Hope for Justice has warmly welcomed the launch of the new Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, which met for the first time in London on 5th October. In support of the launch, Hope for Justice has also published a Policy Reflections Briefing, making the case for bold and ambitious structural changes in the global response to modern slavery.
Photo from the launch, with 12 of the 16 new Commissioners pictured. Photo credit: www.twitter.com/theresa_may
The Hope for Justice Briefing makes six recommendations that we invite the new Commission to explore:
- Elevate the global political commitment at the highest level of governmental and intergovernmental organisations’ representation, and the private sector; with full and meaningful worldwide, regional and local survivor and civil society involvement.
- Recommend and provide guidance to set up a sole intergovernmental entity ensuring global governance for coordinated policies on modern slavery and human trafficking.
- Recommend and lay down a strong global accountability mechanism overseeing the implementation of the commitments and agreements made by governments, companies and civil society arising from the work of the Global Commission.
- Advocate for, and articulate the setting up of, a dedicated funding mechanism with periodic replenishment by governments and the private sector to fund the global response at scale, with a focus on supporting survivor-led organisations and wider civil society.
- Help develop robust research and evidence on critical gaps and emerging issues to better understand ‘what works’ in preventing and responding to modern slavery.
- Provide rapid response guidelines with and for international agencies, NGOs and governments to help address the increased risks of human trafficking due to humanitarian emergencies, and forced displacement fuelled by armed conflict and climate change.
The new Commission is chaired by former British Prime Minster Theresa May MP, who visited Hope for Justice’s head office on 3rd October.
Hope for Justice’s Enrique Restoy (Executive Director of Programmes and Policy) and Phillipa Roberts (Head of Policy and Research), who authored the new briefing, say: “The Global Commission has the potential to be a much-needed game-changer for the global response to modern slavery and human trafficking. It could elevate the global political commitment to a higher level and galvanize resources to coordinate an unprecedented response that finally ends modern slavery. We call for a Commission that is truly global and which embeds civil society and survivor leadership in all their diversity.”
Screenshot from Global Commission website
About the Commission – courtesy https://www.modernslaverycommission.org/about/
The Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking is an international initiative led by The Rt Hon Theresa May MP to exert high-level political leverage to restore political momentum towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking.
In 2022, the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre was commissioned by The Office of Theresa May to conduct a scoping study examining the case for establishing a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
The Scoping Study was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The team carrying out the Scoping Study met with more than 50 actors working to address modern slavery across the world, including global and regional intergovernmental bodies, international human rights groups, survivor organisations, civil society organisations and businesses.
It also conducted a survey of comparable Global Commissions, a literature review of evidence identifying potential priority areas of intervention, and a wide consultation on how best to embed people with lived experience in the work and governance of a potential Global Commission.
