Addressing the Gender Dimensions of Modern Day Slavery
Date of Meeting: 13 March 2017
Meeting Organizer: United Kingdom Permanent Mission to the UN
CSW Delegates Present: Major Estelle Blake
Reporter: Major Estelle Blake
Which SDG does this topic cover? 1, 4, 12, 17
Type of meeting: CSW Side Event
Brief summary of presentation of information made
Minister from Nigeria
Nigeria -75% of victims are women and girls
Modern slavery and poverty are intrinsically linked
Need to challenge silos
Airports, presidency of Nigeria and also border control. Ministry provide guidance and work with victims.
Trafficking of Nigerian women to Mali
Policy implementation between Nigeria and UNODC to deal with trafficking and victims mainly women launched many years ago.
Increase work amongst people through radio and social media. Film - trafficking 3 women to Italy.
No hiding place for perpetrators and need to work together
Panel discussion
Panel opened with UK imperatives to combat human trafficking. Nigerian minister spoke about the issues of Nigeria.
Specialists:
Modern slavery is a cross border issue. Migration issue. Laws outlaw this but legislation is patchy
Traffickers are always one step ahead.
Lack of prosecution and need to collaborate. Difficult to find witnesses. Need to pay attention to legal empowerment.
Support structure is needed.
Push factor for women into slavery - including vulnerability of women. Chad and Nepal etc. Insurgency of Boko Haram that causes a woman's body to become part of the battlefield. Girls are battling against stereotypes and community norms. Issues of patriarchy and the issues of states being held account for fundamental rights.
The world has permission to continue to entrench issues against women because of legislation.
Legal norms are the strongest laws that exist.
Conflict and trafficking of persons
Need to be aware in the disasters that there is a desire for sexual services? Overlooked often by international community.
Anti-Slavery International:. Slavery is about power and exclusion of individuals from power so that's they can be slaved.
Establishing inequality so that they can be enslaved.
Political issue not law enforcement issue.
Progress needs to be a coalition of a government, NGOs and survivors. Challenges include
- Slavery is not illegal.
- Law not implemented.
- Forced child marriage is not called slavery.
We need to call out the systems where women are denied a choice to leave including labour and sex as these are socially sanctioned systems of slavery.
Atrocities come out of a world that is not fighting slavery. Need to introduce systems.
Education is needed to counteract slavery. Girl’s rights. Need to teach these to girls and empower them.
Issue of human rights and advancement of human rights.
ILO - we need to create alternatives for people in the communities.
$150million dollars made from slavery
1 reference point from September.
Need for combined data.
Consumer awareness.
What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?
Fighting poverty and educational needs helps to combat slavery.
Courage to work across agencies is key to combatting slavery.
Providing awareness and speaking about the topics will change cultures and attitudes. Ensuring that we as Salvationists choose to live and buy ethically.