point and reading about their In that time, I’ve had the privilege trafficked, who are scared, vulnerable, work gave me hope that someone was of working in the UK and abroad on being treated badly, in the UK and trying to end this horrific exploitation. some amazing stories and I’ve met around the world. All of us have a duty The charity’s determination to achieve some memorable people. Now that to help them. lasting structural change resonated I’m semi-retired I want to carry on with my studies, and with the findings “So here I am now, a volunteer with using the skills that I’ve acquired from my research. Anti-Slavery International, excited to Georgina Russell over the years and what better way be part of a team that want freedom “I am now volunteering at Anti-Slavery than by volunteering to further the Georgina is a Masters student from slavery for everyone.” International for my Masters placement. aims and objectives of this fantastic at the University of East Anglia, I’m pleased to be contributing to the organisation. studying media and international anti-slavery movement, even in a development. “One of the stories I covered for BBC Inspired to volunteer? small way, and I’m learning so much radio that really affected me was “I think most people have a moment from everyone here. The opportunities Whether you have two hours a when I went to India in the 1980s. when they realise the world is unjust. they’re offering me fit my skillset, week or a whole summer, we’d I managed to go inside a matchstick For me, it was when my pen pal in but also help me to develop both love to hear from you about factory and saw young children, Zimbabwe never returned to school personally and professionally. volunteering with us. Contact us at whose parents were indentured after the political unrest in 2007. [email protected] to let “I would encourage you, if you have labourers, working to pay off their That series of events affected me in us know how you can help us. a spare afternoon or day a week, to parents’ ‘debts’. They were barefoot, a way I couldn’t explain at the time. reach out to Anti-Slavery International dressed in rags and working in Please keep an eye on It angered me, it frustrated me but, and ask about volunteering. You’ll be dangerous conditions. They should antislavery.org/about-us/jobs- most importantly, it made me want contributing to an incredible cause, have been at school but were and-volunteering, as we post to do something about the inequality and will gain a lot personally.” condemned to a life of servitude by requests for volunteers there. experienced around the world. Reporter Reporter 20 Summer 2021 CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS Summer 2021 21 Simon on the Clifton Suspension Bridge Credit James Markham

Although my route would go on to highlight. Its focus on the trans- Simon’s ‘Freedom take me up the west of England, I was Atlantic slave trade is cleverly related Ride’ in tribute to able to speak to schools, faith groups to modern slavery. and clubs across the country and even I’ve been particularly struck by the to a club in Colorado. By the end of Thomas Clarkson kindness of complete strangers: June, I had spoken to over 120 groups either when I was completely lost or and students – around 4,000 people. Simon John when they waived campsite fees or Although I started in a 65mph gale at randomly donated to Anti-Slavery. Our supporter, Simon John, Land’s End, the wind was at my back. describes his Freedom Ride and Although it was something of a That Saturday evening I wrote off my how Thomas Clarkson inspired him logistical challenge, the cycling itself bike and it took me most of the next to take on this 900-mile challenge. wasn’t insurmountable, even at the day to find a suitable replacement. age of 75. The scenery was glorious At the start of 2020, I had the idea At this point, I’d made a navigational and for the most part I enjoyed near of a speaking cycle ride from Land’s error and had to take a 12-mile detour perfect weather. End to John o’ Groats as a homage to back to that day’s starting point – and Thomas Clarkson, the founder of a late supper. On Sunday I nearly I only hope those who heard me talk Anti-Slavery International. drowned in a Devon deluge. of the suffering of our brothers and sisters living in modern slavery, not Starting around 1787, Clarkson rode I knew things were looking up on only heard my words but will now across the country on horseback to Monday because every time it began I had hoped to set off in late April, act on them. When we are all aware research conditions on slave ships to rain heavily, I happened to be but bad weather and the Covid-19 of what we can do to end modern and collect the tools of enslavement passing a pub. lockdown delayed me. Instead, I slavery, fewer people will be enslaved as evidence. He rode from his home in offered to start giving talks from that My visit to the International Slavery to satisfy our consumer demands. Suffolk to London, Bristol or Liverpool, time, allowing me to give far more than Museum in Liverpool was a sobering and on his travels he stopped and I originally planned. spoke to anti-slavery societies about the horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave When I began to organise my cycle Simon planning his next part of the journey trade, showing his collected evidence. ride, the second lockdown had begun Credit James Markham and, with the inability to meet in person, meeting virtually became Simon riding through Bristol the norm. This presented a new Credit James Markham opportunity: if I was going to be giving talks online, their proximity to my route no longer mattered. When we are all aware of what we can do to end modern slavery, fewer people will be enslaved to satisfy our consumer demands. Reporter Reporter 22 Summer 2021 CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS CELEBRATING SUPPORTERS Summer 2021 23

