reporter Summer 2018 Established in 1825 Children: futures of freedom We provide children with a strong voice, skills and confidence to protect themselves from now and in the future.

Also in this issue:  Ending forced child begging across West Africa  Campaign to protect UK survivors of slavery gathers momentum reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 2 comment 3 Tackling root causes for long term change

 I am delighted to introduce this issue of the Reporter for the first time as the new Chief Executive of Anti-Slavery International. Jasmine O’Connor Anti-Slavery’s work addresses not only immediate Chief Executive situations of exploitation, but tackles the causes. This is one of the reasons I am so excited about taking up this role. Nowhere is this approach more acute than in our work with children. We want children to have a strong voice, skills and confidence to be better equipped to protect themselves from exploitation now and in the future. You can read about how we work to achieve this in our features on pages 8 to 14. Young girls are commonly exploited in clothing Eradicating slavery is far from factories in India. simple. Sometimes the challenging Photo: Dev Gogoi circumstances in which we operate can We want children to have make even the most hard-fought wins a strong voice, skills and The Reporter magazine was Our vision is a world free from slavery seem small because of how much there established in 1825 and has is left to do. But every piece of progress confidence to be better been continuously published  Anti-Slavery International works to eliminate we make, for example in protecting equipped to protect since 1840. all forms of slavery and slavery-like practices survivors of slavery in the UK (page 4), themselves from exploitation Series VIII, Vol 24, Issue 1. throughout the world, including , debt migrant workers in Qatar (page 6) or now and in the future. Anti-Slavery International Thomas Clarkson House bondage, , descent-based slavery, survivors in Mauritania (page 7), should The Stableyard the worst forms of and . Broomgrove Road be celebrated because of how hard it London SW9 9TL United Kingdom We work with local organisations to secure the came about and because each success brings us closer to ending slavery for good. tel: +44 (0)20 7501 8920 freedom of those in slavery or vulnerable to it, fax: +44 (0)20 7738 4110 campaign for changes in attitudes towards slavery and email: [email protected] Together with our wonderful supporters, whose incredible efforts we showcase website: www.antislavery.org pressing for more effective implementation of national on pages 22-26, we are confident we have what it takes to end slavery abuses and international laws and policies against slavery. Editor: Jakub Sobik in every corner of the world. And if you’re in need of inspiration, look no further tel: +44 (0)20 7501 8934 email: [email protected] Anti-Slavery International is the world’s oldest than page 20 for six simple actions you can take in less than an hour. Layout: Berie Stott, www.dot-ink.com abolition movement, founded in 1839 by British I have been inspired by the imagination and determination of our supporters UK Registered Charity 1049160 abolitionists such as Thomas Clarkson and Company limited by guarantee 3079904 since I joined Anti-Slavery in March this year, and I am already looking forward Registered in England and Wales Joseph Sturge. to meeting many of you at our Annual Supporters’ Meeting on the afternoon of Cover photo: Boys from families Thursday 15th November 2018. I hope you can keep the date free! affected by bonded labour in Nepal. Thank you for your commitment. Together we can end slavery for good. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 4 news 5

