TOWARDS A COMMON FUTURE
ACHIEVING SDG 8.7 IN THE COMMONWEALTH
Using measurement to illuminate our collective
path to eradicate modern slavery

Front Cover
Representatives of Commonwealth countries
attending the Commonwealth Day service
at Westminster Abbey on March 12, 2007 in
London, England.
Photo credit, Tim Graham/Getty Images

Published by Walk Free Foundation, April 2018.
Copyright © 2018. The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd.
All rights reserved.

CONTENTS
Foreword by Andrew Forrest
Commentary: Towards a Common Future: Achieving SDG 8.7
in the Commonwealth by Professor Yash Pal Ghai
Action to combat modern slavery across the Commonwealth
Executive Summary
Introduction
A Brief Note on Terminology
Forms of Modern Slavery in the Commonwealth
Government Responses to Modern Slavery in the Commonwealth

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6
8
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13
14
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Ratify and ensure the effective implementation of relevantinternational conventions, protocols, and frameworks

18

Criminal justice mechanisms function effectively to prevent
modern slavery — Strengthening law enforcement and criminal
justice responses

20

Survivors of slavery are identified and supported
to exit and remain out of slavery — Putting victims first

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Coordination occurs at the national and regional level,
and governments are held to account for their response

25

Risk factors, such as attitudes, social systems and institutions,that enable modern slavery are addressed

27

Government and business stop sourcing goods and services
produced by forced labour — Eradicating modern slavery
from our economies

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A Call to Action
Current Commonwealth Action
Looking forward to 2030: An agenda for collective action
Appendix 1: Methodology
Appendix 2: Bibliography
Appendix 3: Endnotes

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38
67
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Empowering families economically directly fights trafficking. World Hope International’s(WHI) agriculture program, “Planting Pineapples, Harvesting Hope”, empowers smallholder
farmers with education and economic opportunity in Sierra Leone. Overall, the program aims
to assist smallholder farmers to cultivate commercially-exportable pineapples. This programis estimated to create 2,500 long-term and sustainable agricultural jobs, as well as year-roundincomes for farmers.
Photo credit, Wesley Dean/ Intermotion Media/ World Hope International

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FOREWORD

BY ANDREW FORREST
With a population of 2.4 billion citizens, and a combined
GDP of US$10.4 trillion, the Commonwealth represents
53 nations; a powerhouse of human potential andcapital with the capacity to change the world throughthe enforcement of human rights and scrupulous
governance and values.
But can it, and will it?
Modern slavery is an affront to every value that theCommonwealth stands for. We know from the Global
Estimates of Modern Slavery that some 40.3 million
people are subject to modern slavery, whether throughforced labour or forced marriage. We know that thisproblem disproportionately affects women and girls– females make up more than 70 percent of the total
number of victims. We also know that this problem
affects children in each of our countries, from Australia
to Zambia. The fact that 40.3 million people in the world
are forced to work, sexually exploited, or forced to marryagainst their will should galvanise all of us to do more,
to take strong action and to stand up to ensure future
generations live free.
The time to act is now. The SDG development agenda
and the Commonwealth Summit provide a critical
opportunity for governments to step up and takereal action to address the human rights abuse that ismodern slavery. Greater collaboration, in the form ofpartnerships between governments, civil society, andmost importantly the private sector, is undoubtedly the2

Towards a Common Future

way forward to put an irreversible stop to this crime.
We are all in this fight together.
We know that the political will and commitment tocollaborate and take action exists. In producing thisreport, the Walk Free Foundation was able to identify
many areas where the Commonwealth has shown its
determination in the fight against modern slavery,
including in the language of previous Communiqués
and the 2015 Kigali Declaration.
I also commend the leadership of specific Commonwealthnations. India has nearly halved the number of girls
getting married in the last decade. I promise the Indian
leadership that the most obvious dividend from yourgreat efforts to end slavery in the world will be increasing,markedly increasing, global investment in India.
The UK has shown its global leadership in fighting
modern slavery both through its domestic legislationand policies, but also through doubling its modern
slavery aid budget and encouraging nations to endorse
a Call to Action. Australia will pass a Modern Slavery Act
in 2018, harnessing the role business can play in the fightagainst modern slavery.
However, just as no country is completely immune
to modern slavery, so no government has a perfectresponse. All governments can and must do more
to respond to this issue by strengthening legislation,
providing meaningful protection for victims, andby addressing the factors that enable modern

Flag bearers wave the flags of The Commonwealth outside Westminster Abbey after The Commonwealth
Day Observance on March 11, 2013 in London, England. Commonwealth Day Observance takes place annuallyon the second Monday in March. The theme in 2013 was ‘Opportunity Through Enterprise’.
Photo credit, Indigo/Getty Images

slavery to persist. National governments must also
cooperate with each other. These forms of exploitationtranscend national borders, necessitating a unified andtransnational effort.
In 2018, the Commonwealth is in a unique position totake the reins and confront modern slavery across theglobe. A shared inheritance – language, legal system,
value system, and respect for human dignity – allow
Commonwealth nations to formulate cohesive andformidable responses to these entrenched patterns of
exploitation. With a strong presence in five regions,
Commonwealth nations have a rich knowledge base to
draw upon, to share, and to drive meaningful change.
To support the efforts of Commonwealth governments,
the private sector too must reject old models thatallowed exploitation of vulnerable people to pervade
supply chains. Sadly, as long as there is a willingness
to turn a blind eye, the supply of cheap, exploited
labour will almost always be available. Thus, it is the
responsibility of businesses to insist on labour practices
which are totally free of exploitation.
The Bali Process Business and Government Forum,
convened in August 2017, is a leading example
of regional collaboration between business andgovernment. It aims to tackle modern slavery in the
Indo-Pacific region and is co-chaired by Indonesianbusiness Co-Chair Eddy Sariaatmadja (Chairman of
Emtek) and myself. This forum brings together fromacross 45 countries many influential leaders frombusiness and governments. This is no small feat: thedelegates who attended the forum collectively represent
4.5 billion of the world’s population. The ultimate aim
is to put an end to human trafficking, forced labourand related crimes in the region by devising strong
legislation and policies to drive up business standards,
together with practical and immediate action to protect
those most vulnerable.
The Commonwealth Summit also represents a prime
opportunity to take stock and galvanise our communityof nations to combat modern slavery. It is an opportunity
to bring business into the conversation, to tackle
modern slavery head on and to challenge those thatremain ignorant. This is why we are calling on the
Commonwealth to establish a SDG 8.7 CommonwealthBusiness and Government Forum to support all
Commonwealth nations to take effective action toeliminate modern slavery once and for all.
Government must continue their good work to enforce
legal penalties for offenders. Business, on the other
hand, has the power to create a new normal, in whichbusinesses refuse to look the other away, and rather
demand that their suppliers and partners uphold humanrights. We know that there is no excuse for exploitation.
In collaboration and partnership, the Commonwealth has
the power to strike modern slavery down for good.

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COMMENTARYTOWARDS A COMMON FUTURE:
ACHIEVING SDG 8.7 IN THE COMMONWEALTHBY PROFESSOR YASH PAL GHAI
Chair International Advisory Commission,Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) is closely connected to the recognition andfulfillment of human rights: ending extreme poverty
and inequality, and promoting peace, justice, and strong
institutions. CHRI is delighted to collaborate with the
Walk Free Foundation in demonstrating a clear basis for
Commonwealth Heads of Government’s joint responsibility
to adopt a leading role in the anti-slavery movement.
In the implementation of the SDGs, perhaps the greatest
challenge facing us as states and individuals is ending‘Modern Slavery,’ a broad term that brings together formsof extreme exploitation that is often used interchangeably
with SDG8.7, which also includes child labour. That what
is caught under the concept of Modern Slavery is subject
to regular review: forced labour, organ trafficking, forced
marriage, some forms of child labour, including recruitment
and use of child soldiers is useful. It allows for more flexible
responses to the increasingly sophisticated nature of the
exploitation of the vulnerable.
There is little doubt that ‘Commonwealth values,’ as laidout in the 2013 Charter, are compatible with the SDG8,
and especially SDG 8.7. The Commonwealth’s history,
interwoven with the transatlantic slave trade, rightly
makes modern slavery a politically charged term, posing
a significant challenge. But this should not prevent all ofus, including Commonwealth Heads of Government, fromliving up to our responsibilities.
Any study of the SDGs makes it evident, yet again,that states have consistently reneged on promises
manifested in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of 1948 (reinforcing the United Nations Charterof 1945), and elaborated, in 1966 in two covenants, one
on Civil and Political Rights and the other on Economic
Social and Cultural Rights. Since then other instruments,
international and regional, have been adopted. It is widely
acknowledged that except in the case of a few countries,
most of these instruments have been honored in thebreach. A pattern has developed where promises are madeby states but not kept; it falls to civil society to hold them4

Towards a Common Future

to account for their promises. The story of the SDGs mightwell go the same way; the evidence in the short period
since their adoption does not engender confidence.
It is important to locate SDG 8.7 within the broader
SDG framework. It was intended that the targets within
the SDGs, there are 169 of which 8.7 is one, should be
integrated; reinforcing each other rather than conflicting
as it is believed the SDG’s predecessor, the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) had done. It remains tobe seen how effective this attempt at integration will
be or whether it will go the way of MDGs. The overall
SDG objectives are: elimination of poverty; eliminationof hunger; achievement of good health; achievementof quality education; gender equality; clear water andsanitation; renewable energy; good jobs and economic
growth; industry, innovation, and reduced inequalities;
sustainable cities and communities; responsible
consumption; climate action; life below water; life on land;
peace and justice; and partnering to achieve the goals.
It is clear that some critical SDG targets depend for remedy
on other states. Commonwealth Heads of Government
should therefore prioritise co-operation; the well-off statesshould recognise their responsibility in perpetuating
exploitation, including but not limited to, through businessdemand for cheap labour in supply chains and take steps
to support states to put in place effective measures.
The statement of governments explicitly acknowledges
the importance of civil society to the achievement of theGoals. It is clear that the SDGs cannot be achieved merely
by the action of states alone (important though thatelement is). A shift in social attitudes is needed worldwide,in which exploitation and modern slavery is not tolerated.
For my part I commit CHRI to engaging where we can andconfronting where we must in achievement of the SDGs,
and to standing ready to share our extensive experience
to support any Commonwealth member state in meetingour joint responsibilities to the world’s vulnerable so thatmodern slavery may no longer thrive.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth
Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), in partnership withthe governments of Australia and the UK, held a panel
discussion on “Ending Modern Day Slavery - Achieving
Goal 8.7: Sustainable and inclusive development througheradication of forced labour, ending modern slavery
and human trafficking, and securing the prohibition andelimination of the worst forms of child labour” in September
2017. Panellists included: Miriam Shearman, Deputy
Permanent Representative and Ambassador, UK mission
to the UN; Mr Sanjoy Hazarika, Director, Commonwealth
Human Rights Initiative; Ms Fiona David, Executive Director,
Global Research at the Walk Free Foundation & co-authorof The International Law of Migrant Smuggling and Mr Brian
Iselin, Founder, slavefreetrade.
Photo credit, CHRI

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ACTION TO COMBATMODERN SLAVERY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH
UNITED KINGDOMThe United Kingdom was the first country globally to develop a modern
slavery strategy in 2014 and legislation in 2015 criminalising slavery, servitude,
forced labour and human trafficking. The Modern Slavery Act establishes an
Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, strengthens protections for victimsof these crimes, and requires mandatory reporting for businesses operating in
the UK. The UK’s response is monitored by the Prime Minister’s Taskforce.

BAHAMAS
The Bahamas operates a
National Referral Mechanism
which ensures all victims ofhuman trafficking receive
appropriate services for their
specific circumstances. The
assistance programs available
for victims are wide ranging
and include mental and physicalhealth, reintegration, translation,and case management services.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Witnesses in Trinidad and Tobago aresupported and protected before, during,
and after the court process through thenational witness protection scheme. This
scheme is unique as, given the Island
nation’s size, witnesses anonymity andprotection are ensured through agreements
to move witnesses to the neighbouring
countries such as Jamaica and Barbados
after trials are complete.

GUYANA
Less than half of Commonwealth nations have labourlaws which extend to informal sectors – which leaves
significant room for exploitation to flourish. Guyana
is one nation taking the lead in implementing holistic
labour laws that provide security to all workers,whether foreign or domestic, and across all sectors.

Those in dark grey are current members of the Commonwealth6

Towards a Common Future

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
Victims of human trafficking inSaint Kitts and Nevis have access tocompensation through the Trafficking
in Persons (Prevention) Act.
Through this legislation, victims are
empowered to seek restitution
for lost wages and compensationfor emotional distress and suffering,
and are provided with court andmedical costs.

GHANA
In Ghana, child victims of
exploitation are supported tobe reunited with their families
through the efforts of the
Department of Social Welfare. In
2016, 75 children received family
reunification assistance.

NIGERIA
Research into the social drivers of human trafficking
informs policy and makes more efficient, targeted andsuccessful solutions to exploitation possible in Nigeria.
This important work is completed by the National
Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP) Research Unit.

MALTA
Malta proactively investigates formal
and informal industries to find casesof exploitation that may otherwise go
undetected. In 2016, the large number oflabour inspections conducted (1,159) led thegovernment to hire more labour inspectors.

CYPRUS
Cyprus is among the few nations across the world,and one of only three Commonwealth nations,which acts on exploitation within business supply
chains through the domestic enactment of the
EU Directive 2014/95/EU. This directive requires
the disclosure of non-financial issues, such as
information on human rights within supply chains,by large businesses and public interest businesses.

MALAYSIA
Actors across all stages of the criminal justice process,from police to prosecutors to judges, are provided withtraining on human trafficking identification and otherissues in Malaysia. This holistic training is essential
to improving identification and victim support in thecriminal justice process.

PAPUA NEW GUINEAIn Papua New Guinea, trafficking
was criminalised as a distinct crime
under the amendment to the Criminal
Code in 2013 under section 208C.
The Amendment covers all aspects oftrafficking crimes and includes penalties
of up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

INDIA
India has recently taken steps to strengthen
its response to child exploitation. In 2017, thegovernment ratified two fundamental ILO
Conventions concerning the elimination of childlabour, the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention,
1999 (No. 182). In 2018, UNICEF statistics revealthat India has reduced child marriage by nearly half
by increasing education opportunities for girls andraising awareness of the issue.

PAKISTANIn Pakistan, awareness campaigns on the risks and indicatorsof trafficking and child exploitation have educated vulnerable
communities within the nation. For instance, school children in the
Punjab region benefitted from an awareness campaign on bonded
labour within the brick kiln industry.

KENYA
In 2016, Kenya launched a national referralmechanism and assigned labour attachés to Kenyan
missions in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
and Saudi Arabia to protect citizens employed inthose countries.

AUSTRALIA
From 2018, victims of forced marriage
will be able to access up to 200 daysof support through the Support for
Trafficked Persons Program without
being required to contribute to acriminal investigation or prosecution.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
It is alarming that modern slavery is still widespread and pervasive in today’s society. Some 40.3 million
people were in modern slavery at any given moment in 2016, according to the Alliance 8.7 Global Estimates ofModern Slavery. This is widely believed to be an underestimate.

