write to your MP

Please write to your MP to draw his/her attention to the opportunity of 2007 to commemorate the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its abolition and to work for the eradication of all contemporary forms of slavery. Please use your own words, as this will have much more impact, and be polite and concise. Enter your postcode into the box, submit, and write your letter in the relevant input box in the new window.

Action - email or write to your MP. It takes just three minutes.

In a debate on slavery in the House of Lords on 7 July 2005, the Government said that 'Whitehall departments will be working together to develop specific proposals for the Government's contribution to the bicentenary, and we welcome ideas on how best to do so.'

In light of this, please choose some of the points listed below to include in a letter to your MP and ask them to raise these points with the Government.

Points to raise with your MP are to urge the Government to:

Measures should be taken to ensure a greater understanding of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, its abolition and the impact it has had on three continents. These should include: making it a requirement to teach the Transatlantic Slave Trade in schools; the establishment of a national slavery memorial day; and other commemorative activities (for example issuing stamps and/or bank notes, building a permanent memorial).
In acknowledging how Britain profited from the slave trade, the Government should support projects that target those countries and communities most affected by its legacies.
The Government should work for universal ratification and full implementation of international standards which prohibit slavery, including the UN Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956; the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2000; and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 29 on Forced Labour and No.182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
The ILO Special Action Programme on Forced Labour should receive extra resources and a high level mechanism within the United Nations should be established to investigate and report on instances of contemporary forms of slavery around the world. This was supported in theory by the Government in the recent debate on slavery in the House of Lords on 7 July 2005.
In the debate on slavery the Government also stated that one of its main aims was to 'ensure that the needs of the poor... including those enslaved, are fully taken into account in [poverty reduction] strategies'. The Government should recognise the close connection between contemporary forms of slavery, poverty and discrimination and to ensure that slavery issues are addressed in all poverty reduction strategies and programmes.

Ask your MP to raise your concerns with Margaret Hodge MBE MP, the Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and say that you look forward to her response.

Please note: If your fax is too similar to others sent previously, you might not be able to send it via this method. If you have problems, click here to see if your MP's email address is listed, and email him or her direct. If all else fails, you can reach all MPs by post at: (MP's name), House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

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