trauma of slavery and piece a life Anti-Slavery has joined the Free Helping UK slavery back together. For Good campaign calling for the This is why Anti-Slavery supports the passing of the Bill. After successfully Anna Sereni, Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill navigating its way through the House survivors be free The Anti-Trafficking which would ensure that all victims of Lords it has been submitted to the Monitoring Group Co-ordinator receive appropriate support from House of Commons, putting pressure for good the state. on the Government to get serious about slavery. The Bill provides a guarantee for Co-ordinator of the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group support for 12 months after a person We are calling on all of our supporters Anna Sereni on the growing momentum of our campaign is identified as a victim of slavery, in the UK to join us in putting to support the victims of slavery in the UK. giving them time to start rebuilding pressure on local MPs to support the their lives. Bill. This can be done very quickly and  The failure of the UK Government networks is inefficient, causing delays It specifies the minimum standards easily by visiting www.freeforgood.org. to implement a convincing anti-slavery and distress to vulnerable people. of care for victims, from appropriate uk, entering your postcode to identify strategy has been laid bare in They criticised the government for not accommodation and financial a relevant MP and sending a pre- knowing what quality of care is being recent months. assistance, to access to social, medical, drafted message. provided to potential victims, and A series of highly critical reports from psychological and legal care. This what happens to the victims after they Please use your voice to provide full respected public institutions, including would ensure that no victim receives a leave care, making them vulnerable and lasting the National Audit Office and the Work lower quality of support than others. targets for traffickers again. protections for and Pensions Select Committee, have It also grants the victims ‘leave some of the UK’s Several high-profile court cases also increased pressure on the Government to remain’ in the UK for the period most vulnerable highlighted the Government’s tough to live up to its promise of making of recovery should they wish. men, women and anti-immigration policies and their modern slavery its priority. This allows them the time to create children to help disastrous effect on slavery victims, some normality in their new lives them become Reflecting Anti- often deeming them Please use your voice to in freedom. free for good. Slavery’s stance on as offenders rather the issue, the reports provide full and lasting than vulnerable focused to a large protections for some of the victims of traumatic extent on urging UK’s most vulnerable men, crime in need of long- the government to women and children to term support. dramatically improve help them be free for good. The Government the system supporting responded by victims, as well as committing to reform the current invest in victim support system, the National intelligence gathering and police Referral Mechanism, and by extending investigations that would make it the period for which potential victims easier to prosecute traffickers. are guaranteed support, from 45 to 90

The reports pointed out that the days. However, this does not provide Slavery survivors in the UK still current system of signposting enough protection for survivors – it have no guarantee of proper potential victims to relevant support takes much longer to overcome the support from the state. reporter reporter summer 2018 Slavery affects mining summer 2018 6 news industry in DRC. news 7 Photo: MONUSCO/ Sylvain Liechti Slavery in your smartphone

 A Sky News investigation found There is still a long way to go children as young as four-years-old to end . Photo: Michael Hylton. working in Congolese cobalt “The electronics companies must mines, a mineral essential for do more to clean up their supply smartphone batteries. chains. Not only that, they should prescribed by the law. use their power to put pressure on Harsh sentences With heart-breaking stories of young “The sentences are in line with governments to address the systemic the law for the first time” said children carrying out back-breaking for slave owners problems that underpin slavery such as Karine Penrose, Anti-Slavery’s Africa work and falling sick from the mine  Two slave-owners in Mauritania extreme poverty and the lack of rule of Programme Co-ordinator. “It offers a chemicals, the investigation exposed law”, said Anti-Slavery’s spokesman were sentenced to 10 and 20 years glimmer of hope that the courts will the problems in the global supply Jakub Sobik. in prison respectively, the country’s start taking slavery seriously”. chains of products widely used On page 18 read why we need an EU wide law to address harshest slavery sentences yet. by millions of people. slavery in global supply chains. Slavery in Mauritania exists in its This was only the third conviction most traditional form, with black for slavery in Mauritania. One of descendants of the Haratine ethnic Qatar promises reforms the cases was a result of a seven- group often born into slavery and year fight as part of Anti-Slavery spending their lives working as  The International Labour a minimum wage and the right for International’s legal work representing domestic servants or cattle herders for Organization (ILO) opened its first workers to organise and leave the three sisters who escaped their White Moors (traditional slave owning office in Qatar for the first time to country if they wish. masters in 2010. group) without ever receiving payment work with the Qatari government Although positive, the reforms won’t for their work and with little hope of to improve working conditions The ruling gives new hope for slavery change the ‘kafala’ sponsorship victims in Mauritania. In the previous ever being free. for migrant workers building the system, which gives employers infrastructure for two cases, brought to the courts by “There is still a long way to go” control over workers’ visas and is the FIFA World Cup Anti-Slavery, the slave-owners were Penrose added. “We have filed at one of the main factors that enables in 2022. given lenient sentences of two to least 40 cases from former slaves that widespread exploitation. five years, well below the penalty are lingering in the courts.” The move is part “It’s good to see Qatar promise of the commitment reforms, but it’s their implementation made by the Qatar that will matter for the workers”, ASOS partnership government under to meet the commitments made in said Kate Elsayed-Ali, Anti-Slavery’s pressure from  Anti-Slavery entered a strategic its Modern Slavery Statement and campaigners at International Advocacy Manager. partnership with online clothing provide a sustainable solution to the end of 2017 Anti-Slavery was the first to expose giant ASOS to help improve its ‘on the issues faced by migrant workers to reform labour this issue, prompting an investigation the ground’ practices preventing in its supply chain in Mauritius. exploitation. Migrant workers in Qatar laws for migrant by the Guardian newspaper in 2013 Find out how your business can still face exploitation workers. These and starting a global campaign to Acting as a ‘critical friend’, Anti- benefit from our expertise, email and forced labour. Photo: Pete Pattisson include introducing protect migrant workers. Slavery is working to advise ASOS Ryna at [email protected]. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 8 feature 9 Futures of freedom

