Who we are

Anti-Slavery International is the world’s oldest international human rights organisation, founded in 1839 by British abolitionists such as Thomas Clarkson.

Today, Anti-Slavery International is the only British charity exclusively working to eliminate all forms of slavery and slavery like practices throughout the world, including:

• forced labour
• debt bondage
• human trafficking
• descent-based slavery
• worst forms of child labour
• slavery in supply chains
• forced and early marriage
• the exploitation of migrant workers in conditions amounting to slavery

We have consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, participatory status with the Council of Europe and we are a member of the International Labour Organization Special List of NGOs.

For the world free from slavery

We deal with the root causes of slavery and its consequences to achieve sustainable change.

In order to end slavery, we tackle from many angles. On one hand we raise awareness, we campaign, and we directly engage with governments and international organisations.

On the other hand we work in partnership with local organisations. This is critical to understanding the local context and the specific approaches necessary to achieve sustainable change for the victims of slavery.

Alongside our local partners, we support individuals and communities affected by slavery and we facilitate access to education, justice and compensation for people freed from slavery.

“Thanks to the support from Anti-Slavery International I could leave behind being exploited as child domestic worker. Now I’m working to help children like me.”

Angel, from Tanzania

We have been involved in the development of all major laws against slavery, including:

• UN 1926 and 1956 Slavery Conventions
• 1930 ILO Convention 29 on Forced Labour
• 1999 ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour
• 2011 ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Work

With our partners, we can build a world free from slavery. Together, we:

• investigate and expose current cases of slavery
• identify the best ways to stop these abuses and influence policymakers to take action
• press for effective implementation of laws against slavery
• support victims of slavery in their struggle for freedom
• work with individuals and communities vulnerable to slavery to demand respect for their human rights and obtain protection
• work with the private sector to identify and address slavery in global supply chains.