PM calls on world leaders to accelerate fight against modern slavery

The Prime Minister will today (Tuesday) attend a special meeting of world leaders, international organisations and business representatives in Geneva where she will call for a redoubling of global efforts to protect the tens of millions of people who are trapped in modern slavery.

 

Speaking at the centenary conference of the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation, the PM will reflect on her experience tackling this crime, both as Home Secretary and Prime Minister, and call for further concerted action.

 

On the need for renewed political action Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to say: 

“No leader worthy of the name can look the other way while men, women and children are held against their will, forced to work for a pittance or no pay at all, routinely beaten, raped and tortured.

 

“So those of us who can speak out, who have a platform from which to be heard, have a duty, a moral duty, to raise our voices on their behalf.”

 

The UK is the first country in the world to have dedicated laws to tackle modern slavery. The Prime Minister’s latest intervention follows sustained UK leadership on this issue, including speeches at the World Economic Forum in Davos and United Nations General Assembly, and successfully lobbying for the establishment of the first ever UN Sustainable Development Target to end modern slavery. 

 

Today, she is expected to announce further measures to help stamp out this crime, both at home and overseas. This includes funding a £10 million programme to reduce the exploitation of boys and girls in Africa’s rapidly expanding agricultural industries, and plans to create a new International Modern Slavery and Migration Envoy to help co-ordinate the UK’s efforts with other nations.

She will also announce her intention to build on the ground-breaking Modern Slavery Act, which puts a duty on large businesses to be open about what they are doing to stamp out abuse in their supply chains, by creating a new central registry of modern slavery transparency statements. This will ensure consumers can make informed choices and turn their back on companies that exploit forced labour. 

 

Finally, she will urge the Government to look at ways of going further by making it harder for companies to avoid scrutiny and expanding transparency laws to cover the public sector.

 

Reflecting on her personal commitment to this issue, and in a call for continued action under new leadership, the Prime Minister is expected to say:

“Modern slavery reaches into every corner of our lives – in the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the services we pay for. 

 

“Yet for many years it seldom captured the world’s attention or outrage – allowing those who trade in human misery to quietly continue their work, and allowing all of us to look the other way as we benefitted from the forced labour of this growing underclass.

 

“Throughout my time in government – first as my country’s Home Secretary, more recently as its Prime Minister – I have fought to change that.

 

“To put the issue of modern slavery firmly on the domestic and international agenda.

 

“To prevent men, women and children becoming trapped in modern slavery and free those who are.

 

“Over the past nine years we have made much progress, but there is still much work for all of us to do.

 

“So as I prepare to step down as Prime Minister, I believe it is more important than ever that we not only continue the fight against modern slavery, but that we accelerate it.

 

“That we recommit ourselves to the task.

 

“That we match our words with actions, and do all that we can to meet the UN’s goal of ending this abhorrent crime by 2030.”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors:

The International Labour Conference

The UN International Labour Organisation’s centenary is being celebrated through a special International Labour Conference dedicated to the future of work. 

 

The Conference will run from Monday 10 June to Friday 21 June.

 

Around 30 Heads of State or Government are expected to attend the Conference, including President Macron, Chancellor Merkel, President Ramaphosa and Swedish Prime Minister Lofven. Other senior figures include the King of Belgium and UN Secretary General Guterres, who is expected to close the Conference.

 

Example UK action on Modern Slavery

 

The UK is the first country in the world to have dedicated legislation in place to tackle modern slavery. 

 

In 2016 the Prime Minister announced a new Modern Slavery Taskforce, which sits at the centre of Government, to drive further progress in tackling slavery and people trafficking.

 

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims.

The number of live police operations has increased since the Act became law, from 188 police operations in December 2016 to over 1,370 at present.

 

More potential victims are being identified and protected due to a greater awareness and improved understanding of modern slavery. In the year to September 2018, 4,270 offences of Modern Slavery were recorded by police. This is a 51% increase compared with the previous year (2,824 offences).

We have world-leading measures such as the requirement for businesses with over £36m turnover to comply with Transparency in Supply Chains legislation (TISC). As a result of this landmark legislation many companies are taking concrete action to address the risks of modern slavery and improve the lives of vulnerable workers in their operations and global supply chains.