No country in the world is immune to modern
slavery and all Commonwealth nations face serious
challenges to the liberty of their citizens and thoseresiding within their borders. Those in modern
slavery are bought and sold for sex; forced to labouron fishing vessels, in factories, and on construction
sites; or forced into marry someone they did notconsent to marry. Individuals in modern slaverylack the freedom to refuse or leave a situation ofsevere exploitation. Criminals target children andvulnerable workers, controlling them by charging
extortionate fees, withholding passports and wages,
and threatening deportation or violence. Womenand girls are particularly vulnerable; 71 percentof those in modern slavery are female and are ata greater risk of forced marriage or commercial
sexual exploitation. Modern slavery affects smaller
and developing nations, as well as richer, moredeveloped countries. Driven by organised criminal
networks, limited opportunities for safe migration,high levels of discrimination, and a lack of respectfor human rights, modern slavery holds back socioeconomic development and the achievement of
individuals’ full potential.
‘Towards a Common Future: Achieving SDG 8.7 in
the Commonwealth’ contributes to the achievementof the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG
8.7, as well as SDG 5.3 on forced marriage and SDG
16.2 on human trafficking, provide momentum forthe elimination of modern slavery. In particular, SDG
8.7 calls on all countries to:

Take immediate and effective
measures to end forced labour,
modern slavery, and humantrafficking, as well as child labourin all its forms.
Modern slavery is used in this report as an umbrellaterm to cover all forms of exploitation as outlined by
SDGs 8.7, 5.3 and 16.2.
Three years after the announcement of the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

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Towards a Common Futureserious action by all Commonwealth nations andorganisations to respond to modern slavery in allits forms is well overdue.
The release of this report is to coincide with the 2018
Commonwealth Summit. The theme of the Summit
is ‘Towards a common future’ with specific agenda
items on:»» A more SUSTAINABLE future»» A FAIRER future»» A more SECURE future»» A more PROSPEROUS future

Although each of these themes resonates with theneed to tackle modern slavery, human trafficking is
also explicitly included under ‘A more secure future’,
which stresses that 21st century security threats
are not contained within borders and can only be
addressed by multilateral collaboration.
The Summit takes place seven months after UN
General Assembly week where the UK announced
a series of commitments, including doubling its
aid spending on modern slavery to GBP150 million
and calling on governments to endorse a Call to
Action. The Call to Action requests all governments
to ‘stand together in our commitment to combatting
the exploitation of human beings for the purposesof compelled labour or commercial sex through theuse of force or other forms of coercion, or fraud,
whether we describe this compelled service ashuman trafficking, modern slavery or forced labour.’It outlines six key action areas for governments
to focus upon as well as suggestions to develop
regional and international collaboration.
The SDGs, the Commonwealth Summit, and the Callto Action provide an opportune moment to reflect
on the progress made to respond to modern slavery
across the Commonwealth and to provide an agenda
for action to fully implement the SDGs relating tomodern slavery.
This report will analyse existing Commonwealthresponses to modern slavery, the elimination of which
will not be achieved without the committed action

of government, business, religion, and civil society.
The government, as the primary duty bearer, plays acritical role in developing and implementing the laws,
policies, and programs that prevent and respond tomodern slavery. Drawing on Walk Free Foundation’s
data on government responses, released as part of
the Global Slavery Index (GSI), this report identifies
that Commonwealth nations have taken steps tofulfil this role by ratifying relevant international
conventions, strengthening legislation, providing
support to victims, identifying and responding to
specific risk factors, as well as engaging with business.
However, no government globally has implemented aneffective response to modern slavery and all can takemore action to combat this crime.
This report looks at the unique role that theCommonwealth can play to support member nations
to respond to modern slavery and to meet their
obligations under SDG 8.7. The Commonwealth has ashared legacy and proud history of working together
to support human rights, sharing experiences andresources, and supporting smaller island nations. The
2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Communiqué reiterated the Heads of Government’s
commitment to combatting human trafficking, people
smuggling, and modern-day slavery. It also welcomedefforts to prevent and eliminate child, early, and forced
marriage. The Heads of Government further reaffirmedthat the Commonwealth should bring its member
nations together to create an enabling environment toimplement the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Commonwealth Summit is a critical opportunity
for the Commonwealth to take a lead role to achieve
SDG 8.7 – the eradication of forced labour, modern
slavery, human trafficking, and the worst forms of childlabour. To support this goal, we recommend that theCommonwealth convene a meeting of member states,
establish a Commonwealth Business and Government
Forum, and support member states to endorse the Callto Action and ratify the 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol,
the 2014 Forced Labour Protocol, and the 2011 Domestic
Workers Convention. Through resourcing, sharing of
good practice, and exchange of technical expertise theCommonwealth should also support member states toimplement this ten-point action plan:

STRENGTHENING LEGISLATION
1. Strengthen existing human trafficking and related

legislation to ensure that all forms of exploitation are
criminalised and penalties are appropriately severe.

2. Enact legislation criminalising forced marriage
and raising the legal age of marriage to 18 formen and women.

3. Strengthen national laws to protect labour rights for

all workers, in both the formal and informal economy.

4. Enforce legislation by providing training andresources for law enforcement to effectively
investigate and prosecute modern slavery cases
and by removing barriers to victim participationin the criminal justice system.

PUTTING VICTIMS FIRST
5. Increase identification of, and improve assistancefor, modern slavery victims by providing training tothose who come into contact with potential victims.

6. Ensure survivor voices are included in all aspectsof the response by consulting with victims andproviding avenues for their input.

STRENGTHENING COORDINATION
AND TRANSPARENCY
7. Develop evidence-based national action plansor strategies that promote gender equality.

ADDRESSING RISK FACTORS
8. Conduct regional and national level research on

trends, prevalence, and ‘what works’ to achieve
SDG 8.7. Share findings with Commonwealth andinternational platforms, such as Alliance 8.7.

9. Empower women and girls by providing primaryeducation for all and by supporting community
empowerment initiatives.

ERADICATING MODERN SLAVERY, INCLUDINGFORCED LABOUR AND HUMAN TRAFFICKINGFROM THE ECONOMY
10. Engage with national business and theCommonwealth SDG 8.7 Business and Government
forum to strengthen strategic partnerships withbusiness to tackle modern slavery.

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INTRODUCTION
On 25th September 2015, all countries agreed to aseries of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to
end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity
for all as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.1 The SDGs call for action by all countries
to improve the lives of all people. Governments,
businesses and civil society are now mobilising toachieve these goals by 2030.
The Commonwealth indicated its commitment to attainthe SDGs in the Communiqué released after the mostrecent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting(CHOGM). In 2015, Heads of Government ‘reaffirmed
their commitment to work together to create an enabling
environment to implement the 2030 Agenda in the spiritof global partnership and solidarity’.2 In particular, theCommuniqué highlighted the specific role of the familyof Commonwealth intergovernmental and accredited
bodies, the Commonwealth’s existing work in building
respect for human rights and the law, and its support forsmaller developing nations to ensure that no one is left
behind in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ensuring prosperity for all is intrinsically linked to theeradication of extreme forms of exploitation and humanrights abuses. Consequently, modern-day slavery is
included specifically within the Communiqué and under
three goals within the SDG framework.
Of most relevance is SDG 8.7 which aims to:

Take immediate and effective
measures to eradicate forced
labour, end modern slavery andhuman trafficking and secure theprohibition and elimination of
the worst forms of child labour,
including recruitment and use ofchild soldiers, and by 2025 end childlabour in all its forms3
Also relevant is SDG 5.3, ‘Eliminate all harmful practices,such as child, early and forced marriage and female

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Towards a Common Future

genital mutilation,’ which draws attention to the 15.4
million people in 2016 globally who were victims offorced marriage.4 The vulnerability of children to humantrafficking is highlighted under SDG 16.2, ‘End abuse,
exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against
and torture of children.’Ending modern slavery will also draw on progress
towards related SDGs which focus on climate change(SDG 13, ‘Climate Action’) and urbanisation (SDG 11,‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’). Natural disasters
and climate change create circumstances that are ripefor human traffickers. For example, NGOs in Bangladesh
have observed that people become more vulnerable
when disasters strike due to their newfound poverty,
separation from family members,5 and displacementfrom their homes.6 Similarly, the monsoon season inIndia destroys homes and livelihoods, forcing families
to seek shelter elsewhere, where they are vulnerable
to fraudulent job opportunities from traffickers.7
Commonwealth island nations in the Pacific and
the Caribbean are particularly at risk of the twin
dangers of climate change and human trafficking. In
times of drought in Papua New Guinea, for example,
women and girls may become more vulnerable tobeing sold into marriage or the sex industry.8 Rapid
urbanisation can exacerbate the conditions whichenable trafficking as cities struggle to support the large
influx of new inhabitants, creating situations of poverty,
unemployment,9 and desperation.10
Two years on from the signature of the SDGs, at the UN
General Assembly week in September 2017, the United
Kingdom intensified action towards the achievementof SDG 8.7, announcing it will double its aid spending
on modern slavery to GBP150 million, and by calling
all nations to ‘stand together in our commitment tocombatting the exploitation of human beings for the
purposes of compelled labour or commercial sex throughthe use of force or other forms of coercion, or fraud,
whether we describe this compelled service as humantrafficking, modern slavery or forced labour.’The Call to Action outlines an agenda for government
action:1. Ratify and ensure the effective implementationof relevant international conventions, protocols,and frameworks;

2. Develop and publish national strategies;
3. Strengthen law enforcement and criminal justiceresponses;

4. Put victims first;
5. Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, humantrafficking and the worst forms of child labour
from our economies; and6. Strengthen cooperation regionally andinternationally.

The Commonwealth Summit in April 2018 provides
a prime opportunity to take stock and adopt acomprehensive agenda that drives more effective
responses across the Commonwealth of nations tocombat modern slavery. The theme of the Summit is‘Towards a common future’ with specific agenda items on:»» A more SUSTAINABLE future»» A FAIRER future»» A more SECURE future»» A more PROSPEROUS future
Each of these themes and visions resonates with theneed to tackle modern slavery. The links between
climate change and increased vulnerability to modern
slavery are well known. Strengthening good governance,
respect for human rights and the rule of law canpromote a fairer, freer, future for all members of theCommonwealth, where human rights violations areprevented and access to remedy is guaranteed. A moresecure future enables Commonwealth nations to tackle
organised crimes, such as human trafficking, while
eradicating modern slavery enables a more prosperous
future for all. Gender is critical to any response tomodern slavery; the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery
reveal that of the 40.3 million people in modern slavery
in 2016, 71 percent were women and girls. Gender cuts
across all these themes as represented by the Summit’s
Women’s Forum.
Commonwealth nations are not immune to modern
slavery. Home to 2.4 billion citizens, the Commonwealthincludes some of the world’s largest, smallest, richest andpoorest countries, spanning five regions of the globe.
The issues of modern slavery take many forms across theCommonwealth, including exploitation of migrants in the
UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, trafficking of
women and girls from West African countries to Europe
where they are exploited in the sex industry, trafficking
for forced labour from countries in South East Asia
to Australia and New Zealand, and the exploitation ofchildren in South Asia.

While the problem of modern slavery may bediverse, the Commonwealth has taken some steps torespond. Individual members of the Commonwealthhave strengthened legislation, provided support for
victims of modern slavery, and taken steps to tackle
the root causes of exploitation. Commonwealthintergovernmental and accredited bodies haveestablished projects to raise awareness of human rights,
empower women and girls, tackle child marriage andprovide support and capacity building to smaller anddeveloping nations in the Commonwealth.
However, there remain significant challenges and gaps
in Commonwealth government responses. If the world is
to achieve Target 8.7 by 2030, a multi-faceted responsethat tackles a multitude of factors that make individuals
vulnerable is needed. Strengthening legislation in linewith relevant international conventions, such as the UN
Trafficking Protocol, and building capacities to ensure its
implementation is a crucial first step. National strategies
will help to coordinate a national response and allow
for full transparency of action. Victims are rarely at theforefront of responses to modern slavery – ensuring
victims are protected from exploitation and able toaccess remedies is critical. No single stakeholder is able
to respond alone, therefore engaging with businesses
and civil society and cooperating regionally andinternationally is essential.
The Commonwealth is well placed to add value
to any multi-faceted response to achieve SDG 8.7.
Extending support to all Commonwealth nations byproviding capacity building to strengthen the rule oflaw and respect for human rights is one concrete way
the Commonwealth can assist its members. Further
Commonwealth actions include facilitating collaboration
around data collection
and research, increasing
The Commonwealthresources, creating avenues
is well placed to add to share learning and goodvalue to any multipractice, and monitoring
faceted response toresponses.

achieve SDG 8.7.

This report contains
four chapters. Chapter
one provides an overview of the situation of modern
slavery in the Commonwealth. An analysis of current
Commonwealth government responses to modern
slavery can be found in Chapter two. The third Chapter
steps back from national responses and reviews thework of the Commonwealth to date on combatting
modern slavery. The report concludes by providing
an agenda for collective action. A summary of themethodology used in pulling together the report canbe found in Appendix 1.

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Towards a Common Future

A BRIEF NOTEON TERMINOLOGYThis report reflects the terminology used in Sustainable
Development Goals 8.7 which calls on all nations to:

Take immediate and effective
measures to end forced labour,
modern slavery, and humantrafficking, as well as child labourin all its forms.
Where this report refers to human trafficking andforced labour, these are defined by the 2000 UN
Trafficking Protocol 11 and the 2014 International Labour
Organization’s Protocol on Forced Labour.12

Child exploitation is used to refer to early marriage
and to the worst forms of child labour, as well as thebuying and selling of children, child commercial sexual
exploitation, and the use of child soldiers in armed
conflict, as defined by the Worst Forms of Child Labour
Convention No. 182, 199913 and the 2000 Optional
Protocols to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.14
Modern slavery is used as an umbrella term to refer toall forms of exploitation as described under SDG 8.7, andincludes forced marriage (marriage without consent)
and early marriage (marriage before age 18). It is usedinterchangeably with the SDG 8.7 throughout the report.

WHAT IS MODERN SLAVERY?

MODERN SLAVERY
Trafficking for labourand sexual exploitation

FORCEDLABOUR

Forced labour asa result of forced
marriage

HUMAN
TRAFFICKING(CROSS BORDER &WITHIN A COUNTRY)SLAVERY & SLAVERY
LIKE PRACTICES

Trafficking forslavery and slavery
like practices(INCLUDINGFORCED MARRIAGE)

Shipbreaking, the practiceof dismantling ships at theend of their service life, is ahazardous endeavour that leads
degradation of the environment
and exploitation of a mainly
migrant workforce. Workers often
work long hours in dangerous
conditions with limited pay, often
experiencing injuries or even death.
Photo credit, GMB Akash

Walk Free Foundation

13

FORMS

OF MODERN SLAVERY IN THE COMMONWEALTH
It is alarming that modern slavery is still widespreadand pervasive in today’s society. Some 40.3 million
people were in modern slavery at any given momentin 2016, according to the Alliance 8.7 Global Estimatesof Modern Slavery, produced by the International
Labour Organization and the Walk Free Foundation,in partnership with the International Organization
for Migration.15 This is widely believed to be anunderestimate, while a significant proportion of these
individuals can be found in Commonwealth nations.
Modern slavery occurs in all countries across the globe,
including all Commonwealth nations. Individuals may
be trafficked into the sex industry, bound by debt
bondage in forced labour, treated as a possession in asituation of slavery, or forced to labour under the guiseof marriage. Child exploitation in the Commonwealthincludes forced labour in the garment, cocoa, mining
and fishing industries, the buying and selling ofchildren for sex by tourists, forced marriage, and theuse of children in
drug production andModern slavery occurs
armed conflict.
in all countries acrossthe globe, including all
Commonwealth nations.