To mark World Day Against Child Labour on Jakub Sobik, 12 June, Jakub Sobik takes a closer look at Communications Manager , and highlights what Anti-Slavery is doing to tackle it.

 Today there are an estimated 10 Like Oumar* in Senegal, who had to million children in slavery across spend hours begging every day just to the world. Children who are forced earn enough to eat and avoid being into back-breaking work in mines, harshly punished by his master. brick kilns, sweatshops and private Like Irene in Tanzania*, who was homes. Children who are forced into beaten by her employer every time sexual exploitation or early marriage. she wanted to take a short break from Children of slave descent in Children who get exploited as her domestic chores. school founded by Anti- soldiers, or are forced to beg, or sell Slavery International in Niger. There are 10 million children who, drugs. instead of going to school and Like Ananya* from India (see box, spending their days playing with their right), who had to wake up at friends, get exploited for someone Ananya*, 9 years old, India midnight and work through the night else’s gain. They suffer abuse, fear I like reading, but my father didn’t have any money [to send me to to prepare bricks for moulding. and isolation. school], so had to take me to the brick kiln to work instead. We used to get up at midnight or 1am and work through the night making clay ready for moulding. Ananya migrated with her family from Uttar Pradhesh, India, to work in a brick kiln in the northern state of Punjab. Together with our partners we have recently advocated for Punjab state to introduce a policy providing education for children living with their families in brick kilns, and Young boys in Koranic schools in Senegal are now we are pressing for Young children work in India’s brick forced to beg and live in squalid conditions. its implementation. kilns for up to 8 hours a day. Photo: Émilie Régnier reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 10 feature 11

The vicious cycle of child slavery Building freedom for the long run Irene*, 16-years-old Tanzania Children are particularly vulnerable to Anti-Slavery works with children in exploitation because it’s much easier many countries across the world (see I started working as a domestic worker when to deceive a child. box on page 13), and every project I was fourteen. I washed clothes, mopped the Sadly, the vicious cycle of slavery operates in a completely different house, bathed children and cooked food for a whole family. The most difficult thing for me was rarely ends with survivors escaping cultural context. However, one common I did not get an hour to rest. When I tried to their captors, because children rarely theme applies: we work to secure a rest, my employer beat me up. receive a formal education whilst in long-term future of freedom for children captivity and have trouble finding and families affected by slavery. But now I can call for help from the [Anti-Slavery employment later in life. Additionally, We do this by focusing on protecting and partners] project workers and stand up and the trauma of abuse often affects vulnerable children from immediate stop my employer from behaving like that. every aspect of a child’s life, including exploitation and abuse, while ensuring Irene attended classes organised by Anti-Slavery’s their health and the ability to build that our work is sustainable in the project and built her skills and confidence. In the normal relationships with other people. long term, preventing future children future she is planning to become pharmacist. Many survivors are likely to stay in from exploitation. *name changed. poverty, in low skilled and low paid We support children to become jobs. In turn, they will have little less vulnerable by enabling them chance of providing their own children to defend their rights and providing Children working in with an education and a good start to them with access to education to private homes in Tanzania their lives. help increase their chances of finding are supported to protect themselves from exploitation.

Jagrati*, Nepal I was sixteen when I started to date a man who quickly offered to marry me. I Support our work with children ran away with him to another town. There could pay for a year’s school he would leave for work in the morning £6.50 Stock image by Malsawm Tunglut books and pens for a child and lock me in the room, and he soon from a community affected started attacking and abusing me. by One day I overheard him offering to sell me to another man. I was shocked and £27 could pay for a child worker in terrified. I managed to run away and Tanzania to attend training on return to Kathmandu. Later I heard that their rights the man had already sold two other women using the same method. £50 could pay for a microloan for a family affected by slavery in Jagrati is now receiving training from Anti-Slavery and its partner SASANE to Niger to set up a small business become a paralegal and help other victims to get justice. *name changed. Donate at www.antislavery.org/donate or fill out the donation form. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 12 feature 13

