In a welcome move, on 23 March the United Kingdom signed the
Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in
Human Beings and pledged it would ratify this crucial convention.
Anti-Slavery International, our supporters and partners have
been calling on the Government to sign the Convention since
it opened for signature in May 2005.
The Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the Government's
intentions saying "Let the anniversary that we commemorate
today [the abolition of the Slave Trade] lead to ... greater
recognition of slavery in its old and new contexts, and to redressing
the evil imbalance that it continues to create... we reinforce
our commitment to a future in which there can be social justice
and freedom for all."
It is vital the Government ratifies and implements the Convention
as a matter of urgency, as it is the only international law
that provides guaranteed minimum standards of protection for
all trafficked people. This includes at least 30 days to stay
in the country to receive emergency medical assistance, safe
housing, legal advice and temporary residence permits for those
who may be in danger if they return to their country of origin.
Current protection and support services for trafficked men,
women and children are inadequate and there is no specific assistance
available to those trafficked for labour exploitation.
It is equally vital the Government avoids introducing policies
that increase people's vulnerability to trafficking, such as
its proposal for measures that would prevent migrant domestic
workers in abusive situations from changing their employers.
To date, over 30 countries have signed the Convention, seven
have ratified it. Ten ratifications are required for it to enter
into force.