Human trafficking in
the Commonwealth isdriven by a complex
network of organised criminal groups, unsafe migrationroutes, and systems that perpetuate inequality anddiscrimination. Responses have traditionally focussed
upon the sex trafficking of women and girls seeking tomigrate from developing to more developed nations,such as the trafficking of Nigerian women to the UK16
or Malaysian women to Australia to work in the sex
industry.17 These individuals are reportedly fleeing
poverty and are tricked or coerced by organised
criminal groups and people smugglers along the way.
While these cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation
do occur, they tell only part of the story. One of theinteresting findings from the Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery is that three out of four victims of forced labour
are exploited in their country of origin, and that 94
percent of victims were exploited in a country that wasin the same income-based regional grouping. This trend
is seen in the Commonwealth through trafficking within
the Caribbean region, with reported cases of womentrafficked from Guyana and Jamaica to neighbouring
nations such as Antigua and Barbuda.18 Trafficking of
Ugandan women and girls to South Africa and the
Middle East have also been reported, with traffickers

14

Towards a Common Futureusing Kenya as a transit point. These individuals often
end up exploited in domestic work or the sex industry.19
The influence of systems that perpetuate inequalityand discrimination against women is highlighted by thefact that 71 percent of those in modern slavery in 2016
were female. Women and girls are more vulnerable tocertain types of exploitation. Of the 4.8 million people inforced sexual exploitation, 99 percent were female. The
domestic work sector, where three quarters of workers
are women, accounted for 24 percent of the 16 million inforced labour. Forced marriage also disproportionately
affects women and girls, representing 88 percent of the
15.4 million people in a forced marriage in 2016. Forced
and early marriage remain significant issues within
the Commonwealth. The prevalence of child marriage
has risen in Latin America and the Caribbean region,20
bucking the global downward trend.21 In Mozambique andSierra Leone, 14 and 13 percent of children are married
before the age of 15 years respectively.22 In Guyana, six
percent of children are married before this age.23
Forced labour also occurs within and across national
borders, includes regular or irregular migration, andaffects wealthy and developed countries as well as
their developing neighbours. For example, Malaysiantraffickers in Papua New Guinea exploit primarily
female labour migrants by luring victims with thepromise of work, providing false documents for travel,
and ultimately trafficking these women into domestic
and sex work industries once they arrive in Papua
New Guinea.24 Typically, these trafficking hotspots are
adjacent to other informal sectors such as logging or
mining camps, farms, and fisheries.25 Forced labour
within the informal sector is also evident in Australia,
the UK and Canada. In Australia, semi-skilled migrant
workers on subclass 457, 417, and student visas (among
others) are particularly at risk of exploitation in theconstruction industry,26 hospitality,27 domestic work,28
and agriculture.29 There have been recent cases inAustralia’s fruit picking sector where employers have
exploited migrant labourers from countries including
Malaysia,30 Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga,31 and Myanmar.32
Employers have reportedly paid their workers as little
as AU$4.60 per hour or withheld wages, provided
inadequate food and overcrowded lodgings, and issued
threats and abuse.33 In the UK, there have been reported
cases of modern slavery of migrant workers andcitizens in nail bars,34 car washes,35 and in the pavingof driveways. Recently, a family of 11 were sentenced tojail for targeting individuals who were homeless or had

learning disabilities and forcing them to work for thefamily’s tarmacking business. They were kept captive
in caravans without running water or toilet facilities.36
Individuals at most risk in Canada are those who aresocially or economically disadvantaged, such as someAboriginal women, youth and children, migrants andnew immigrants, teenage runaways, and children inprotection.37 The Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker
Program leaves migrant workers vulnerable to labour
exploitation.38 Unscrupulous employers reportedly takeadvantage of workers’ fears of losing their jobs and visas
by deducting exorbitant sums from their wages to cover
expenses such as rent.39
Violent conflict greatly exacerbates the vulnerabilityof civilian populations to modern slavery, particularlyof those fleeing conflict. In Bangladesh, Rohingya
refugees who have fled Myanmar are vulnerable tohuman trafficking and exploitation, with reports thatmen, women and children are being recruited with false
promises of paid work in fishing, begging and domestic

work. Some report being forced into sex work, or areforced to work long hours, abused, and not able to leave
their work premises or contact their family.40 Women andgirls are particularly vulnerable where forced marriage
and sexual slavery has been used as a tactic in warfare in
Nigeria and other countries.41
Child exploitation takes many forms in Commonwealthcountries, including the use of child soldiers in armed
forces in Nigeria42 and in non-state armed groups in India
and Pakistan.43 Child commercial sexual exploitation, thatis the buying and selling of children under the age of 18
for sex, occurs across the Commonwealth. In particular,countries in the Caribbean experience high levels of sex
tourism, where demand has created a trade in children
for tourists from North America and Europe. Children
are exploited at work throughout the Commonwealth,from fishing boats on the coast of Lake Volta in Ghana,44
to Cameroonian gold mines,45 in Bangladesh’s garment
industry,46 and in cannabis farms in the UK.47

Extreme violence in Myanmar has forced Rohingya families to flee the state. More than 700,000 Rohingya people, including over 1,400
unaccompanied children, have fled across the border into Bangladesh since August 2017. There have been reports that individuals have been
approached by traffickers with fraudulent job offers while some have been exploited in fishing, begging, and domestic work. The influx of refugees
is expected to continue.
Photo credit, GMB Akash

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15

GOVERNMENTRESPONSES TO MODERN SLAVERY IN THE COMMONWEALTH
The scale and complexity of modern slavery means that
immediate action is required, and that collaboration willbe crucial to ensure its eventual elimination. As a diverse
set of nations in terms of geography, size and resources,
but with a shared inheritance of language and legal
system, the Commonwealth is well positioned to takecollaborative action in the fight against modern slavery.
States and governments are the primary duty bearersof the rights of citizens and migrants living within its
borders. The government is the key driver of legislativeand policy change to ensure that these rights arerespected, protected and fulfilled. Those in modern
slavery, or at risk of modern slavery, are some of themost vulnerable populations and therefore require a
specific response to ensure that their rights are fully
protected, respected and realised.

Drawing on international human rights standards
outlined in international law and situational crime
prevention theory the Walk Free Foundation has
developed a conceptual framework of what constitutes
a strong response to modern slavery. This evolving
framework identifies five milestones that should beachieved to ensure that the rights of those in, and at
risk of, modern slavery are fully protected. Since 2014,
data has been collected against these five milestones in
preparation for the release of each Global Slavery Index:

1. Survivors of slavery are identified and supported
to exit and remain out of slavery;

2. Criminal justice mechanisms function effectively
to prevent modern slavery;

3. Coordination occurs at the national and regional
level, and governments are held to account for
their response;

4. Risk factors, such as attitudes, social systems
and institutions, that enable modern slavery
are addressed; and5. Government and business stop sourcing goods
and services produced by forced labour.

These five milestones align with the Call to Action,
released during UN General Assembly week in 2017.
Within the Call are six key action areas which individual
governments are encouraged to take in order to meettheir obligations under SDG 8.7:

1. Ratify international conventions;
2. Develop and publish national strategies;
3. Strengthen law enforcement and criminal
justice responses;

4. Put victims first;
5. Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, humantrafficking, and the worst forms of child labour fromour economies; and6. Strengthen cooperation regionally andinternationally.

Photo from the Pipeline photo essay series. The Nigerian
women in these photographs are working as sex workers in
the countryside of Italy, having had passports confiscatedand with families back home under threat. Some are bothliving and conducting their work on the sides of roads or infields. They are vulnerable to arrest for soliciting.
Photo credit, Elena Perlino

16

Towards a Common FutureTable 1 summarises how these action areas map onto
the Walk Free Foundation government response
conceptual framework.

Table 1:	Mapping of the Call to Action
to the Walk Free Foundation
Conceptual Framework

Walk Free Foundation Conceptual Framework

Call to Action
1 (iv) Put victims firstMilestone 1:
Survivors of slavery are identified and supported
to exit and remain out of slavery

2 (vi) Ensure that victims can access the restorative
support they need
1 (iv) Ratify international conventions

Milestone 2:
Criminal justice mechanisms function effectively
to prevent modern slavery

1 (iii) Strengthen law enforcement and criminal
justice responses
2 (iv) Enhance international cooperation on law
enforcement
1 (ii) Develop and publish national strategies
1 (vi) Strengthen cooperation regionally andinternationally

Milestone 3:
Coordination occurs at the national and regional
level, and governments are held to account for
their response

2 Call for enhanced international cooperation
3 Commit to assess our progress towards
the achievement of these aims in a transparent
manner1 (v) Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery,
human trafficking, and the worst forms ofchild labour from our economies

Milestone 4:
Risk factors, such as attitudes, social systems
and institutions, that enable modern slavery
are addressed

2 (ii) Build the evidence base
2 (v) Reduce the drivers of forced labour, modern
slavery, human trafficking and the worst
forms of child labour and protect the mostvulnerable

Milestone 5:
Government and business stop sourcing goods andservices produced by forced labour.

See Appendix 1 for a more detailed breakdown of thismapping and Walk Free Foundation’s data collection
processes.
In order to produce this report, the Walk Free Foundation
reviewed legislative and policy responses across all 53
Commonwealth countries. This review is based upon datacollected against the Walk Free Foundation’s conceptual

1 (v) Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery,
human trafficking, and the worst forms ofchild labour from our economies

framework of a strong government response to modern
slavery and mapped to the UK Government’s Call to
Action. This chapter outlines Commonwealth government
responses and provides a detailed analysis of current
action under each of the milestones of the government
response conceptual framework and ‘action areas’ of theCall to Action.

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17

RATIFY AND ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF RELEVANT
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, PROTOCOLS, AND FRAMEWORKS
Commonwealth nations have highlighted their political
will to combat modern slavery in all its forms by ratifying
relevant international conventions. Ratifying international
conventions, and translating this into domestic legislation,
creates a normative framework for the promotion andprotection of human rights. Approximately 79 percent
of all Commonwealth nations (n=42) have ratified or
acceded to the UN Trafficking Protocol.48 Forty-eight
countries (92 percent) have ratified or acceded to the
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention ILO, No. 182(1999) and 46 (89 percent) have ratified the Abolition ofForced Labour Convention ILO, No. 105 (1957). Looking
at the regional level, all Commonwealth nations in theAmericas have ratified the UN Trafficking Protocol,
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, and the Worst
forms of Child Labour Convention. Few Commonwealthcountries have ratified the 2014 ILO Forced Labour
Protocol, which outlines an agenda for action against
forced labour, including that all workers in all sectors areprotected by legislation and that labour inspections are
regularly conducted.49 At the time of writing, the 2014
Protocol was in force in two Commonwealth countries,

and will enter into force in a further two countries later in
2018. Further, only four countries in the Commonwealthhave ratified the Domestic Workers Convention ILO, No.
189,50 which provides protections for domestic workers
who are often hidden from sight and extremely vulnerable
to exploitation.
Almost all Commonwealth nations have entirely dualist
legal systems51 and simply ratifying a Convention will not
create binding legal obligations upon the State until theConvention is transposed into domestic law. Of the 42
nations which have ratified the UN Trafficking Protocol,
36 have incorporated the Convention into domestic
legislation. A further seven nations have not ratified theProtocol but have included a trafficking provision in theirdomestic legislation.
As a priority, the remaining 11 Commonwealth nations
should ratify the 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol. All
Commonwealth nations should strengthen protections forworkers by ratifying the 2014 Forced Labour Protocol andthe 2011 Domestic Workers Convention.

TABLE 2: Relevant international Conventions by
number of Commonwealth ratifications

International Convention

18

Number ofCommonwealth
ratifications

Slavery Convention (1926)

31

Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, andInstitutions and Practices Similar to Slavery (1956)

34

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially
Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organised Crime (2000) (UN Trafficking Protocol)

42

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, ILO No. 105 (1957)

47

Domestic Workers Convention, ILO No. 189 (2011)

4

Worst Forms of Child Labour ILO No. 182 (1999)

49

Optional Protocol to the Convention on Rights of the Child on the
involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2000)

41

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale ofChildren, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography (2000)

39

International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All MigrantWorkers and Members of Their Families (1990)

13

Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, P029 (1930)

2

Towards a Common FutureParticipants of the 11th edition of
the International Roots Festival on
11 May 2014 in Banjul, Gambia. The
festival aims to educate people
about African culture and history.
Photo credit, Dominik Skurzak/
Gallo Images/Getty Images.

Walk Free Foundation

19

CRIMINAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY TO PREVENT MODERNSLAVERY—STRENGTHENING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSES
National modern slavery legislation

FIGURE 1:
Number of Commonwealthcountries by type of nationalmodern slavery legislation

Child commercial sexual exploitation

28/53

Use of children in armed conﬂict

5/53

Forced marriage

13/53

Forced labour

32/53

Slavery

27/53

Traﬃcking

43/53

Currently, the forms of exploitation described under
SDG 8.7 are high-profit, low risk crimes with few
convictions globally in proportion to the number ofsuspected cases.52 Across the Commonwealth, therequirement to strengthen legislation has been the oneof the most actively implemented set of measures to
respond to modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In Belize, the legislative framework wasstrengthened to reflect international
best practice through the Trafficking in Persons(Prohibition) Act 2013. The new law is fully inline with the UN Trafficking Protocol, andcreated the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council,
a body with a broad remit to update and create
policy to protect victims.53
Within domestic frameworks, approximately 81 percent
of Commonwealth nations (n=43) have effectively
criminalised against human trafficking in line with the
UN Trafficking Protocol. This means that trafficking
provisions cover men, women and children, include a listof actions, means and purpose within the descriptionof the offence, and do not require the movement acrossborders for the crime of trafficking to have occurred.
A further 32 countries, or 60 percent, have included
criminal penalties for forced labour offences and 27
have criminalised slavery, including the concept ofownership or possession. Looking at specific regions,
within the Asia and Pacific regions, national laws
are among the strongest in the Commonwealth, andcapture many forms of exploitation including human20

Towards a Common Future

trafficking, slavery, forced labour, and child prostitution.
Beyond the UN Trafficking Protocol, only five countries
in the Commonwealth have criminalised forced
marriage; given the prevalence of forced marriage, thismust also be criminalised to comprehensively defend
against exploitation.
The dedication to eradicating human trafficking andrelated offences is, however, seriously undermined by
the fact that 57 percent of Commonwealth nations(n=30) have disproportionate legislative penalties
applicable to modern slavery offences, whether they belenient in the form of fines, or inhumane, through theavailability of capital punishment as a penalty. Examining
the African region reveals that many Commonwealthnations have strong legislative frameworks in place,
however, these are undermined by disproportionate
penalties – over 70 per cent have penalties which areeither overly harsh or lenient. Issuing fines for modern
slavery offences undermines the seriousness of theseoffences and lessens the impact of the law to act asa deterrent. Likewise, in the modern Commonwealth,capital punishment cannot be accepted.
In practice, the existence of legislation in most
Commonwealth countries’ statute books is not in itself
sufficient to combat criminal activity. Convictions with
sufficiently stringent sentencing are critical to deter
would-be perpetrators. Without sufficient training forcriminal justice actors, attaining a successful conviction
will remain elusive. Within the Commonwealth, 51
percent, or 27 nations have provided training for judges
and prosecutors at least once since 2012. These trainings
have incorporated human trafficking and related
legislation, victim needs in the court room, and basic
international legal standards in modern slavery cases.

Law enforcement response

FIGURE 2:
 umber of CommonwealthNcountries by type of law
enforcement response

Training for prosecutors

27/53

Training for judges

27/53

SOPs for police

9/53

Training for general police

44/53

Special police units

35/53

Essential to any criminal justice response is the trainingof police and the establishment of specialised teams
to conduct investigations. An impressive 83 percent
of Commonwealth nations (n=44) have trained frontline law enforcement on human trafficking crimes
and victim identification at least once since 2012.
Further, over 66 percent of Commonwealth nations(n=35) have a specialised anti-trafficking police
unit with a mandate to conduct investigations intomodern slavery. Yet, 34 percent of these units (n=12)
are not adequately resourced to effectively combat
human trafficking, and less than 17 percent (n=9) havestandard operating procedures (SOPs) to systematicallyinvestigate trafficking crimes. Regarding the Americas
region, training for police on victim identification iscommon across Commonwealth countries, however,approximately half of these nations have specialised
police units to tackle human trafficking, and only 15
per cent have SOPs to guide police in such cases. Fully
resourced and well-trained police are essential for law
enforcement to be able to disrupt criminal activity.
Australia, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Ghana, Jamaica, Malaysia,
South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United
Kingdom are the few Commonwealth nations globallywhich have systemised the investigation into humantrafficking crimes by developing SOPs.