Adamou*, 16-years-old Niger Our work: bringing freedom to children I am the first one in the family to  In Niger children from  Thanks to our  In Nepal, survivors go to secondary school, and this families of slave descent lobbying work with of sex trafficking makes my parents very proud. can access formal local governments receive paralegal Life in my village has changed a education for the first and brick kiln owners training and gain lot since the schools were built. time thanks to six in India, an increasing experience at People are less poor and less schools founded by Anti- number of children of police stations to ignorant than before. Slavery. Their families brick kiln workers can advocate for other My dream is to become the received micro-loans to go to school during victims when President of Niger. I would make start small businesses. the working season. child trafficking sure there is enough food for is reported. Nigerien people, construct schools in every village, give a job to  In Vietnam, everyone and release people who thanks to are still in slavery. our project, young people Abdullah’s parents lived under the learn about control of their masters until they the dangers benefitted from Anti-Slavery’s school of trafficking and community projects. and receive *name changed. vocational training and job decent employment. We’re also making sure that we placements to make them less For example, in Niger we created six don’t leave the most vulnerable communities behind. For example, vulnerable to schools for families born into slavery  In Senegal, thanks we have recently started a project on being trafficked. and controlled by their masters. to our work with This was the first time that children tackling forced child begging in Niger local communities,  Thanks to our project in Tanzania, children from these families had access to and Mali – an issue that no international young boys have exploited whilst working in private homes any formal education. A decade on, organisation has addressed so far been protected from build up the confidence and skills that the families are completely free from (read more on page 14). being forced to beg they need to protect themselves and build their masters’ influence. Their children We change children’s futures. The on the streets and alternative future. Through our advocacy perform way above the national transformations we witness every received care from work, children are protected from abuse average on school exams, and the day give us hope that we can raise a local families. by their local communities. first children have started attending new generation who will ensure that secondary education. The communities slavery is no longer acceptable, and  In Mauritania, children and their parents escaping slavery which have formed around the schools benefit from essential education and vocational training. no longer possible. have also helped to advocate with the Usually they are not able to access state education government to build three additional We won’t stop until every single child because of the discrimination against the ‘slave’ class. schools in other areas. around the world is free from slavery. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 14 feature 15

number has significantly increased since around forced child begging and end Ending forced then. The number in Niger is unknown, it for good across the region. but child begging is very visible across We will engage former Koranic students Emmanuelle Tremeau the country’s towns and cities. to share their experiences and identify child begging Africa Programme In January 2018, we embarked on a Co-ordinator strategies to address not only the new project to tackle this issue. Over forced begging, but also the root We are leading the fight against the abusive tradition of forcing the next three-years we will gather causes, such as poverty and lack of young children to beg on the streets, writes Africa Programme data on the nature and prevalence access to state education, contributing of forced child begging in Mali and Co-ordinator Emmanuelle Tremeau. to the prevalence of this practice. Niger, including the rate of trafficking We will also lobby the governments involved, and identify how the lessons  Anti-Slavery International has worked countries for this purpose. It then and regional international bodies to for almost a decade on protecting became clear to me that Anti-Slavery learned from our work in Senegal could apply to other countries in the region. put this issue high on their agendas children who are forced by their had to do something about it. So and draw concrete plans to eradicate schoolmasters in their Koranic school together with our local partners in The project will establish forced child begging from West Africa to beg on the streets in Senegal, West Senegal, Mali and Niger we decided organisations led by children and for good. Africa, making them vulnerable to to assess the situation much more young adults with experiences of abuse. But the issue is prevalent in closely to see if we could support a begging in Niger, Mali and Senegal Support our work to end forced adjoining countries too, where forced- regional effort on forced-begging. and train them in advocacy and child begging with a regular gift at begging is a common practice. communication techniques so that Koranic education is a long established www.antislavery.org/donate. they can shape the national debates Every time I visited projects in Niger, and highly-regarded tradition across also in West Africa, I was shocked and West Africa. A large number of saddened to see so many children, children, particularly boys from poor, Children studying in Koranic schools across sometimes as young as four-years- rural backgrounds, receive their entire West Africa commonly suffer abuse and neglect. Photo: Émilie Régnier old, standing outside supermarkets, education at residential Koranic schools. gas stations, or by traffic lights to ask Traditionally, these residential schools passers-by for money. do not charge their students for food, accommodation or studies. Instead, “We will […] identify strategies the boys are sent out to beg for them. to address not only the forced Far from their families and living in begging, but also the root squalid conditions, the children are causes, such as poverty and lack neglected and fall victim to physical or of access to state education.” psychological abuse if they fail to meet their begging ‘quotas’, not to mention potential dangers on the streets. Equally shocking was that no organisation was working to end the In Senegal, an estimated 100,000 exploitation of these children in Niger, children are forced to beg. In Mali, it and that very few initiatives exist is estimated that in 2010 the capital that span the region, despite some was home to over 50,000 children being trafficked between such children but warns that this reporter reporter summer 2018 Brick kilns workers commonly fall into debt summer 2018 16 voices from the field bondage and endure hard working conditions. 17 Photo: Bharat Patel. Brick kiln workers