Our charitable champions Freedom flight Anti-Slavery International supporter These past six months, we’ve seen some incredible fundraising and awareness- and artist, Jane Oldfield, held a raising from our supporters – here are some highlights (and inspiration!). fantastic art exhibition at the Cowper & Newton Museum, Buckinghamshire, to Bronx brilliance support our work. Jane’s work explores what it means to be free, using flight Exciting news from as a metaphor for freedom from New York, where slavery. She said: “Imagine someone in we gave a remote modern slavery being a bird with their talk to students at wings clipped so they can no longer fly. the Bronx School of Freeing someone from slavery takes a Hull heroes Law, Government lot more action than helping their wings grow back, but if we all join forces and On a miserable day in May, students and Justice. After help how we can, together we can fight today for tomorrow’s freedom.” from Hull University’s Anti-Slavery hearing about our We couldn’t agree more. Society (HUASS) completed a 5km work, seventh fun-run, raising over £900 for our graders produced Sadly, it’s too late to see the exhibition but you can see Jane’s beautiful work at work. Lizzie Muir, our Fundraising flyers and posters, www.janeoldfield.co.uk. and Communications Executive, and wrote stories gave a talk to students a few weeks on modern later and they told us they’re now slavery for their “looking at their food and clothes assessment in social A legacy for freedom with new eyes”. We’re enormously studies. Huge thanks to their We’d like to thank our patron, Professor grateful to Sarah, HUASS President, teacher, Mr Sutz, for his hard work Benjamin N Lawrance of the University of and her team for their fantastic in raising awareness of modern Arizona, for his generous donation of more efforts in raising awareness and slavery with his students. than £30,000 in memory of his late dear joining our fight. We absolutely loved the projects. friend, Ann Frances Totterdell. Ann, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 73, was a journalist who worked as a film Readers rock reviewer and features and fashion editor We’d like to say a big thank you to you, our loyal supporters. Covid-19 has before writing a book with her partner, presented many challenges but, because of your generosity and support, we’ve Alexander Stuart, about the death of their Ann Frances Totterdell been able to continue our fight for freedom and bring many more people out of young son. Benjamin met Ann at UCL in Credit: Benjamin N Lawrance slavery. None of our work is possible without you, and we are beyond grateful. 1992-93 when Ann left journalism to study Classics. She later returned to work as an editor, author and researcher, and the pair remained close friends. If you’d like to fundraise for us or raise awareness about modern slavery, As executor of Ann’s estate, Benjamin kindly chose to support Anti-Slavery please email Lizzie Muir at [email protected], or visit our International in her memory. In recognition of her academic background, her Take Action page antislavery.org/take-action. estate will fund our work in schools alongside other ongoing projects. Reporter 24 Summer 2021

Hadijatou and her baby Credit: Anti-Slavery International

What will your legacy be?

We take comfort in the knowledge that one day our children and grandchildren will build a better future for themselves and the generations to come, through our legacy. But women in slavery don’t enjoy the same comfort. In countries like Mauritania and Niger, slavery is hereditary and passed down from mother to children. Children are the property of their ‘masters’, who can sell them – or even give them away. Thanks to gifts in Wills from supporters like you, Hadijatou’s legacy to her children took a new turn. Like her mother, Hadijatou was inherited, sold and made to work without pay. But with assistance from Anti-Slavery International, she brought a case against the state of Niger and received compensation. With the money, Hadijatou was able to build a house, raise animals and farm land to support her family. She was also able to send her children to school. When you remember Anti-Slavery International in your Will, you help to protect future generations from slavery. Even small bequests can make a difference. Please take a moment to consider remembering Anti-Slavery International in your Will.

For more information about gifts in Wills and how your support can have a lasting impact, please visit antislavery.org/legacy or email [email protected].