"All forms of slavery are urgent, from the exploitation of women as sex slaves to employing children in unacceptable conditions and for long hours …. the plight of illegal immigrants and what is happening to them is one of the worst forms of slavery affecting the world today."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 10 June 2005

Mauritania lifts ban on anti-slavery group

In a significant move, the Government of Mauritania has finally registered the country's leading anti-slavery organisation, SOS Esclaves.

Despite being internationally recognised and having observer status at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the continent's foremost human rights body, SOS Esclaves has been banned within Mauritania. As a result, it was unable to work openly in the country. Despite this, its activists continued their work against slavery, living under the constant threat of arrest (see April Reporter).

In April, the problem of slavery in Mauritania received prominent attention at the African Commission's 37th session, as did the Government's failure to register human rights organisations. The Commission called on the Government to work in co-operation with NGOs to end slavery in Mauritania, and for the problem of their registration to be overcome.

Less than a month later, the Government registered two leading Mauritanian human rights groups: SOS Esclaves and the Association Mauritanien des Droits de l'Homme, both Anti-Slavery International partners.

New UAE law bans child camel jockeys

The United Arab Emirates has finally passed a law prohibiting the use of under-18s as camel jockeys.

Under the 5 July law, offenders face up to three years in prison and/or a fine of at least 50,000 dirhams (US$13,614). This is a significant step on an issue which has had little movement over the last decade. In May, the Government also signed an agreement with UNICEF pledging US$2.7 million to help the return and reintegration of child camel jockeys in their countries.

It admitted that 3,000 children were being used as camel jockeys, 2,800 of whom are under 10. In April it called on camel owners to release underage jockeys; some have been returned to Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Using children under 15 as camel jockeys has been an offence in the UAE under various laws since 1980. Since then, the Government has failed to implement laws to stop the practice. In the United States' recent 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report, the UAE was dropped to Tier 3, reserved for the worst offenders. It is hoped the new law marks a change in its stand against the abuse.

At least 12 million people are in forced labour ILO says

The International Labour Organization has established that at least 12.3 million people around the world are being forced to work under the threat or use of violence or other sanctions; most are in slavery.

The United Nations body's second report on the subject, A Global Alliance Against Forced Labour, was launched in May. It provides global and regional minimum estimates, showing its main manifestations as: resulting from migration and trafficking; linked to poverty and discrimination; and that which is imposed by the state.

Of the global estimate, the report notes an estimated 56 per cent are women and girls and 44 per cent are men and boys. Of that total, the ILO says at least 2.4 million have been trafficked, generating profits of around US$31.6 billion.

New European law protects trafficked people's rights

On 3 May, the Council of Europe agreed the first international law which specifically protects trafficked people's rights.

The European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings provides all trafficked people with guaranteed minimum standards of protection, whether trafficked into sexual exploitation or forced labour.

This includes at least 30 days to remain in the country to receive emergency medical assistance, safe housing and legal advice.

The Convention was opened for signature and ratification two weeks later. To date, of the Council's 46 members, 15 governments, including Austria, Italy, Portugal and Moldova, have signed. Spain, France and the United Kingdom are among those that have not.

The UK Government feels the Convention "contains measures which we believe may actively encourage people traffickers and may place more vulnerable victims at risk", but it will keep the option of signing under review.

Even though all forms of trafficking are criminal offences in the UK, there are no guaranteed measures to help all people trafficked into the country. The only support that exists is available only to women trafficked into prostitution and prostituted in the UK.

Anti-Slavery International, together with Amnesty International, ECPAT UK, UNICEF and other concerned organisations, will continue to lobby the Government to sign and ratify this important new law.

Niger's leading activists finally freed on bail but charges stand

After nearly two months in prison, Niger's leading anti-slavery activists, Ilguilas Weila and Alassane Biga were released on bail.

In what was their third bail hearing on Friday 17 June, magistrates agreed to bail, noting they did not pose a threat to public order and would not tamper with any evidence, reversing two earlier decisions.

Ilguilas Weila, president of Timidria, Niger's pioneering anti-slavery organisation and 2004 Anti-Slavery Award winner, and his colleague Alassane Biga were arrested on 28 April. They were charged with illegally soliciting funds from Anti-Slavery International. The charges are unfounded and baseless.

Weila and Biga's arrest relates to the planned but failed attempt to free 7,000 slaves in a ceremony in In Atès, a remote area near the Niger-Malian border, in early March (see April Reporter). The activists were initially arrested with four other men, including the mayor of In Atès, accused of propagating false information on slavery. This charge was later dropped and the others were released on 5 May.

Over 30 local organisations and the international human rights organisations Global Rights and Free the Slaves joined Anti-Slavery International's call for the activists' immediate unconditional release. On 19 May, protestors took to the streets in the capital Niamey, in the first rally of its kind, demonstrating against the arrests and calling for an independent and impartial judiciary.

We are continuing to press for the charges against Weila and Biga to be dropped and for the Government to work in co-operation with Timidria to end slavery throughout the country.
You can take action from our website or by contacting Sarah Williams on +44 (0)20 7501 8933

People in power

"I am grieved ... by the fact that some governments are involved in exacting forced labour for political or economic purposes. I therefore lend my force to the proposition .... that forced labour must be punishable as a crime."
Nigerian Minister of Labour and Productivity Dr Hassan Lawal, 9 June 2005

"All states must work together to close down trafficking routes, prosecute and convict traffickers, and protect and reintegrate victims into society. The responsibility does not rest only with developing countries ….. Destination ... countries, like the United States
and other prosperous nations .... also bear a heavy responsibility."
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 3 June 2005

"For any eradication of contemporary slavery to be possible, highly prioritised national and global action plans are needed. Before even that is possible, there needs to be a total acceptance of the situation of modern slavery."
Lord Dholakia, House of Lords debate on slavery, 7 July 2005