Sameer Taware, stand up for India Project Officer their rights Anti-Slavery Project Officer in India Sameer Taware on the increasingly effective struggle of bonded labourers to claim justice. It took for the VSJ to organise a Working with the authorities has held captive as ‘insurance’ whenever  Despite outlawing bonded labour, sit-in protest of around 600 brick always been challenging because of Mohan Lal and his family wanted India’s underprivileged castes and kiln workers outside of the local a widespread denial of the existence to visit their home in Rajasthan to communities often fall victim to magistrate’s building for almost two of bonded labour practices across ensure they returned to the kiln. and continue to be weeks for the family to be provided India. However, invoking national denied justice. Mohan and Bhagavati managed with financial support. However, they mechanisms, such as the National Mohan Lal and his wife Bhagavati to send their children to a nearby were denied the official bondage Human Rights Commission, is helping (below) come from a village in state school, which is quite unusual release certificate, which would to mount pressure on local authorities Rajasthan in northern India. They are for brick kiln workers. Finally when entitle them to to implement the Dalits, a caste that commonly suffers Hardeep, their youngest son, was compensation What is the most encouraging law and secure the discrimination and poverty. stopped from attending his graduation and allow them to is that our work to empower rights of workers. exams, he contacted Anti-Slavery’s build a slavery-free In 1992 they travelled to work at a vulnerable workers by providing What is the most partners Volunteers for Social Justice future. Mohan’s brick kiln further north in the state of education, assistance and legal encouraging is (VSJ) for help and VSJ helped the and Bhagavati’s Punjab, with dreams of a better life. support is starting to bear fruit. that our work family to safety. struggle continues. to empower Originally, they had planned to work Despite district authorities being Their case is a classic debt-bondage vulnerable workers only for one season. However, they obliged to provide immediate relief case that represents the agony of by providing education, assistance were forced to stay at the same and necessary support for their many millions of brick kiln workers in and legal support is starting to bear brick kiln for over 25 years after survival, the family was left with India in the 21st century. An estimated fruit. The fact that 600 local brick kiln becoming trapped in debt bondage. nothing. 2.3 million workers employed in brick workers came together and joined the They initially took out a loan to kilns every year work and live in protest for Mohan Lal’s family shows move, which was then controlled by precarious conditions and aren’t able that our work is increasingly paying the brick kiln owner, and increased to leave. off, and that these discriminated exponentially. communities are becoming more Anti-Slavery International supports confident, that together they can Most of their wages went towards the workers in the northern ‘source’ states repayment of their loan. They were stand up for their own rights and of Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh demand justice from the state. never able to repay it in full, and – the states where many workers instead had to take other loans, falling usually migrate from to work in brick Support our work in India at into a never-ending cycle of debt. Mohan Lal, Bhagavati and Hardeep faced hardship for kilns – and in the Punjab, where many 26 years, but are looking forward to the future. www.antislavery.org/donate Their youngest child was always of the kilns are located. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 18 campaigning 19 Why the EU needs