Often undermining any government response to modern
slavery is public corruption in modern slavery offences.
Commonwealth nations have targeted complicity of
government officials; over 90 percent of Commonwealthnations have laws which criminalise public corruption(n=48). However, despite this strong response by black
letter law, 38 percent of Commonwealth nations (n=20)
have allegedly taken limited action to investigate casesof official complicity in modern slavery cases. Aroundthe Commonwealth there have been reports of police
and immigration officials facilitating these crimes
by taking bribes to turn a blind eye, as well active
engagement in trafficking networks by government
officials. Corruption greatly weakens the collective
strength of the government’s response against thesecrimes and must be tackled head on in order to combat
modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLEIn Malaysia, actors across all stages of
the criminal justice process, from police
to prosecutors to judges, are provided withtraining on human trafficking identification andother issues. This holistic training is essential to
improving identification and victim support inthe criminal justice process.

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21

SURVIVORS OF SLAVERY ARE IDENTIFIED AND SUPPORTED
TO EXIT AND REMAIN OUT OF SLAVERY — PUTTING VICTIMS FIRST
Training first responders to identify victims

FIGURE 3: 
Number of Commonwealthcountries providing training
for first responders to identify
victims by training recipient

Non-regulatory ﬁrst responders

26/53

Regulatory ﬁrst responders

35/53

Front line police

44/53

The identification of victims of modern slavery andsupporting these individuals to exit exploitative
situations should be at the forefront of any government
response. Training for those who may come into contact
with potential victims is the first step to break the cycleof exploitation.
Based on our assessment of Commonwealth government
responses, 44 Commonwealth countries (83 percent)have taken action to raise awareness and train law
enforcement, which strengthens law enforcement
officers’ capacity to identify, protect, and support modern
slavery victims. A further 35 countries (66 percent) havetrained regulatory first responders, such as immigration
officials, border guards and labour inspectors, while 26
Commonwealth nations (49 percent) have extended
training to non-government first responders who arelikely to come into contact with victims, such as teachers,
doctors, nurses, social workers, and employees in the
tourism sector.
However, the identification of victims remains low acrossthe globe. Despite the existence of 40.3 million people
in modern slavery at any given moment in 2016,54 only
62,251 victims were detected between 2012 and 2014.55
More needs to be done globally and in Commonwealthcountries to increase the number of victims identified.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In Uganda, children formerly abducted
into armed conflict benefit from
community-based projects where local counsellors
provide therapy for former child soldiers.56

22

Towards a Common Future

Commonwealth nations have made concerted efforts
to provide services to modern slavery victims; over 81
percent of nations (n=43) have some form of victim
support services available to some victims, whether
by contributing to non-government organisationsor through fully state-run services. Gaps remain: 15
countries, or 28 percent, do not provide services for all
victims, with specific services for men and children being
the most commonly reported gap. Thirty-three countries(62 percent) provide physical and mental healthservices, yet only 30 percent of nations (n=16) include
longer-term support and reintegration programs, suchas the provision of financial and housing aid, vocational
training, or education programs.
The importance of mental health services and longerterm support are well documented. Victims of humantrafficking often suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, the effects ofwhich remain with victims for months, even years, after
their experiences.57 To break the cycle of exploitation,
Commonwealth nations should endeavour to provide
longer-term support to all victims of modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In Bangladesh, the regions of Jessore
and Satkhira were provided with aholistic program in 2014 that aimed tostrengthen the Government’s health and welfare
services that were available to trafficking
survivors. Through the provision of financial
support, training, and awareness raising, theproject successfully increased the capacity of
the Government to provide improved healthservices for victims.58

Victim support services

FIGURE 4:
 umber of CommonwealthNcountries providing victim
support services by typeof service

Training on providing victim services

15/53

Longer term reintegration support

15/53

Mental or physical health services

33/53

Any victim support services

43/53

These figures hide some regional differences. All
Commonwealth nations in Africa, for example, offersome kind of support service to victims of modern
slavery, however 32 percent of these nations do nothave services tailored to meet the unique needs of childvictims. Similarly, almost all nations in the Americas
provide immediate assistance to these victims such as
shelters, food, and medical assistance — yet gaps exist
in the provision of longer-term reintegration-orientatedservices. Although governments have funded victim
services across Asia and the Pacific, fewer nations haveprovided training to first responders such as labour
inspectors, border guards, immigration, doctors, nurses,
teachers, and social workers. Across Europe, victims areprovided with services, including government-funded
shelters and health services, but options to remain arelimited to an initial reflection period and are often tied toparticipation in court cases.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
Cyprus provides several mechanisms
to allow adult victims to access justice,including free legal services and witness
protection mechanisms inside and outside
the court room, under Law 95(I)2001 on
Protection of Witnesses.59

Many victims who wish to pursue a criminal courtcase may wish to receive compensation to recognise
the loss, suffering or injury they have received as aresult of their exploitation, or to compensate for theloss of wages. Victims of these crimes should also beable to access justice and feel protected during thecourt case. Commonwealth nations have tended towork toward this goal by recognising within their legal
frameworks the right of victims of modern slavery toaccess compensation and restitution; 74 percent (n=39)
of the Commonwealth has a compensation scheme inplace where victims are able to receive compensation
or restitution. Access to compensation is essential

Access to justice mechanisms

FIGURE 5:
 umber of CommonwealthNcountries providing accessto justice by type of mechanism

Longer-term reintegration support should include
visas which recognise the humanitarian needs ofvictims of modern slavery. For many, returning totheir country of origin is not an option, given the
difficulties associated with reintegrating with family
and community post-exploitation, particularly for thosethat experienced commercial sexual exploitation. Tying
visas to participation in court proceedings places undue
pressure on victims who may not wish to participate but
may also not be able to return to their country of origin.
Nineteen percent of Commonwealth countries (n=10)
have ensured visas are not dependent on participation
in a court case to date; however more countries should
strengthen legal provisions to ensure that victims are
not penalised for not wishing to pursue a conviction.

Witness protection outside the court room

23/53

Witness protection inside the court room

21/53

Child-friendly processes

27/53

Free legal aid

22/53

Compensation scheme

39/53

Visas not dependent on court participation

10/53

Walk Free Foundation

23

for victims of modern slavery, as is access to civil
mechanisms of redress.
Equally essential is the provision of legal aid,
protection measures inside and outside the court
room for witnesses and victims, and the guarantee
in law that victims are not to be treated as criminals
for crimes they were compelled to commit directly
due to their exploitation. Currently, 42 percent (n=22)
of Commonwealth nations provide free legal aid totrafficking victims and 51 percent (n=27) provide childfriendly judicial processes, including admission ofvideo testimonies, training of judges in child friendly
questioning, and the provision of a support person or
guardian for child victims. Witness protection programs

Cyprus, 2015. Laura (name changed), a young girl from Central
Africa is looking out onto her balcony. The transitional housing forsurvivors of trafficking offers long term accommodation for womenand men who need a place to recover and heal until they are able
to integrate back into society.
Photo credit, Maren Wickwire

24

Towards a Common Future

exist both inside the court room (n=21) through theprovision of video testimony and protection fromperpetrators, and outside the court room (n=23)
through witness relocation programs. These areimportant efforts, but more can be done to strengthen
access to justice for all victims of modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In 2016, Kenya launched a nationalreferral mechanism and assigned labour
attachés to Kenyan missions in Qatar, the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia toprotect citizens employed in those countries.60

COORDINATION OCCURS AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL,AND GOVERNMENTS ARE HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR RESPONSE
Multilateral and bilateral collaboration

FIGURE 6: 
Number of Commonwealthcountries by national
coordination mechanism

Independent Rapporteur or Commissioner

2/53

Regular reporting against the NAP

7/53

National Coordination Body

29/53

National Action Plan (NAP)

29/53

DEVELOPING AND PUBLISHINGNATIONAL STRATEGIES
Just over half of the Commonwealth (n=29) havecurrent national strategies to combat combat formsof exploitation described under SDG 8.7. These 29
countries implement and publish national action plans
which set out the government strategy to identify
and provide protection for victims, investigate andprosecute perpetrators, carry out activities to disrupt
criminal networks and bolster vulnerable groups, andprovide mechanisms to establish key partnerships with
relevant government and non-government stakeholders.
Good example plans have identified specific roles
and responsibilities for relevant groups, including
government ministries, first responders such as police,
immigration officials and labour inspectors, the private
sector, and civil society. The most successful of theseplans have corresponding fully itemised budgets with aclear indication of how these will be funded.
A national action plan is an important tool for coordinating
a governments’ response and ensuring that all relevant
stakeholders are involved in combatting exploitation. A
national coordination body facilitates this collaborationand the drafting of national strategies. Twenty-nine
Commonwealth nations have functioning coordination
bodies. A coordination body should be a national, crossgovernment, multi-stakeholder body that is involved in thedrafting of national action plans and strategies, and thenmeets regularly to monitor its implementation. Looking
at the African region in particular, most Commonwealthcountries have national strategies (11 out of 19
Commonwealth nations) or a national coordination body
(13 out of 19 Commonwealth nations).
At the global level, only 21 Commonwealth nations —Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Canada, Cyprus, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Kenya,
Malaysia, Malta, Nigeria, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri

Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania and Uganda — have taken
further steps. All of these nations have national actionplans and a coordination body to monitor the national
response to modern slavery. Seven nations (Antigua
and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus,
Jamaica and the United Kingdom) have programs toactively monitor and report against national strategies
and draw upon the findings of these monitoring reports
in the design of future strategies. Two countries,
Jamaica and the United Kingdom, have an independent
rapporteur or commissioner. Monitoring mechanisms
such as regular reporting and a Commissioner ensuretransparency of government action; all Commonwealthcountries should endeavour to establish a multistakeholder national strategy, as well as these reportingand monitoring mechanisms.

STRENGTHENING REGIONALAND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Modern slavery is a complex crime that no one nation
can resolve working alone. Central to any response isregional and international cooperation. More specifically,
the flow of trafficked persons throughout theCommonwealth requires better migration governanceand bilateral cooperation in terms of labour migration
and repatriation agreements.
All Commonwealth nations are part of nonCommonwealth regional bodies which take action onmodern slavery. Twenty-four Commonwealth countries(45 percent) have bilateral agreements between sourceand destination countries, agreeing to collaborate
on human trafficking and related issues. Twenty-fivecountries (47 percent) have agreements specificallycovering repatriation of victims. Many individuals who
become vulnerable to exploitation are often migrants
looking for work overseas. It is therefore promising that
14 Commonwealth nations have in labour agreements

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that specifically include protections for workers fromhuman trafficking. Commonwealth nations such as
Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Cyprus, India, Lesotho,
Malaysia and South Africa have taken steps to establish
a full range of bilateral and multilateral agreements to
respond to all forms of modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In 2015, South Africa and Lesotho
signed a labour migration agreement
which provided protections for Basotho workers
in South Africa in the formal and informal
sectors, including domestic work. The
agreement required these Governments to takeessential steps to minimise the risk of
trafficking, such as providing long-term work
permits and making it a requirement that
employment contracts are written and signed,among other protections.62

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
In Bangladesh, a 2012 labour migrationagreement with Jordan, a nation outside
the Commonwealth, ensures that female domestic
workers have protection when they migrate. The
agreement sets clear, coordinating strategies tominimise the risk of human trafficking byimplementing procedures for legal recruitment.
These procedures include ensuring that employees
do not pay recruitment fees, are paid directly into
their bank accounts, and are given other social
protection measures such as life insurance.61

FIGURE 7: Multilateral and bilateral collaboration

Number of Commonwealthcountries by type ofmultilateral and bilateralcollaboration

26

Regarding regional responses, as is typical for
Commonwealth countries, all nations within the
Asia and Pacific, Africa, and Americas regions haveparticipated in regional responses against modern
slavery. Yet, there is a gap in the Asia Pacific region’s
response regarding bilateral cooperation, such as
collaboration on human trafficking issues, and labour
migration and repatriation agreements. Coordinatedaction through these measures would enhance
the region’s efforts against transnational forms of
exploitation. Likewise, protection to African victims
exploited abroad could be expanded by increasing
labour migration agreements between African nations.

Bilateral labour agreements

14/53

Repatriation agreements

25/53

Country collaboration on human traﬃcking

24/53

Membership of a regional body

53/53

Towards a Common Future

RISK FACTORS, SUCH AS ATTITUDES, SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS,THAT ENABLE MODERN SLAVERY ARE ADDRESSEDBUILDING THE EVIDENCE BASE
NATIONAL EXAMPLE
One promising example of a prevalence
study measuring exploitation is theapproach by the United Kingdom. In 2014, theGovernment estimated that there were between
10,000 and 13,000 modern slavery victims in
the UK.63 This has been used to inform policy
and subsequent studies, such as the Global
Slavery Index.
Any response to modern slavery must also tackle thedrivers of exploitation. Research into these forms of
exploitation has indicated that key drivers include poor
governance, high levels of discrimination, limited respectfor human rights of minorities and immigrants, andconflict.64 While the identification of risk factors, and how
they intersect, is improving, further data-gathering andsharing is required.
Research helps to inform evidence-based policy,
allowing governments to target activities and resources
towards the most vulnerable. Twelve countries in the
Commonwealth currently conduct research on modern
slavery in order to develop more effective policy
responses and interventions. Fewer Commonwealthnations have funded or otherwise facilitated research
into the prevalence of modern slavery within theirborders (8 percent). The three Commonwealthgovernments in Europe (Cyprus, Malta and the UK) havetaken steps to research the driving forces, risks andresponses to modern slavery within their countries. This
research is vital – however to develop a clearer idea ofthe scale of the issue, more nations within the region andthe wider Commonwealth should conduct prevalence
studies into the size and nature of the issue.

Although Commonwealth governments are beginningto conduct research to develop evidence-based policy,
more governments have been proactive in raisingawareness and improving the understanding of thespecific risks associated with modern slavery. Forty
governments (75 percent) have implemented a raisingawareness campaign since 2012 which targeted a specificvulnerable group or aimed to increase understanding
among the general public on how to identify and reportsuspected cases of exploitation. However, a study into
raising awareness campaigns in Europe found that few
conclusions about effectiveness could be drawn given
poor campaign design and use of measurement tools.66
A next step to maximise the impact of these campaigns
is to strengthen monitoring and evaluation by conducting
baseline and follow up surveys.
Strengthening monitoring and evaluation of government
policy is essential to determine what works to eradicate
modern slavery, and to target resources accordingly.
Central to this is the dissemination of current policy
responses and research findings, and the sharing oflessons learnt. There are multiple platforms which
already exist to share information. The International
Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Polaris has a
Global Data Repository on Human Trafficking;67 Freedom
Collaborative, established by Liberty Asia and ChabDai, is a community-based platform to bring together
stakeholders from around the world;68 while United
Nations University will launch an Alliance 8.7 Knowledge
Platform in 2018/9 to host existing research andknowledge on risk and vulnerability factors and on theeffectiveness of prevention and response interventions inorder to generate research, policy, and practice impact.69

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
Research into the social drivers ofmodern slavery informs policy andmakes more efficient, targeted and successful
solutions to exploitation possible in Nigeria.
This important work is completed by the
National Agency for the Prohibition of
Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Research Unit.65

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THE IMPORTANCE OF GENDER
The Global Estimates of Modern Slavery revealed acritical gender dimension to modern slavery – of those inmodern slavery in 2016, 71 percent were female. Gender,
and women’s rights in particular, must therefore be at
the centre of any government’s response to modern
slavery, including in national strategies.
Commonwealth nations have not shied away from thistask and programs already exist to empower womenand girls in order to reduce their vulnerability. For
example, in India, child marriage rates have nearly
halved in a decade, mainly as a result of better accessto education for women and girls, and due to increased
public awareness and understanding of the negative
impact of child marriage.70 One specific project was
implemented in Bihar, India, where the PRACHAR
program aimed to reduce child marriage by providing
education, awareness raising, training for non-government
service providers, and medical support through greater
access to and understanding of contraception. After
three years of project implementation, it was foundthat by strengthening these protective factors, women
who benefitted from the program were, on average,
married 2.6 years later than women who did not.71
Further, a non-conditional cash transfer program in
Malawi highlighted the importance of cash transfers toincrease school attendance and prevent child labour.
Reports from one program found that when compared
to children who did not receive the cash transfer, children
were five percent more likely to be enrolled in school,
have fewer absences, and were ten percent less likely
to work outside the home.72 Finally, in the Gambia andother non-Commonwealth countries, the Tostan programis a robustly-evaluated program that uses a community

28

Towards a Common Futureempowerment model to bring about sustainable
development and social transformation based on respectfor human rights. The program has been found to increase
respect for human rights, empower women and girls,
and reduce rates of female-genital mutilation and childmarriage.73 Much can be learnt from existing community
empowerment programs, cash transfers and the use of
education in order to eradicate modern slavery.

