Welcome to the Slavery Research Bulletin, the Freedom Fund’s monthly brief designed to bring you new & compelling research from the global anti-slavery movement.
Modern slavery in Europe and Central Asia
A new report by the Walk Free Foundation details the prevalence of modern slavery in European and Central Asian countries. The report finds that although most European countries have improved their response to modern slavery, an influx of 1.5 million asylum seekers escaping conflicts and human rights abuses has increased the number of individuals becoming vulnerable to exploitation in Europe.
Untold stories of modern slavery and climate change from Cambodia
Research by the Royal Holloway University of London reveals that Cambodia is being built on a foundation of “blood bricks” made by men, women and children trapped in debt bondage caused by climate change. The report traces how Cambodia’s construction industry relies on unsustainable levels of debt taken on by rural families struggling to farm in one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world.
The nexus between environmental degradation and modern slavery
A review by the University of Nottingham and the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner explores the three-way relationship between modern slavery, environmental destruction and climate change. The review finds that debt bondage is by far the most common form of slave labour to emerge in relation to environmental degradation.
Benchmark shows companies failing to respect human rights activists
The 2018 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark published by the Institute for Human Rights and Business assesses the performance of the 101 largest publicly traded companies in the world on a set of human rights indicators. The average company score is 27 percent, and less than 10 percent of the companies have committed to respecting the rights of human rights defenders linked to its operations.
Profiles of women refugees and migrants
A report by the Mixed Migration Centre compares women’s migration experiences across regions, including the challenges that they encounter during the journey and the role of smugglers. The findings are based on data from over 1,000 women refugees and migrants, and shed light on the range of abuses they face and their limited options for assistance and protection.
Read on…
- A new article in Nature Communications explores the relationship between overfishing and modern slavery.
- A paper in the Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work examines the evidence around the rehabilitation of sex trafficking victims to inform legislation in India.
- A Mixed Migration Centre report compares the international migration routes for victims of forced displacement from Syria and Venezuela.
And finally…
Check out the Freedom Fund’s latest contribution to Delta 8.7, a new knowledge platform exploring what works to eradicate modern slavery.
News & updates
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