Louise Eldridge, law on slavery in UK and Europe supply chains Programme Assistant Slavery is present in many Louise Eldridge answers five questions goods consumers buy across the . 1. Why does slavery occur in influence business practices across the world. global supply chains? for the impact of their actions all The regulation that we advocate for A lot of goods and services that we Protection of human rights is written the way through their supply chains does not pose additional burden on buy are produced in the context into the EU’s constitution and it has and proactively tackle human rights businesses already taking steps to of poverty where there is a lack already moved to combat abuses violations. This is known as human root out slavery. And adding some in some sectors such as garments, of decent work opportunities, and rights due diligence. burden on companies that undercut conflict minerals and palm oil. Some exploitative practices have become For instance, this means looking at others by tolerating it doesn’t strike EU countries, such as , the more tolerated. This keeps production how the use of subcontracting makes us as unfair, quite the opposite. UK and the Netherlands, have or costs low and keeps prices low for abusive practises harder to monitor. are introducing legislation to tackle consumers. Or it may mean looking at whether 5. Why now? slavery in supply chains. It is workers who all workers in the supply chain have The momentum is growing. In often bear the brunt “ European politicians can However, the the rights and means to negotiate September 2017 the European of businesses’ drive make it happen, and we, systemic problem with employers about their working Parliament passed a resolution for low production as European citizens and of slavery in conditions. calling for corporate due diligence for corporate supply costs and high profit consumers, should show them 4. Do businesses support supply companies in the EU, and eight EU margins. In many chains requires national parliaments have called for we support such action.” regulation that will chain regulation? circumstances the legislation at a European-wide level to companies from create a common It is a common misconception harmonise rules and standards, with which consumers buy their goods standard for all businesses trading that businesses oppose any new potential impact on a global scale. and services are not aware of slavery in the EU. We believe this will create regulation. But experience shows that occurring in its supply chain. large enough change to encourage regulation which aims to support fair competition wins business support. National laws are often weak, and companies to act. Interested in learning about how those responsible companies that 3. What regulation is needed? For example, including the your business or employer can work want to tackle slavery in their supply transparency provisions in the UK with Anti-Slavery to identify and Firstly, we need to compel businesses chains still have to compete with Modern Slavery Act 2015 was a direct remedy slavery in its supply chains? to be transparent and publicly disclose businesses that exploit their workers. result of action by companies. Many Visit www.antislavery.org/supply- the details of their supply chains, such big businesses, including Nestle, 2. Why the European Union as the origins of products and labour. chains or contact Ryna Sherazi at Heineken and ASOS, supported [email protected] or The EU is the world’s largest economic Secondly, we should require similar legislation in the Netherlands 020 7737 9436. block, and its legislation could businesses to take responsibility and Australia. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 20 take action 21

4. Sign the petition that’s only 15p a day – could make a Six things you can Victims of slavery need time and vital difference to help end slavery. support to rebuild their lives, but the Visit www.antislavery.org/donate or Jasmine O’Connor, UK fails to provide it. Please spare 2 use the donation form on the back of do to stop slavery Chief Executive minutes and ask your MP to support this Reporter. the Free for Good campaign at 6. Share in less than freeforgood.org.uk. Share information about slavery 5. Donate with friends, families and colleagues sixty minutes Anti-Slavery International provides and encourage them to take action immediate care for victims, runs themselves. Tweet or post the action Chief Executive Jasmine O’Connor suggests simple programmes to rebuild their lives, and you took and share this article to actions which everyone can take. lobbies governments and businesses get six other people to take the six to take slavery seriously and protect  Some 40 million people are you might spot more worrying traits. actions. This will cost you as little as vulnerable people. This is long and estimated to be in slavery, whether in Do they appear to be in the control a few seconds! complex work and needs sustained a nail bar in London, a coltan mine in of someone else and reluctant to A longer version of this article was originally published on funds. A gift of just £5 a month – Huffington Post. Congo or a garment factory in India, interact with others? Are they able to slavery is often hidden in plain sight. move around freely? Do they appear The products of slavery are around us frightened, withdrawn, or show signs every day – it’s in the things we wear of physical or psychological abuse? and the things we eat. If you suspect that someone is in Ending slavery and freeing millions of slavery, DO NOT confront them as people is a huge task and will require this will likely lead to increased harm a movement of inspired activists to for them. In the UK call the Modern achieve it. But there are very simple Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 – it ways you can take action and be part takes five minutes but can save a life. of that movement. 3. Use your consumer power 1. Learn Engage the businesses you buy from. Learn about modern slavery. Know Check on their website whether they where it can exist and how it have a modern slavery statement and manifests. It can take as little as ask them what they are doing to 10 minutes. Visit our website www. ensure their goods and services are antislavery.org to learn more. not tainted by slavery. 15 minutes 2. Spot the signs spent reading a statement and You probably see people who are sending a short email can have a real in slavery on a regular basis. They impact. We have countless examples don’t have shackles, they might of businesses acting under pressure Forced labour in the cocoa industry. appear normal, but look closer and from their customers. Photo: Nile Sprague reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 22 supporters’ corner 23