STRENGTHENING SAFETY NETS
Often those vulnerable to modern slavery are those
who are fall through the cracks, unable to access theirfull rights. Addressing the risk factors of modern slavery
must include protection mechanisms such as safety nets
and social protection floors. Safety nets to support themost vulnerable do exist across the Commonwealth,with universal birth registration in 13 Commonwealthcountries and universal primary education in a further 29.
Strengthening these protection mechanisms will reducethe vulnerability of these groups to modern slavery.

NATIONAL EXAMPLE
Reducing child labour and exploitationin the tobacco sector in Urambo,
Tanzania is one aim of two programs thatprovided social protection to at-risk children andcapacity building for communities. Other
features of the project included reintegrationand education services. By project end,
awareness into child labour on local tobacco
farms was raised among communities in the
Urambo district.74

GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS STOP SOURCING GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCEDBY FORCED LABOUR — ERADICATING MODERN SLAVERY FROM OUR ECONOMIESFIGURE 8:
 umber of CommonwealthNcountries by type of policy
tackling forced labour in the
global economy

Policies tackling forced labour in the global economy
Sector- speciﬁc initiatives

2/53

Mandatory reporting requirements for business

3/53

Public procurement policies

3/53

Public procurement guidelines

1/53

Globally, there has been increased recognition of the rolethat the private sector can and should play in combatting
modern slavery. In 2016, approximately 16 million
people were in forced labour in the private economy in2016,75 however, Commonwealth actions to engage withbusiness have to date been limited. Only four nations(Cyprus, Ghana, Malta, and the United Kingdom) aretaking steps to develop regulations for business either
in terms of mandatory reporting on company policies
to investigate supply chains or by identifying highrisk sectors. Although these policies originate in thesecountries, they do have extra-territorial impact. Section
54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act, for example, applies toany organisation which carries on a businesses or part ofits business in the UK and has an annual global turnoverof GBP36 million per annum.76 Companies in Australia,
Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa
have already reported under this requirement.77
The responsibility to prevent forced labour in global
supply chains does not, however, rest solely withbusiness. Governments are large procurers of goods
and services and should also take action to ensure theirown supply chains are free from forced labour. Globally
there have been even fewer countries investigating
public procurement; the same pattern applies to the
Commonwealth. Only three Commonwealth countries, allin Europe, (Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom) havepolicies or guidelines for public procurement officials
prohibiting the purchase of goods produced with forced
or child labour.
Other business initiatives point to an interesting
potential model for the Commonwealth. The Bali Processlaunched in August 2017 the Bali Process Business andGovernment Forum (BPGBF), which is a subsidiary bodyto the existing intergovernmental Bali Process. BPBGF
is a cooperative business and government initiative tocombat modern slavery and human trafficking in the
Indo-Pacific region. The Forum is envisaged to have thejoint outcome of promoting good business practices

across the private sector while also encouraging
legislative changes by the government.78 Establishingpartnerships with business is going to be crucial todevelop comprehensive solutions to eradicate modern
slavery, and such a Forum could greatly facilitate thesepartnerships in the Commonwealth.
There is more to be done to complement thisengagement with business. Commonwealth governments
can also tackle labour exploitation by ensuring thatlabour laws cover all workers and by facilitating labour
inspections in both the informal and formal sectors. A
total of 24 countries (45 percent) ensure that labourlaws cover all workers, including migrant workers andthose working in the informal sector, such as domestic
workers, fishers and construction workers. A further 28
percent (n=15) conduct labour inspections covering boththe informal and formal sector. These inspections arecommon in African Commonwealth countries, with fewer
conducted in the Americas. Nations within the Americas,
however, are more likely to have labour laws whichequally protect workers. However, ensuring all work sites,
whether formal or informal and including private homes
and embassies, can be randomly searched by labour
inspectors to help ensure compliance with labour laws by
employers can help to reduce the risk of forced labour.
As many as one in four victims of forced labour in 2016
were exploited outside their country of residence.79
Ensuring safe labour migration is therefore important for
reducing the risk of forced labour and human trafficking.
Across the Commonwealth, protections for migrants
and migrant workers exist, with 23 countries providing
protection for asylum seekers and 13 nations ensuringthat recruitment fees are paid by the employer not theemployee. Regulating recruitment agencies will help toensure that those migrating are able to do so safely andreduce their risk of exploitation.

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30

Towards a Common Future

A CALL
TO ACTION

All Commonwealth nations have demonstrated
political will to eradicate human trafficking, forced
labour and child exploitation. As UN member states,
all Commonwealth countries have agreed to be boundby the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG
8.7, 5.3 and 16.2. Further, approximately one quarterof all Commonwealth nations have endorsed theCall to Action to end forced labour, modern slavery
and human trafficking. By agreeing to the SDGs, andendorsing the Call to Action, each Commonwealthcountry has highlighted its commitment to ensurethat all human beings can fulfil their potential indignity and equality, free from exploitation by others.
This commitment recognises the determinationof the Commonwealth to achieve the Post 2015
Sustainable Development agenda. Building uponthis commitment, we call upon the remaining
Commonwealth nations to endorse the Call to Action
and pledge to work together to eradicate modern
slavery from the Commonwealth.

People marching against modern slavery
through London wearing face masks
representing the silence of modern slavesin forced labour and sexual exploitation on
October 14, 2017 in London, England.
Photo credit, Mathew Chattle / Barcroft
Images / Barcroft Media via Getty
Images.

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CURRENT

COMMONWEALTH ACTION
The shared inheritance of a common language
and legal system, the diversity of Commonwealthgovernments, and the prior experience of the wider
Commonwealth community of accredited organisations
in tackling modern slavery and related issues place
the Commonwealth in a unique position to achieve the2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. This chapter
will outline current action among the Commonwealththat relates to the achievement of the SDGs.
The 2013 Charter of the Commonwealth states that theCommonwealth is uniquely placed to serve as ‘a modeland as a catalyst for new forms of friendship and cooperation.’80 This is largely based in the combination ofdiversity and ‘shared inheritance in language, culture
and the rule of law.’81 The contemporary Commonwealthaims to translate this shared inheritance into aneffective network for cooperation and for promoting
development, which is responsive to members’ needs
and capable of addressing the significant global
challenges of the future. Within this, the Commonwealthhas signalled key areas for action, all of which link to theissues associated with modern slavery.
Firstly, the Commonwealth has been active insupporting Commonwealth nations to achieve
fundamental human rights. Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting (CHOGM) declarations,such as the 1991 Harare Declaration,82 the 2007
Kampala Communiqué83 and the 2009 Affirmation
on Commonwealth Values and Principles84 haveconsistently reaffirmed the commitment of theCommonwealth to the advancement of fundamental
human rights as thecore political value of
The Commonwealth
the Commonwealth.85
has been active
To this end, thein supporting
CommonwealthCommonwealth nations
Secretariat establishedto achieve fundamental
the Human Rights
Unit which supports
human rights
Commonwealth nations
with their Universal Periodic Review (UPR), ratificationsof core international human rights instruments,
strengthening of National Human Rights Institutions,and raising awareness and understanding of humanrights for police, teachers, government officials, womenand young people, among other groups. The Human
Rights Unit also releases best practice guidelines
on a range of rights issues, including in recent years
publications on child rights and completing a UPR.

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Towards a Common Future

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
also aims to promote awareness of and adherence
to the 1991 Harare Commonwealth Declaration, theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, and otherrelevant international human rights instruments.86
As an independent, international non-governmentalorganisation, CHRI promotes the right to information
to hold governments accountable, strengthens accessto justice through police and prison reform, and runs
the Strategic Initiative Programme (SIP) which aims
to hold the Commonwealth and member states toaccount at global forums, in regional forums, andstrengthens National Human Rights Institutions at thenational level.87 CHRI has developed an assessment of
the Commonwealth in responding to SDG 8.7, which
reinforces many of the findings of this report. It will be
released at the forthcoming Summit.
Secondly, the Commonwealth has recognised thespecific vulnerabilities of smaller and developing states,
such as tackling climate change, and their particular
economic and security challenges. In the 2015 CHOGM
Communiqué, Heads of Government affirmed the workof the Commonwealth Open-Ended Ministerial Working
Group on Small States to both provide global advocacy
and coordinate Commonwealth efforts on small state
matters.88 The Communiqué also recognised that support
would be needed for smaller states to attain the SDGs.
Efforts to combat climate change, with its links to anincreased vulnerability to migration and modern slavery,
will be particularly appropriate to tackle SDG 8.7.
Thirdly, the Commonwealth has taken strong action
to promote the rights of women and girls and has
recognised the role that education can play in the fightfor equality and the empowerment of women and girls.89
The Commonwealth’s Plan of Action for Gender Equality
2005-2015 focuses on four key areas: gender, democracy,
peace and conflict; gender, human rights and law; gender,
poverty eradication and economic empowerment, andgender and HIV/AIDs. The Commonwealth Foundation
facilitates civil society participation and contribution
to this Plan of Action.90 Commonwealth accreditedorganisations, such as the Commonwealth of Learningand the Commonwealth Youth Programme, also highlightthe importance of education in the achievement of rights
and gender equality.
One area of interest is the work of the Commonwealth
Secretariat, and more specifically the Human Rights
Unit, in combatting child marriage. The nations of theCommonwealth have united their efforts to tackle thisphenomenon by making successive commitments
to prevent and eliminate child marriage in 2011, 2013
and 2015 and by bringing together National Human
Rights Institutes, traditional community leaders andpolicy makers to learn and share experiences. In 2013,
the Commonwealth Roundtable on Child, Early andForced Marriage included representatives from 12
Commonwealth countries and gave attendees theopportunity to share their challenges and successes.91
This culminated in the Kigali Declaration in 2015, which
represents a united stand on child marriage, and sets out
a framework of 17 actions that National Human Rights
Institutions can takeforward to end the
The Commonwealthhas distinct advantages practice. Twenty humanrights commissions
and capabilities toare signatories andcoordinate and drive
have implemented
effective government
concrete actions to
responses to combat
end child marriage.92
This collaboration
modern slavery
has led to policychanges in Commonwealth member countries. In 2017,
Malawi amended its Constitution to raise the legal ageof marriage from 15 to 18 years in an effort to curb
child marriage.93 Other Commonwealth accreditedorganisations working in this area include the Royal
Commonwealth Society, which has been working incollaboration with Plan UK to end child marriage in the
Commonwealth since 2010. A joint report released in2013, reiterated recommendations for, among others,
the development of legislation, improvement of accessto education, and the engagement and mobilisationof parents, teachers, religious leaders, and community
leaders.94 Efforts to tackle child marriage are particularly
relevant to achieving SDG 5.3.
Finally, the Commonwealth has committed to tackle
organised crime, including human trafficking andmodern-day slavery. The 2015 Communiqué includes
an agreement to enhance national and international
efforts to combat organised crime, human trafficking
and people smuggling and modern-day slavery.95 The
Human Rights Unit within the Secretariat has also
raised awareness of the issue. On International Human
Rights Day in 2017, the Human Rights Unit organised
an event with speakers from civil society, governmentand business stakeholders, urging action to be taken on
forced labour, human trafficking and child exploitationin line with SDG 8.7.96

The Commonwealth has implemented specificinitiatives to strengthen legislation to support theeradication of modern slavery. One such example is theCommonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPAUK’s) Modern Slavery Project, a two-year multilateralproject funded by the UK Home Office. The Project wasestablished to connect parliamentarians from across theCommonwealth to help spread lessons learnt, and bestpractice in creating effective legislation and policy tocombat modern slavery, human trafficking and forced
labour.97 More specifically, the CPA UK project aims toencourage and facilitate a greater understanding of
the national and international benefits of introducing
modern slavery-related legislation. The project is
led by Commonwealth parliamentarians and senior
officials, sharing good practice to support colleagues inharnessing their heightened understanding to develop
and strengthen modern slavery-related legislation
across their jurisdictions. In December 2017, government
officials from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria,
Pakistan and Uganda met to collaborate on legislative
methods to address the issues of sex trafficking andchild exploitation from fishing to domestic work as partof this project.98
Further, in 2017, the Commonwealth Office of Civil
and Criminal Justice Reform (OCCJR) was createdto draw upon the common legal history of many of
the Commonwealth nations in order to deliver accessto justice and sustainable development through thecreation of fair and effective national laws.99 The OCCJR
makes available good legislation practice from acrossthe Commonwealth, through model laws, standards,
templates, legal insight and legal network.100 Beyond
development of legislation, the Commonwealth
Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association (CMJA) works toenhance enforcement efforts across the Commonwealth.
The CMJA currently organises training courses onhuman rights for judicial officers across Commonwealthmembers in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The Commonwealth has distinct advantages andcapabilities to coordinate and drive effective
government responses to combat modern slavery. The
Commonwealth shared history, similar legal systems,
and record of joint policy and effective activity means
the Commonwealth as an institution is well placed toplay a leading role in the response to modern slavery.

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Habiba Hashimu is the co-founder of a support
group for commercial sex workers in Dar-esSalaam, Tanzania. This grass roots group is
supported by Women’s Fund Tanzania.
Photo credit, VSO/Ben Langdon

34

Towards a Common Future

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2030:
AN AGENDA FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION

The existence of modern slavery in the Commonwealth,the experiences of Commonwealth governments andthe wider Commonwealth network of organisations, aswell as the shared inheritance of a common language
and legal system, place the Commonwealth in a uniqueposition to take effective action to end modern slavery
in all its forms.
Each Commonwealth country has a role to play increating a rising tide of responses and shared bestpractice that will ensure no one is left behind. Likewise,in the spirit of the Commonwealth and the 2013
Commonwealth Charter,
Globally, there remain
working together
gaps in the response
towards common
to modern slavery
goals through sharingof experience andand the achievement
practical cooperation,of SDG 8.7
the Commonwealthitself has highlighted its commitment to respond to the
SDGs and modern slavery. The family of Commonwealthintergovernmental and accredited bodies further
strengthen the ability of the Commonwealth to act.
Driving immediate action should be the identification ofexisting responses and good practice. It is important tounderstand the actions governments are currently taking
to respond to modern slavery before recommendinga particular agenda for action. In this vein, this report
has identified good practices from the Asia andPacific, the Americas, Africa and Europe. Countries
are strengthening legislation, establishing national
strategies, supporting victims, responding to risk andengaging with businesses. However, the overall responsein the Commonwealth could be greatly strengthened.
Globally, there remain gaps in the response to modern
slavery and the achievement of SDG 8.7. In 2014, theInternational Labour Organization estimated that forced
labour generates annual profits of US$150 billion.101
Research conducted in the same year by the Walk Free
Foundation found that OECD donor countries spent an
average of US$124 million per annum102 on combatting
modern slavery. Since 2014, two funds have been
established to combat modern slavery – the Freedom
Fund,103 and the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery.104
The Freedom Fund aims to raise GBP100 million to
tackle modern slavery in hotspots around the globe and
the Global Fund aims to raise US$1.5 billion to coordinate
a coherent, global strategy to address modern slavery.

