Welcome to the Freedom Fund’s monthly bulletin designed to bring you new and compelling research from the global anti-slavery movement.
Research partnership with survivors requires attention to ongoing trauma
Researchers from King’s College London offer best-practice recommendations for researchers working in partnership with lived experience experts. Through the analysis of a study that identified a set of core recovery outcomes for survivors and reflexive analysis by coauthors with lived experience, the study identifies behaviours of employers in a trafficking situation, including humiliation by lowering survivor’s self-worth, restricting choices, control of earnings, false promises, targeting precarious situations, using violence and psychological manipulation. The study then recommends trust-building practices with lived experience researchers, including recognising survivors as agents of change rather than merely contributors of labour, survivors’ diverse and traumatic experiences, academic demands and training needs, and equal value of expertise.
Gaps remain in understanding forced labour linked to businesses
A study led by the Re:Structure Lab explores challenges of measuring forced labour in different contexts. The study uses AI tools to synthesise worker-level studies on forced labour (69 NGO-academic studies and 12 ILO-led studies). The findings reveal that 98.6% of the studies focus on private sector, and only one study addresses the public sector, highlighting the challenges of investigating state imposed forced labour. While 88% of the NGO-academic studies aligned with ILO guidelines and reflected a more investigative nature, none of the ILO-led studies reported firm or business-related information. The study also highlights a limitation in disaggregation of migration status, ethnicity, and employment type across studies.
Evidence of the link between high temperature and child marriage in Kenya
The University of Southampton investigates the links between high temperature and child marriage in Kenya. Through the analysis of the 2014 and 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Surveys, together with land surface temperature data, the findings indicate higher educational attainment and having a female household head as protective against child marriage in both years. Although the prevalence of child marriage decreased from 27.4% in 2014 to 22.4% in 2022, controlled models found that regions with higher temperatures had higher levels of child marriage in 2022. The rate of child marriage reduction in Kenya over time is notably not sufficient to achieve the elimination of child marriage by 2030; progress towards that goal may be improved when considering the effects of heat when designing targeted interventions.
Challenges and opportunities in countering trafficking in persons in conflict affected countries
The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports on challenges and opportunities to strengthen U.S. anti-trafficking projects in conflict-affected countries. Through consultations with stakeholders and an in-depth review of 11 selected anti-trafficking projects in Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Ethiopia, the report identifies nine challenges and five opportunities. Opportunities include building local partner capacity; allowing greater flexibility in implementing grants to adapt activities; and facilitating coordination among international and local actors; providing additional funding. Challenges include increased vulnerabilities to (and changing patterns of) trafficking; the prioritisation of humanitarian aid over anti-trafficking efforts; interrupted access to conduct activities; limited flexibility and capacity to adapt programs and local efforts; and corruption.
Evidence informed recommendations to reduce exploitative child domestic work in Nigeria
The Freedom Fund, NORC at the University of Chicago, and The Khana Group assess pilot interventions implemented by grassroots civil society organisations to reduce the exploitation of child domestic workers (CDWs) in Nigeria. Drawing on qualitative research, including interviews and focus group discussions with 30 CDWs and stakeholders, the findings reveal that awareness-raising through community engagement shifted attitudes; leveraging trusted social spaces such as schools and places of worship improved local willingness to report CDW-related issues; and partnerships with child protection authorities facilitated productive policy dialogue. The report highlights the need to embed protections within national policy frameworks and recommends investing in mass awareness through trusted platforms, alongside crafting local engagement and culturally sensitive messaging.
Read on
The University of Amsterdam finds that, compared to workers in domestic-owned factories, workers in foreign-owned factories in Ethiopia’s apparel sector have lower wages and less freedom of association, but better occupational safety and health conditions.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development presents new empirical evidence demonstrating a robust link between trade in counterfeit goods and labour exploitation.
Modern Slavery & Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre presents the first analysis of decisions from the UK’s National Referral Mechanism.
Freedom Fund news
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Research library
Visit our Slavery Research Library to access anti-slavery resources from across the globe.
Contact
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The Slavery Research Bulletin is produced monthly by the Freedom Fund, a global fund with the sole aim of helping end modern slavery.
Research being featured in this bulletin does not equal endorsement by the Freedom Fund.
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Photo credit: Eva Jew/The Freedom Fund