No Diet Coke challenge Power in Silence  Becca Terris has given up her Diet Coke for  Aileen Belle committed to a whole month of six months to support the anti-slavery cause. She is silence to raise awareness about slavery in . donating to Anti-Slavery whatever she usually spends on Throughout February, with the exceptions of Diet Coke and has asked her friends for sponsorship. having to speak at university for work or in “I was shocked to learn that more than 40 million an emergency, Aileen only communicated with people are still slaves today. Discovering this made me simple cards and a notepad. want to take immediate action” she said. “The scenes of men in Libya being sold as Becca has raised £445 and is still going. Thank you for your slaves at an auction shook her. “It is heart- commitment Becca! breaking to see that […] we are still subjecting people to such awful measures in the name Nottingham students power of power and money. But we are not helpless, ahead against slavery and we can do something to help them.”  The University of Nottingham Anti-Slavery Aileen raised £610 and reached thousands society has been very active this year. of people through her Facebook page @silenceagainstslavetrade. Thank you! The members have dug out their trainers to run the Robin Hood Half Marathon Dancing for Freedom and Hampton Court Half Marathon, and Facebook birthday convinced 40 other students to run 5k  Ben Hammond, a teacher from London going by the name of Planet fundraising around the campus! Prancer, is DANCING the length of the famous Route 66 from Los Angeles to The group also organised their second New to raise money for Anti-Slavery International.  Celebrate your birthday by ‘Sounds Against Slavery’ night of live music, “I believe everyone should have the right to live a life free from servitude, to fundraising to help us end as well as an awareness raising slavery-free determine their own future and to create and follow their own dreams, just slavery, simply using Facebook! coffee morning and clothes swap. as I am lucky enough to be able to do”, Ben said. Here’s how to do it: on your They have raised an impressive £1,600 Ben has already danced birthday go to the Anti-Slavery over the past year. Thank you for your 130 miles from the Facebook page (just search incredible work! Californian coastline to for Anti-Slavery International), the desert, and the next go to ‘Fundraisers’ on the stage will take place left-hand side, click the ‘Raise over the Summer. He has money’ button, and set up fundraised over £4,000 your fundraiser in just a few already. Amazing work! clicks. Your friends will be able Check out his to donate to Anti-Slavery on unbelievable journey and your birthday without even sponsor his efforts at leaving Facebook. Thank you! www.planetprancer.com. reporter reporter summer 2018 summer 2018 24 supporters’ corner 25

Reaching new heights for Anti-Slavery Annual Supporters  In May, Lauren Todd trekked through the Atlas Conference – save the date Mountains in for five days and summitted  Make a note in your diary for the highest point in , Toubkal at 4,167 our Annual Supporters’ Meeting meters, to help people escape slavery. and AGM, which will take place in “Raising money to help even one person live a central London in the afternoon better life, a free life, was more rewarding than of 15th November 2018. All our finishing the trek itself.” supporters are welcome to attend, Lauren has raised an amazing £3,000 and is still you are also very welcome to bring going. Thank you and well done! To become a member of Anti-Slavery a friend who could be interested in International, please email our work, and members have the [email protected] or call option to vote on the day. Remember Anti-Slavery in your Will Today, it is inconceivable 020 7737 9434, or you can join online Places are limited, so please at www.antislavery.org/membership.  We are extremely grateful to all our that slavery still exists. RSVP to the invitation letter in the The minimum membership fee is generous supporters who remember Anti- I urge you to help make Summer to secure your place. £60 a year, or £5 per month. Slavery International in their Will. Last year, the world a better and we received over £300,000 in legacies, which fairer place for all. Help helped us support thousands of people change forever the lives Inspiring action against slavery of people in slavery affected by slavery. A gift in your Will could  From using birthdays and weddings to ask friends for donations to remain today by leaving a help us reach even more people and help silent, dancing through continents and diving with sharks, the lengths our create a world free from slavery. legacy to Anti-Slavery International. supporters go to in raising money and their voice against slavery doesn’t For more information about Gifts in Wills and stop inspiring and motivating us to work even harder to put an end to it. how your support could have a lasting effect, Dame Judi Dench, Although we can feature please visit www.antislavery.org/legacy, call Anti-Slavery only some of these inspiring Paul on 020 7737 9435, or email p.sheehan@ International Patron stories in this Reporter, we antislavery.org for more information. value them all equally and send the most heart-felt Anti-Slavery International strengthens privacy rights THANK YOU to all of you.  Anti-Slavery has updated its privacy policy to further protect the security and If you would like to privacy of all our supporters whose personal information we hold and process. fundraise to support our work, please visit www. Our policy fully complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (2018) that antislavery.org/fundraise- came into force on 25th May 2018. We are committed to treating all donors for-freedom for more and supporters with the highest level of care, consideration and respect. information, or contact our To find out what data Anti-Slavery collects, why we collect it, and the friendly team on measures we take to keep it secure, please read our Privacy Policy at 0207 737 9434 or email www.antislavery.org/privacy, or alternatively call 020 7737 9434 and we will Rebecca at r.chambers@ post you a written copy. antislavery.org. Thank you. reporter summer 2018 , I want to protect adults and children from slavery 26 supporters speak