Both funds inject some much-needed resources,
however, there remains a clear resourcing gap between
the profits and the money spend on the fight against
modern slavery.
Engaging with business provides a real opportunity todrive change and the eradication of modern slavery.
While modern slavery is not necessary a regular board
agenda item for many companies, there has been
increasing interest and willingness to engage in humanrights in recent years. Legislation, like the 2015 UK
Modern Slavery Act, has begun to raise awareness of
issues around exploitation in supply chains. Harnessing
the power of business has the potential to tackle forced
labour in the global economy head on.
Little has also been done globally to put victims first in
any response to modern slavery. IIt is rare that victims
are involved in the design of policy and are given
meaningful opportunities to articulate their needs. Some
Commonwealth nations have taken steps to put victims
first, however more can be done to ensure that victims
are able to access support and are empowered to breakthe cycle of vulnerability.
Presenting a united front – and coordinating a unified
approach – against this issue must be done through aholistic strategy, which requires effective coordination
at the highest levels of government. This will be at
the forefront of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meeting (CHOGM) in London, where thetheme of working ‘Towards a Common Future’ will
include a component on how the Commonwealth cancollaborate and innovate new ways to end humantrafficking and child exploitation.105
The 2018 Commonwealth Summit therefore provides anopportune moment to galvanise the Commonwealth tosupport Commonwealth nations to achieve the SDG 8.7 –the eradication of forced labour, modern slavery, humantrafficking, and the worst forms of child labour.
Firstly, we recommend that the Commonwealthconvene a conference of member states, including
representatives from government, business, survivors,
and civil society, to share technical expertise and goodpractice and to identify a roadmap to support member
states to achieve SDG 8.7.

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Secondly, we recommend the establishment of a SDG
8.7 Commonwealth Business and Government Forumthat would provide avenues for strategic partnerships
with business. These partnerships would be focussed on
initiatives that strengthen ethical recruitment, promote
public and private supply chain transparency, develop
incentives for business, and ensure that safeguards andredress exist for vulnerable workers.

PUTTING VICTIMS FIRST
5. Increase identification of and improve assistanceThirdly, we recommend that the Commonwealth support
members states to endorse the Call to Action and to ratify
the 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol, the 2014 Forced Labour
Protocol, and the 2011 Domestic Workers Convention.

of the response by consulting with victims andproviding avenues for their input.

Fourthly, we recommend that Commonwealthgovernments and organisations support member stateswith resourcing, sharing of good practice, and exchangeof technical expertise to implement a ten-point action
plan to achieve SDG 8.7:

STRENGTHENING LEGISLATION
1. Strengthen existing human trafficking and related

legislation to ensure that all forms of exploitation are
criminalised and penalties are appropriately severe.

2. Enact legislation criminalising forced marriage
and raising the age of marriage to 18 for men
and women.

3. Strengthen national laws to protect labour

rights for all workers, in both the formal andinformal economy.

4. Enforce legislation by providing training andresources for police, prosecutors, judges anddefence attorneys to more effectively investigate
and prosecute modern slavery cases and by
removing barriers to victim participation in thecriminal justice system, such as ensuring accessto visas, compensation and restitution.

36

Towards a Common Future

for modern slavery victims by providing training tothose who come into contact with potential victims,
including police, immigration officials, labour
inspectors, and education and health officials.

6. Ensure survivor voices are included in all aspects

STRENGTHENING COORDINATION AND
TRANSPARENCY
7. Develop evidence-based national action plansor strategies that promote gender equality.

ADDRESSING RISK FACTORS
8. Conduct regional and national level research on

trends, prevalence, and what works to achieve
SDG 8.7. Share findings with Commonwealth andinternational platforms, suchas Alliance 8.7.

9. Empower women and girls by providing primaryeducation for all and by supporting community
empowerment initiatives.

ERADICATING MODERN SLAVERY, INCLUDINGFORCED LABOUR AND HUMAN TRAFFICKINGFROM THE ECONOMY
10. Engage with national business and theCommonwealth SDG 8.7 Business and Government
forum to strengthen strategic partnerships withbusiness to tackle modern slavery.

‘Towards a common future’ is the theme of the 2018 CommonwealthSummit. The meeting will provide the 53 Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment with the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment toaddress global challenges, including how to attain the Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030. Critical to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Agenda are those goals related to modern
slavery, including SDG 8.7, 5.3 and 16.2. Any nation that does notrespect the freedom and human rights of its citizens and migrant
populations will be unable to achieve sustainable development.
The ethos of the Commonwealth is that by taking action together,governments are better able to respond to global challenges. Striving
to achieve SDG 8.7 is one such global challenge where only common
action can ensure its success.

A protester holds a sign-board during ananti-slavery demonstration in London, United
Kingdom on 26 November 2017.
Photo credit, Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto
via Getty Images.

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APPENDIX 1:

METHODOLOGY

1) DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY
Governments play a critical role in developing andimplementing the laws, policies and programs that areneeded to prevent and respond to modern slavery. Since
2014, the Walk Free Foundation has conducted research
into action taken by governments across the world.
These legislative and policy responses are assessed inline with five milestones:

Theoretical framework: crime prevention theory
While broad contextual factors like state stability,
discrimination and overall protection of human rights
are critical, crime prevention research also confirms thatto reduce the prevalence of crime, including modern
slavery, the government needs to:»» reduce the opportunity for offenders to commit
the crime,

1. Survivors of slavery are identified, supported»» increase the risks of offending,

2. Criminal justice mechanisms function effectively»» increase the capacity of law enforcement andother guardians, and3. Coordination occurs at the national and regional»» address the people or factors that stimulate
or facilitate slavery.

4. Risk factors, such as attitudes, social systems

Further, to prevent crime, governments need tocreate a climate that induces guilt or shame on those
who commit the crime and strengthen the moral
condemnation of modern slavery by both local andglobal communities.

to exit and remain out of slavery;
to prevent modern slavery;level, while governments are held accountable
for their response;and institutions, that enable modern slavery
are addressed; and5. Businesses and governments stop sourcing

goods and services that use modern slavery.

»» decrease the vulnerability of potential victims,

Development of the conceptual framework
The following conceptual framework (see section 2) has
been developed to identify the indicators of a strong
response to modern slavery. This framework has beenused to ascertain the degree to which the governmentsof 53 Commonwealth nations are currently fighting
modern slavery. These indicators broadly correspond to
the indicators set out in the Call to Action (see section 3).
This conceptual framework is organised around thefive milestones outlined above, which, if achieved,
would ensure that governments are taking steps toaddress modern slavery. The conceptual framework wasdeveloped in consultation with an independent Expert
Working Group, findings from NGO research and scholars
in fields related to modern slavery, such as harmful
traditional practices, health, social welfare and migration.

38

Towards a Common Future2) CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKTable 1: Walk Free Foundation government
response conceptual framework
Milestone 1: Survivors of slavery are identified andsupported to exit and remain out of modern slavery
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

Increase (andeventual decrease)in reported cases ofmodern slavery

1.1 The public knows
what modern
slavery is and how
to report it

1.1.1 National
campaigns provide
information on
how to report andidentify victims tomembers of thegeneral publicCampaigns on how to identify OR report potential victims,
such as promotion of a hotline, website or text messaging
details or distributing indicators of modern slavery
AND must be distributed to the general public at the
NATIONAL level.
NOT training for government officials, NGOs, Embassy staff,
health and social workers AND occurred once since 30th June
2012.
NOT general awareness campaigns which do not mention
hotline or indicators of trafficking.
NOT Information is distributed to at risk or specific populations
or geographic locations, such as migrant workers or at-risk
communities. This is covered under milestone 4, 1.2.1

1.1.2 These
campaigns are
distributed
systematically andat regular intervals(as distinct fromone-off, isolated)

If yes to 1.1.1, information has been distributed annually since
30th June 2012

1.1.3 There has
been an increase in
number of membersof the public
reporting cases ofmodern slavery

If yes to 1.1.1, there has been an increase in public reports ofmodern slavery cases in recent years

OR information is promoted regularly through social media
AND there is evidence this online promotion has been regularly
updated (at least once since 1st February 2016- please refer todate of Facebook posts, or date of tweets etc).
If no to 1.1.1, indicator not met.

AND this increase in reports is related to the campaign
OR has occurred since the campaign has been distributed to
the general public
AND this must have occurred since 30th June 2012.
If no to 1.1.1, indicator not met.

2.1 Comprehensive
reportingmechanisms
operate effectively

2.1.1 A reporting
mechanism exists,such as a hotline

Reporting mechanism exists where modern slavery crimes canbe reported (either in isolation or as part of a larger phoneservice)This includes text messaging, an online form or phone hotline
AND This reporting mechanism must be operational between
1st February 2016 and 30th June 2017.
If multiple hotlines exist covering different populations, please
rate as indicator met.

2.1.2 Reporting
mechanism isavailable for men,
women and children

If yes to 2.1.1, this reporting mechanism is available for men,
women and children to report cases of modern slavery
OR there are separate hotlines that cover men, women andchildren NOT a single hotline exists where women or children
can report, but nowhere for men to report exploitation.
Please refer to the most relevant reporting mechanism
identified in 2.1.1 for indicators 2.1.2 through to 2.1.5.
Modern slavery/ trafficking hotline would be most relevant,followed by those which cover sub-populations (e.g. forwomen and/or children).
If multiple hotlines exist covering all populations, please rate as
indicator met. If some populations are not covered, please rate
as indicator not met

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Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

2.1.3 Reporting
mechanism is free
to accessIf yes to 2.1.1, this reporting mechanism is free to access.
If no to 2.1.1, indicator not met.
Please refer to the most relevant reporting mechanism
identified in 2.1.1 for indicators 2.1.2 through to 2.1.5.
Modern slavery/ trafficking hotline would be most relevant,followed by those which cover sub trafficking populations (e.g.
for women and/or children).
If multiple hotlines exist covering different populations and all
are free, please rate as indicator met. If some of the available
and relevant hotlines are not free, please rate as indicator notmet

2.1.4 Reporting
mechanism
operates 24/7

If yes to 2.1.1, this reporting mechanism operates 24/7.
If no to 2.1.1, indicator not met.
Please refer to the most relevant reporting mechanism
identified in 2.1.1 for indicators 2.1.2 through to 2.1.5.
Modern slavery/ trafficking hotline would be most relevant,followed by those which cover sub trafficking populations (e.g.
for women and/or children).
If multiple hotlines exist covering different populations and all
are available 24/7, please rate as indicator met. If some hotlines
are not available 24/7, please rate as indicator not met

2.1.5 The reporting
mechanism
operates in multiple
languages or has
capacity to provide
immediate access tobring in translators

If yes to 2.1.1, this reporting mechanism operates in multiple
languages, or brings in translators as necessary.
If no to 2.1.1, indicator not met.
Please refer to the most relevant reporting mechanism
identified in 2.1.1 for indicators 2.1.2 through to 2.1.5.
Modern slavery/ trafficking hotline would be most relevant,followed by those which cover sub trafficking populations (e.g.
for women and/or children).
If multiple hotlines exist covering different populations andall are available in multiple languages, please rate as indicator
met. If some hotlines are not available in multiple languages,
please rate as indicator not met.
Multiple languages mean national language + at least one
other language.

2.2 Front line policeknow what modern
slavery is and how
to identify victims

2.2.1 Training
on basic legal
frameworks andvictim identification
has been carriedout for front line
'general duties'
policeTraining for front line police has taken place on basic legal
frameworks surrounding modern slavery AND victim
identification
AND training for police has occurred once since 30th June
2012.
Definition of training includes formal in person training, as
part of broader curriculum on human rights or other training
programs, or part of an online training program.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT training manuals have been developed by INGOs, NGOs.
NOT booklets with indicators of trafficking have been handed
out to police.
NOT training for immigration, border guards, or labour
inspectors.

40

Towards a Common FutureAppendix 1 cont.

Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

2.3 First responders
know what modern
slavery is and how
to identify victims

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

NEGATIVE 2.2.4
There is evidence
that police officers
have not identified
victims of modern
slavery

If yes to 2.2.1, but police officers have not identified any victims
of modern slavery between 1st February 2016 and 30th June2017.

2.3.1 Training on
how to identify
victims of modern
slavery is provided
to front line
regulatory bodies
likely to be 'first
responders'Training covers indicators of modern slavery and how to referindividuals

If no to 2.2.1, indicator not met.
This indicator is specifically asking if police who have received
training have identified victims. Mark as ‘indicator met’ where
there has been a failure to identify victims post-training
for police. If evidence suggests that victims have not been
identified, but no training has occurred, please mark as‘indicator not met’. If the body identifying victims is not
specified as ‘police’, government can be used as a proxy.

AND training is formal face to face or online modules
AND training is provided to one or more of the following: forborder guards, immigration officials, labour inspectors
AND training has been provided once since 30th June 2012.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT leaflets have been distributed to labour inspectors or
posters have been put up in airports on how to identify/ report
victims.

2.3.2 Training on
how to identify
victims of modern
slavery is provided
to non-regulatory
workers likely to be'first responders'Training covers indicators of modern slavery and how to referindividuals
AND training is formal face to face or online modules
AND training is provided to one or more of the following:
for teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, tourism sector(including private tourism operators)
AND training has been provided once since 30th June 2012.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT leaflets have been distributed to tour guides or posters
put up in doctors surgeries on how to identify/ report victims.

2.3.3 Training forfirst responders
is delivered
systematically andat regular intervals(as distinct fromone-off, isolated)

If yes to 2.3.1 OR 2.3.2, training is delivered at least every two
years to at least one of the above groups (labour inspectors,
border guards, immigration, doctors, nurses, teachers, social
workers) since 30th June 2012
AND training has been delivered to a significant proportion ofthese groups.
OR yes to 2.3.1 AND 2.3.2 and training is delivered at least
every two years to BOTH of these groups.
NOT training has been delivered to each of these groups oncesince 2012
If no to 2.3.1 AND 2.3.2, then indicator not met.
Victims are provided with support to help break the cycle ofvulnerability

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Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

Victims areprovided withsupport to help
break the cycle ofvulnerability

3.1 Victim
determined
emergency support
is available for all
identified victims

3.1.1 Victim support
services areavailable for somesuspected victims
of modern slavery(men, women andchildren where
relevant)

Any kind of victim support service is available for men, women,
or children

3.1.2 NEGATIVE
Suspected victims
are held in shelters
against their willand do not havea choice about
whether or not toremain in a shelter

If yes to 3.1.1, adult victims are unable to leave a shelter orsafe house when they wish (or are unable to leave without achaperone). Children must also be able to leave when theywish but should be accompanied with a chaperone. If evidence
that victims (adults and children) are detained against theirwill or are unable to leave unaccompanied (adults) or with achaperone (children), this meets the criteria of the indicator. If
no to 3.1.1, not met this indicator.

3.1.3 Government
contributes to theoperational costsof the shelters
and there are no
significant resource
gaps

If yes to 3.1.1, government provides support to the shelters.
Support defined as in kind or monetary support (not justpermission).

3.1.4 Physical andmental healthservices areprovided to victims
of modern slavery

If yes to 3.1.1, there is evidence of some physical AND mental
health support for victims of modern slavery since 30th June2012.

3.1.5 NEGATIVE
Victim support
services are notavailable for all
victims of modern
slavery

If yes to 3.1.1 AND there have been identified modern slavery
cases of men, women, children, (or other relevant groupsforeign victims, forced labour victims, victims of commercial
sexual exploitation etc), AND there are NO specific shelters orservices for them.

AND services must be government run, or funded bygovernment, or provided with in-kind support from thegovernment
AND services must be operational between 1st February 2016
and 30th June 2017.
NOT INGOs run a shelter without any government support.
(Support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in-kind support).

NOT INGO funds and runs a shelter or safe house.
If no to 3.1.1, not met indicator.
If government provides some resources, but there are
significant gaps not covered by INGOs or government, thenplease rate as indicator not met

If no to 3.1.1., not met indicator.
If government provides some physical and mental healthsupport, but there are significant gaps not covered by INGOs
or government, then please rate as indicator not met.

This has also occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017. NOT services are not available for a particulargroup, but no cases within that group were identified.
This indicator is measuring gaps in existing services.

3.1.7 NEGATIVE
No victims haveaccessed theservices or shelters

If yes to 3.1.1, despite availability of services, victims have notaccessed them
AND this has occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017. Examples include cases where facilities exist, but
victims are not being transferred to these facilities.
This indicator is measuring the use of existing services.

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Towards a Common Future

Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

3.2 Victim
determined longerterm support isavailable for all
identified victims

3.2.1 Services
provide long term
reintegration
supportIf yes to 3.1.1, long term reintegration is defined as evidenceof financial support, provision of housing, job training and/or placement, or receipt of social welfare, or provision of
education for victims of modern slavery
AND there is evidence that this has been provided between 1st
February 2016 and 30th June 2017.
If no to 3.1.1, indicator not met.
NOT visas are available for victims- this is covered under M1
3.2.2.

3.2.2 Measures arein place to address
the migration
situation of victims
who want to remain
or be resettled

Visas are available so that foreign victims can receive support
either in country or in a third country after a reflection period
has expired.

3.2.3 Services arechild friendly

If yes to 3.1.1, children have specialised services, separate
shelters, or given some kind of special support (NOT including
support in the criminal justice system)
AND These are available between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017.
Note: not dependent on 3.1.1.
These visas include cover longer-term visas AND reflection
periods) awarded on the basis of personal situation OR
participation in court case.
AND this has occurred since 30th June 2012.
If no to 3.1.1, indicator not met. NOT children are placedin correctional facilities, boarding schools or other nonspecialised institutions

3.2.4 Victims are
assisted to makecontact with theirfamily or contact
person of choice

If yes to 3.1.1, victims are assisted to make contact with families
by the government
OR there is a family reunification program
AND this is operating between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017.
NOT Programs or family reunification program exists but is not
currently funded.
NOT INGOs operate a family reunification program, without
government support.
If no to 3.1.1, not met this indicator.

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Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

3.3 Services havebeen evaluated

3.3.1 Training has
been carried out for
all staff providing
direct assistanceservices

If yes to 3.1.1, evidence of any training for those who provide
direct victim support services.
This training includes how to assist victims of modern
slavery, and can include do no harm principles, individualised
treatment and care, comprehensive care, self-determinationand participation, non-discrimination, confidentiality and rightto privacy
OR Direct assistance is provided by fully qualified social
workers, psychologists or doctors
AND This has occurred since 30th June 2012.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT Training is provided by unskilled volunteers.
If no to 3.1.1, not met this indicator.
NOT General modern slavery training is provided to social
workers.
Direct assistance services means those services provided
to workers who have regular contact with victims postidentification. It can include shelter workers, case managers,
doctors and psychologists.

3.3.2 Direct
victim assistanceservices have been
evaluated

If yes to 3.1.1, evidence of formal reporting or evaluation of
direct victim support services has been undertaken
AND this has occurred once since 30th June 2012.
Evaluation (internal or external) is defined as an assessmentof the current services against the service objectives andincorporating client feedback.
NOT a description of the program or services provided NOT ad
hoc inspections without a clear sense of follow up activities.
NOT evaluations of the national action plan- this is covered
under M3 2.1.1.

3.3.3 Evaluations ofservices have been
provided to the
National Referral
Mechanism orcoordinating referral
body

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Towards a Common Future

If yes to 3.3.2, a report of these evaluations has been made to
the National Referral Mechanism or coordinating referral bodyto inform future assistance programming
AND this has occurred once since 30th June 2012.

Milestone 1
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2017/8

Rating description

Government
coordinates theidentification andreferral of victims

4.1 Identification
guidelines areused by all first
responders

4.1.1 The
government has
clear nationalguidelines for
identifying
and screening
victims for all first
responders

National general guidelines exist for identification AND
screening of victims
AND have been distributed to all first responders
AND this has occurred since 30th June 2012.
First responders are defined as: immigration, border patrol,
labour inspectors, NGOs, teachers, social workers, doctors,
nurses, and the tourism industry.
General guidelines should exist at the national level for all
responders, NOT police have their own guidelines

4.2 National
Referral Mechanismis operating
effectively

4.1.2 The guidelines
make provision
for a categoryof 'presumed
victims', who
can be provided
with services
until a formal
determination ismade.

If yes to 4.1.1, guidelines include provisions so victims who have
not yet been assessed to be victims of modern slavery can still
receive services.

4.1.3 The guidelines
clearly set out
which organisations
have the authority
to identify victims
of modern slavery

If yes to 4.1.1, guidelines outline which organisations can or
cannot formally identify victims of modern slavery.

4.2.1 A 'National
Referral Mechanism'
brings together
government andcivil society toensure victims arebeing referred toservices

There is a national referral mechanism for victims of modern
slavery

If no to 4.1.1, indicator not met.
Examples include, ‘presumed’ categories within guidelines, or‘informal’ assistance given to victims while determination is
made.

If no to 4.1.1, indicator not met.
Examples include a list of approved agencies and NGOs who
can identify and certify victims of modern slavery.

AND includes government and non- government organisations
AND operating during the period 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017
A national referral mechanism is a group of approved NGOs
and government agencies which refers victims to services.
NOT evidence that victims have been referred without anational system in place

4.2.2 There isevidence thatvictims are beingreferred to services
using the National
Referral Mechanism

There is evidence that victims are referred through the nationalreferral mechanism
AND this has happened once between 1st February 2016 and30th June 2017

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Milestone 2: Criminal justice mechanisms function
effectively to prevent modern slavery

Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

Legislation deters
citizens fromcommitting crimeof modern slavery

1.1 Relevantinternational
conventions are
ratified

1.1.1 Slavery
Convention, 1926

Ratification, or succession (d) or accession (a) of 1926 Slavery
Convention.
NOT signed the 1926 Slavery Convention, WITHOUT accession,
succession or ratification.

1.1.2 Supplementary
Convention on the
Abolition of Slavery,
the Slave Trade,and Institutions andPractices Similar to
Slavery, 1956

Ratification, succession (d) or accession (a) of the 1956
Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, theSlave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery.

1.1.3 Protocol
to Prevent,
Suppress andPunish Trafficking
in Persons,
Especially Womenand Children,
supplementing
the United Nations
Convention against
Transnational
Organized Crime,
2000

Ratification, Acceptance (A), Accession (a), or Succession (d)of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing theUnited Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime, 2000.

1.1.4 Abolition ofForced Labour
Convention ILO, No.
105, 1957

Status must be 'In Force' for the Abolition of Forced Labour
Convention, No. 105, 1957

1.1.5 Domestic
Workers Convention
ILO No. 189, 2011

Status must be 'In Force' for the Domestic Workers
Convention, No, 189

1.1.6 Worst Formsof Child Labour ILO
182, 1999

Status must be 'In Force' for the Worst Forms of Child Labour
Convention, 1999 (ILO 182)

1.1.7 Optional
Protocol to theConvention on the
Rights of the Childon the involvementof children in armed
conflict, 2000

Ratification, succession (d) or accession (a) of the CRC
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Childon the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, 2000.

1.1.8 Optional
Protocol to theConvention on
the Rights of theChild on the Saleof Children, Child
Prostitution andChild Pornography,
2000

Ratification, succession (d) or accession (a) of the CRC
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of theChild on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child
Pornography 2000.

1.1.9 International
Convention on
the Protection of
the Rights of All
Migrant Workers
and Members of
their Families, 1990

Ratification, succession (d) or accession (a) of theInternational Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of their Families 1990.

NOT signed the Supplementary Convention on the Abolitionof Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices
Similar to Slavery 1956, WITHOUT accession, ratification, or
succession.

NOT signed the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children,
supplementing the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime 2000, WITHOUT Ratification,
Acceptance (A), accession (a), or Succession (d).

AND ‘In Force’ as of 30th June 2017.
NOT ‘In force’ for the Forced Labour Convention (1930).

AND ‘In Force’ as of 30th June 2017.

AND ‘In Force’ as of 30th June 2017.

NOT signed the CRC Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children inarmed conflict 2000, WITHOUT accession, ratification, or
succession.

NOT signed the CRC Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child
Prostitution and Child Pornography 2000, WITHOUT
accession, ratification, or succession.

NOT signed or signed to succeed the International Convention
on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
and Members of their Families 1990, WITHOUT accession,
ratification, or succession.

Milestone 2
Outcome

Activity

1.2 Domestic
legislation is in linewith international
conventions

Indicator 2018

Rating description

1.1.10 Protocol of2014 to the Forced
Labour Convention,
P029, 1930

Status must be 'In Force' for the Protocol of 2014 to theForced Labour Convention, P029, 1930 AND 'In Force' as of
30th June 2017

1.2.1 Human
trafficking is
criminalised

Human Trafficking is listed as a standalone article in the Penal
Code or Criminal Code
OR Human Trafficking is criminalised under a distinct piece oflegislation
AND Within either the penal code or distinct legislation
human trafficking does not require movement of individuals
across international borders
AND The legislation covers men, women and children.
Movement may include cross-border/transnational movement,
or internal movement such as movement from a rural to urban
location.
Definition of trafficking includes action, means, and purpose.
Trafficking in persons shall require action (e.g. recruitment,
transportation, transfer, or harbouring), means (e.g. by meansof the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of
abduction, of fraud), and purpose (eg. exploitation).

1.2.2 Slavery is
criminalised

Slavery is criminalised as a distinct crime.
The offence of slavery must include a situation in which thestatus or condition of a person over whom any or all of thepowers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised.
Slavery may be listed as a standalone crime in the Penal or
Criminal Code or in trafficking specific legislation or in anotheract
NOT Slavery is prohibited in the Constitution

1.2.3 Forced labouris criminalised

Forced labour is criminalised as a distinct crime.
Forced or compulsory labour means all work or service
which is exacted from any person under the menace of any
penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself
voluntarily. Does not include compulsory military service, work
which forms part of the normal civic obligations of the citizen,
or work performed in cases of emergency (such as war, fire,
famine or flood).
The offence of forced labour must include(1) work performed under the menace of any penalty;(2) work for which the said person has not offered himself
voluntarily.
These two components must be present in order for theindicator to have been met.
Forced labour may be listed as a standalone crime in the
Penal or Criminal Code or in trafficking specific legislation orin another act.

1.2.4 Use of children
in armed conflict iscriminalised

Criminal code or standalone legislation specificallycriminalises use of children in armed conflict.
NOT where the age of recruitment is 18, but there is no
criminalisation of the use of children in armed forces.
Must cover use of children in state (national army) and armed
groups (non-state armed groups).

1.2.5 Child
prostitution iscriminalised

The penal or criminal code or trafficking legislation includes
provisions that it is an offence:
AND to buy sexual acts with a child.
NOT met when selling a child is criminalised AND child sex
abuse is criminalised (second component must criminalisepurchase of sex with a child).
to sell/force a child into prostitution,

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Milestone 2
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

1.2.6 Forced
marriage iscriminalised

Forced marriage is criminalised as a distinct crime, in the
penal or criminal code, trafficking legislation or other act
NOT The legal age of marriage is set at 18.
If kidnapping is required to be present for the crime of forced
marriage to occur, this is indicator not met.

1.2.7 NEGATIVE
Criminal laws havedisproportionate
penalties

Penalties as laid out in legislation are cruel or inhumane
OR are not sufficient enough to deter future offenders.
This does NOT refer to judicial sentences, rather thepunishments outlined in legislation.
Cruel and inhumane punishments include torture, deliberately
degrading punishment, or punishment that is too severecapital punishment, whipping, or other forms of physicalviolence. Insufficient punishments would include fines formodern slavery related crimes.

Victims are able toaccess justice

1.4 National laws
recognise thatvictims are able toparticipate in court
process to receive
justice

1.4.1 National laws
allow victims toparticipate in
the legal system,
regardless of theirrole as a witness

National laws allow victims to participate in the legal system
regardless of their role as a witness.
This includes: allowing victims to give evidence (without being
called as a witness),
OR providing information on the court processes in languages
victims understand,
OR allowing victims to inspect and add documents to the file,
OR and the admission of victim impact statements.
NOT there is evidence or a general statement that victims
participate in the criminal justice process as witnesses.
Relevant national laws include Criminal Procedure Code, or
Criminal law (sentencing) Acts.

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Towards a Common Future

1.4.2 Law recognizes
that victims should
not be treatedas criminals for
conduct that
occurred while
under control ofcriminals

National laws recognise victims are not a criminal for conduct
during enslavement

1.4.3 Visas to stayin the country are
not dependent on
victim participationin the court process

Visas to remain are not tied to participation in the court
process. For example, visas are awarded to trafficking victims
on the basis of humanitarian or personal reasons, not because
they've agreed to participate in the court process.

1.4.5 NEGATIVE
There is evidence
that victims ofmodern slavery
have been treatedas criminals for
conduct that
occurred while
under control ofcriminals

Victims have been arrested for crimes committed while under
the control of the person exploiting them

AND This must refer to modern slavery crimes, not generalprovisions in legislation.
Modern slavery crimes are defined as human trafficking,forced labour, slavery, forced marriage, and children in armed
conflict.
NOT there is no evidence that victims have been criminalised

AND This has occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017.
NOT Foreign nationals have been deported OR detained for
immigration offences (no visa, overstaying visa etc). This iscovered under milestone 3, 3.2.2.
Examples would be victims have been arrested on prostitution
charges or arrested for drug production. If victims are arrested
and released as soon as it is realised that they are victims,
please rate as indicator not met.

Milestone 2
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

2.1 Services exist
to allow victims toaccess justice2.1.1 Free legal
services for victims
of modern slavery
are made explicit inlegislation

Any kind of free legal services or advice exists in legislation,
including free legal advice, and free legal representation
AND these are either specific to victims of modern slavery
OR victims of modern slavery can access broader legal advice,
which is available for all victims of crime.
NOT Legal services are available, but not free.
NOT Free legal services are only available for citizens, notforeign victims.
NOT Free legal services are available for certain types of crime(such as violent crime) and modern slavery is not specified.
NOT Free legal services are offered by NGOs, but not madeexplicit in legislation.
If free legal services exist in legislation AND there is noevidence they are not being used, please rate as indicator met.
If free legal services exist in practice, but there is no evidenceof their existence in legislation, please rate as indicator met.
If free legal services are NOT in legislation and no evidence of
these being used, please rate as indicator not met.
If free legal services exist in legislation and there is evidence
they are not used or are poorly implemented, please rate as
indicator not met.

2.1.3 Witness andvictim protection
mechanisms are
explicit in legislation
to ensure thatneither witnesses
nor victims are
intimidated, norinterfered with
INSIDE the court

Government operated or supported witness and victim
protection mechanisms exist in legislation so that victims are
not intimidated or interfered with INSIDE the court.
Government operated or supported is defined as government
run, or funded by government, or provided with in-kind
support from the government.
NOT applicable outside the court room, see M2, indicator 2.1.4.
Victim protection mechanisms inside the courtroom refers toprovision of video testimony, victims are not cross- examined,
and victims are protected from perpetrators.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in legislation AND
there is no evidence they are not being used, please rate as
indicator met.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in practice, but there
is no evidence of their existence in legislation, please rate as
indicator met.
If witness protection mechanisms are NOT in legislation andno evidence of these being used, please rate as indicator notmet.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in legislation and thereis evidence they are not used or are poorly implemented,
please rate as indicator not met.