Why we are abolitionists

I am a I am part of

lawyer and the Yorkshire have been Quaker group advising on and attended the Modern a talk on Slavery Act. modern It is that work slavery at which has Nottingham University, where I brought me into contact with the found out that there could be more fantastic work that Anti-Slavery does. than 40 million people enslaved I have been truly shocked by the around the world. Having co- scale of the problem of modern written a play 10 years ago about slavery. It is incredible that slavery Thomas Clarkson’s campaigns to is more prevalent than ever – with end the slave trade, I was shocked. one person on average being enslaved every 15 minutes. I am 75 and these days I walk regularly for my health and well- It was special to have represented being. So I thought that if friends Anti-Slavery in the London Marathon and family could sponsor all this – a small charity punching above walking, I could raise a tidy sum to their weight in a fight against an immense global problem. I may help fund the work of Anti-Slavery. have suffered a bit but nothing like So, I’ve joined the ‘1,000 miles the thousands of victims who are throughout 2018’ challenge and helped every year by Anti-Slavery. I’m well up on the daily 2.74 miles target. Paul Henty has raised over £1,500 for his run. London Marathon was Thank you to Arthur Pritchard for the fourth marathon he ran in stepping out for Anti-Slavery support of Anti-Slavery. – raising £200 so far.

Tell us what you think and win a £50 John Lewis voucher Title First name  Please spare a few moments to tell us your opinions about your Surname experience as an Anti-Slavery supporter and how we can improve it. Address Visit www.antislavery.org/survey to fill out the survey, or if you find a survey attached to this copy of the Reporter, you can fill it out and post back to us. Postcode Respond by 6th July 2018 for your chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher. reporter summer 2018 28 we change lives

M’barka, 25-years-old, Mauritania “For all my life as a slave, I herded animals. When I came back in the evening, I had to milk the animals, cook, serve dinner and clean up the tent. I was insulted and beaten by my masters whenever I forgot something or did not do things properly, or when I was late. I was never allowed to eat with them. For all my childhood until the moment I left, the abuse never stopped. My master often came to find me in the bush and would rape me. I have four children, of whom three belong to my master and his brothers. My master never recognised my children as his.” M’barka was rescued with the help of Anti-Slavery, and lodged a complaint against their former masters. She now lives in freedom with her children and receives regular support including education classes, financial help and regular visits from the network of volunteers that Anti-Slavery built in the region to support people who escape from slavery. “I now want to have a house, to provide an education to my children and I also want to learn. Women are particularly affected by slavery in Mauritania. I want my rights and rights Photo: Michael Hylton for my children.”

Your gift could change lives:  £6.50 can help pay for school books Donate today and pens for a child from a community affected by slavery at www.antislavery.org/donate To join as a member for  £24 can help pay for a a year’s £5 per month, go to education for a child born into slavery www.antislavery.org/  £120 can help train a community membership leader to uphold the rights of child or call us on 020 7501 8920. domestic workers.