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Milestone 2
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

2.1.4 Witness andvictim protection
mechanisms are
explicit in legislation
to ensure thatneither witnesses
nor victims are
intimidated, norinterfered withOUTSIDE the court

Government operated or supported witness and victim
protection mechanisms exist in legislation so that victims are
not intimidated or interfered with OUTSIDE the court.
Government operated or supported is defined as government
run, or funded by government, or provided with in-kind
support from the government.
NOT applicable inside the court room, see milestone 2,
indicator 2.1.3.
Witness and victim protection mechanisms include an official
witness protection program where individuals are provided
with security, new identities, and relocation support, or
protection where the victim’s identity is not revealed to the
public.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in legislation AND
there is no evidence they are not being used, please rate as
indicator met.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in practice, but there
is no evidence of their existence in legislation, please rate as
indicator met.
If witness protection mechanisms are NOT in legislation andno evidence of these being used, please rate as indicator notmet.
If witness protection mechanisms exist in legislation and thereis evidence they are not used or are poorly implemented,
please rate as indicator not met.

2.1.5 The legal
framework supports
restitution orcompensation forvictims of modern
slavery

The legal framework allows victims of modern slavery toreceive compensation for damages incurred as a result of
exploitation
OR the legal framework allows victims of modern slavery
to receive restitution for damages incurred as a result of
exploitation.
Compensation is when a court orders the defendant(perpetrator) to pay the claimant (victim) for his/her loss.
Restitution is when a court orders the defendant (perpetrator)
to give up his/her gains to the claimant (victim).
When the compensation and/ or restitution is available only
for victims of violent crimes, please mark as indicator not metthis may exclude some victims of modern slavery who are notsubject to violent crimes.
If compensation and/ or restitution exists in legislation AND
there is no evidence they are not being used, please rate as
indicator met.
If compensation and/or restitution exists in practice, but there
is no evidence of their existence in legislation, please rate as
indicator met.
If compensation and/or restitutios is NOT in legislation and noevidence of these being used, please rate as indicator not met.
If compensation and/or restitution exists in legislationand there is evidence they are not used or are poorly
implemented, please rate as indicator not met.

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Milestone2
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

2.1.6 Child friendly
services areprovided for inlegislation

Legislation specifies that children require special services
during the court case.
NOT there is any evidence of child friendly services being
used in court.
Child friendly services include the use of screens or video
testimonies, training of judges in child friendly questioning,
and the use of one support person or guardian during thecourt process.
If child friendly services exist in legislation AND there is noevidence they are not being used, please rate as indicator met.
If child friendly services exist in practice, but there is noevidence of their existence in legislation, please rate as
indicator met.
If child friendly services are NOT in legislation and no evidenceof these being used, please rate as indicator not met.
If child friendly services exist in legislation and there isevidence they are not used or are poorly implemented, please
rate as indicator not met.

3.1 Specialised
police units areable to investigate
modern slavery
crimes

3.1.1 Specialised law
enforcement units
exist

Has to be a specialised law enforcement unit or a sub-unit
or team within the law enforcement structure that has
specialised mandate to conduct investigations into modern
slavery,
OR provide specialist support for colleagues
AND this unit is operating since 30th June 2012.
NOT Local level anti trafficking coordination bodies.

3.1.3 NEGATIVE
Units do not havenecessary resources
to be able tooperate effectively

If yes to 3.1.1, these units, sub-units, or teams do nothave sufficient budget, or operational equipment, or are
understaffed. This has an impact on their ability to function.
This lack of resources must have occurred between 1st
February 2016 and 30th June 2017.

3.1.4 Units haveStandard Operating
Procedures formodern slavery
cases

If yes to 3.1.1, the unit or team has standard operatingprocedures for modern slavery cases
AND must be specific to specialist units.
NOT SOPs/ guidelines have been produced by an INGO in thelast 5 years (since 30th June 2012) with no evidence of use by
specialist unit.
SOPs include, for example: clear standardised proceduresfor use across the unit, including how to liaise with frontline officers, on how to conduct risk assessments, interview
techniques (covering witnesses, child victims and use ofinterpreters), definitions and indicators of modern slavery,
victim centred approaches (understanding of psychologicalstress and its impact on investigations), case referrals etc.
SOPs are NOT an internal memo recommending that police
focus on modern slavery cases.
SOPs are NOT a booklet handed out to police with indicatorsof modern slavery.

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Milestone 2
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

3.2 Increased
number of quality
prosecutions

3.2.1 Training isprovided to the
judiciary

Training for the judiciary has taken place on human trafficking
and related legislation, victim needs in the court room, basic
international legal standards in modern slavery cases, trends
in modern slavery in the country, and victim profiles
AND training for judiciary has occurred once since 30th June
2012.
Definition of training includes formal in person training, as
part of broader curriculum on human rights or other training
programs, or part of an online training program.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT training manuals have been developed by INGOs, NGOs.
NOT booklets with description of modern slavery laws havebeen handed out to judiciary.

3.2.2 Training
is provided toprosecutors

Training for prosecutors has taken place on human trafficking
and related legislation, victim needs in the court room, basic
international legal standards in modern slavery cases, trends
in modern slavery in the country, and victim profiles
AND training for prosecutors has occurred once since 30th
June 2012.
Definition of training includes formal in person training, as
part of broader curriculum on human rights or other training
programs, or part of an online training program.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT training manuals have been developed by INGOs, NGOs.
NOT booklets with description of modern slavery laws havebeen handed out to prosecutors.

3.2.4 Training issystematic andrecurrent (asdistinct from oneoff, isolated)

If yes to 3.2.1, 3.2.2, OR 3.2.2, training is has occurred atleast once to at least one of the above groups (judiciary orprosecutors) since 30th June 2012
AND training has been delivered to a significant proportion ofthese groups
OR yes to 3.2.1, 3.2.2, OR 3.2.3 and training has been deliveredat least once to BOTH groups (judges, prosecutors) since 30th
June 2012.
NOT training has been delivered to each of these groups oncesince 2012.
If no to 3.2.1, AND 3.2.2, then indicator not met.

3.2.5 NEGATIVE
Judicial
punishments are
NOT proportionate
to severity of
the crime andculpability of theoffender.

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Judicial punishments are either too lenient or too harsh for
offenders
AND this has occurred during the period 1st February 2016
to 30th June 2017. Examples of too lenient include giving offines, suspended sentences, and sentences are less than theprescribed minimum. Examples of too harsh are corporalpunishment and capital punishment.

Milestone 3: Coordination occurs at the national andregional level, and governments are held to accountfor their response
Outcome

Activity

Indicators 2018

Rating description

Responses tomodern slavery arecoordinated

1.1 National
mechanisms exist
to coordinate theresponse

1.1.1 National
coordination body
exists involving
both government
and NGOs

National coordination body on modern slavery (trafficking,slavery, forced labour, children in armed conflict) exists that
includes both NGOs and government representatives
AND this group met at least once between 1st February 2016
and 30th June 2017.
This body coordinates the whole of the government response
to modern slavery.
NOT a National Action Plan.
NOT a group or body that refers victims. This is covered under
Milestone 1, 4.2.1.

1.2.1 National Action
Plan exists withclear indicators
and allocation of
responsibilities

Any National Action Plan (NAP) on modern slavery, or thatcovers any component of modern slavery, such as trafficking,forced marriage, forced marriage, children in armed conflict
AND this NAP covers part or all of the period 1st February
2016 to 30th June 2017.
NOT Child labour NAPs, or broader human rights NAPs,
women empowerment NAPs, unless they include a specificmodern slavery section.
NOT Regional action plans, such as the Regional Action Plan
to End Child Marriage in South Asia (developed with SAARC
countries).

1.3.2 Government
routinely uses the
National Action
Plan as a framework
for reporting its
actionsIf yes to 1.2.1, the government releases annual reports
against the national action plan, including process reviewsof major anti-slavery initiatives, budgets/expenditure andimplementation plans for the following year/s.

1.3.5 Activities in thenational action plan
are fully funded

If yes to 1.2.1, there is evidence that there is a budget attachedto the NAP and this is fully funded.

If no to 1.2.1, then this indicator cannot be met.

Still indicator met if the NAP is part funded by government
and part funded by IOs or NGOs, but that all activities are
funded.
NOT The activities are costed, but it is unclear where thismoney is coming from OR there are reports of significant
gaps in funding which is not plugged by IOs, NGOs or otheragencies.
If no to 1.2.1, then this indicator cannot be met.

2.1 Independent
mechanisms exist
to monitor the
response

2.1.1 Independent
entity to monitor
the implementationand effectivenessof National Action
Plan exists

An independent entity is established to monitor the activitiesof the government in relation to their anti- modern slavery
efforts.
This body can be outside the NAP and does not have to only
focus solely on modern slavery.
Independent entity can be an independent statutory bodyor individual or other third party, that DOES NOT implement
the government response to modern slavery. Examples would
include a Human Rights Commission or National Rapporteur.
NOT regional entities that inspect government responses,
such as GRETA in Europe

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Milestone 3
Outcome

Activity

Indicators 2018

Rating description

3.1 Generalcross bordercollaboration exists

3.1.1 The
government isinvolved in aregional response

The government is part of a regional response.
A relevant regional body includes:•
A body with more than two country representatives as
members of the group; and•A focus on some form of modern slavery.
The government must have signed onto, or have agreed to abideby the shared values, and objectives developed by the group(i.e. a code of conduct, an MoU on proposed outcomes etc.)

3.2 Cross bordercollaboration exists,
specific to foreign
victims of modern
slavery

3.1.3 Agreements
exist between thegovernment andcountries of origin
and/ or destination
to collaborate on
modern slavery
issuesAgreements exist between governments of countries of origin
and/ or destination on modern slavery issues to collaborate
on modern slavery issues

3.2.1 The
government
cooperates withthe governmentof the homecountry to facilitate
repatriation

The government cooperates with home country for voluntary
repatriation of foreign nationals.

NOT labour migration agreements- covered under M3 3.2.6
NOT evidence of repatriation- covered under M3 3.2.1.

This could include repatriation mediated by IOM (MUST haveevidence that police or government authorities refer victims
to IOM).
AND This has occurred since 30th June 2012
NOT Evidence of deportation.
Repatriation refers to the voluntary return of individuals totheir home country with their consent.
Deportation refers to the removal of an individual from acountry without their consent.

NEGATIVE 3.2.4
Foreign victims
are detained
and/ or deported
for immigration
violations

Foreign victims are detained in detention facilities or deported
for immigration violations. Can include instances where
victims are detained for a breach of visa conditions OR
instances foreign victims are deported to countries of origin
without access to assistance.
This occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th June 2017.
Note: if victims are arrested for crimes committed whileenslaved, please refer to Milestone 2, 1.4.2

3.2.6 Agreements
exist between
countries on labour
migration, which
provide protection
for labour migrants

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These agreements provide protection for labour migrants,
NOT agreements regarding number of labour migrants sent/
received. For countries that are part of the EU, membership is
not sufficient to offer protection. Instead, please see national
legislation has been harmonised with EU requirements under
EU law- See GRETA reports

Milestone 4: Risk factors, such as attitudes, social
systems and institutions, that enable modern slavery
are addressed
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

Government
programmingreflects andresponds toknown risk factors
and drivers ofmodern slavery
and patterns of
exploitation

1.1. Risk factors,
drivers, andpatterns of
exploitation are
understood andinform government
action1.1.1 Government
facilitates or funds
non- prevalence
research on modern
slavery

Government funds or has been actively involved in research
on any type of modern slavery, including responses to modern
slavery, and the attitudes, social systems and institutions thatplace people at risk of modern slavery
AND this has occurred at least once since 30th June 2012.
Active involvement is defined as development of the research,
participation in the research, or monetary or in kind support.
Modern slavery includes trafficking, forced labour, slavery,
worst forms of child labour, forced marriage and use of childsoldiers.
NOT civil society conducts research without government
involvement.
NOT government conducts research on child labour.
NOT government conducts prevalence research

1.1.2 Government
facilitates or funds
research prevalenceor estimation
studies of modern
slavery

The government funds or has been actively involved inprevalence or estimation studies of modern slavery.
AND this has occurred at least once since 30th June 2012.
Active involvement is defined as development of the research,
participation in the research, or monetary or in kind support.
Modern slavery includes trafficking, forced labour, slavery,
worst forms of child labour, forced marriage and use of childsoldiers.
The research must provide estimations of the number ofpeople in modern slavery.
NOT civil society conducts research without government
involvement.

1.2 Government
interventions are
tailored to risks

1.1.3 Government
interventions that
aim to address
modern slavery areevidence-based.

There is evidence that government interventions or programs
are based on strategies or theories of change identified byresearch

1.2.1 Awarenesscampaigns target
specific known risks
of modern slavery

Any awareness campaign implemented by the government,
which provides detailed information on how to avoid the risks
of modern slavery

AND this has occurred since 30th June 2012.
Evidence can include a broader government strategy which
incorporates modern slavery research, the national action plan
incorporates modern slavery research or that the national
action plan or strategy is reviewed in line with recent modern
slavery research

AND has run at least once since 30th June 2012.
Campaign can be implemented by the government with apartner NGO
OR funded by the government and implemented by an NGO.
These campaigns can include domestic violence, forced
marriage, child marriage, the worst forms of child labour, childsoldiers, and risky migration practices.
NOT an awareness raising counter trafficking campaign run by
an international organisation.
NOT Promotion of the hotline- this is covered under milestone
1, 1.1.1.

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Milestone 4
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

Vulnerable
populations do not
become enslaved

1.3 Safety nets
exist for vulnerable
populations

1.3.2 The
government
conducts labour
inspections in theinformal sector to
identify cases ofmodern slavery

The government funds labour inspections which areconducted with specific intent of finding modern slavery
victims in the informal sector.
Government funding is defined as monetary or in-kind
support.
Informal sector includes workers in un-regulated industries. i.e.
sex work, brick kilns, agriculture, fishing, and domestic work.
AND these inspections have occurred since 30th June 2012.
NOT private companies or corporates conduct their own
inspections.
NOT labour inspectors are trained on modern slavery. This iscovered under M1 2.3.1

1.3.3 Affordable
health carefor vulnerable
populations exists

Affordable health care includes the presence of state healthcare schemes, community health schemes, or financial
assistance focussed on providing access to health care forvulnerable groups.
Health care is available for all and does not discriminate basedon gender, ethnicity, religious background or geographic
region.
NOT Health care is available for victims of modern slaverythis is covered under M1 3.1.4.
For example, health care is too costly, thereby excluding
certain groups or health care is too centralised, thereby
excluding certain geographical regions, please rate as
indicator not met.

1.3.4 Public primaryeducation isavailable for all
children regardlessof ethno-culturalor religious
background

Public primary education system exists.

1.4 Official
complicity is illegal

1.4.1 Nationallaws criminalise
corruption in the
public sector

Public corruption is criminalised in legalisation.

1.4 NEGATIVE
Official complicity is
not investigated

1.4.3 NEGATIVE
Reports ofindividual officials’
complicity inmodern slavery
cases have not been
investigated

Any reports of individual officials’ complicity or corruption inmodern slavery cases between 1st February 2016 to 30th June2017.

Education is available for all children and does notdiscriminate based on gender, ethnicity, religious backgroundor geographic region.
For example, primary education is too costly, thereby
excluding attendance by certain groups of children, or
education is not available to Roma groups, please rate as
indicator not met

Public sector includes government officials, including police,
immigration, and border guards. Corruption includes, at aminimum, bribery of officials. Please refer to legislation, not to
instances of combatting corruption.

Individual officials include: government officials, police,
immigration officials, border guards, and labour inspectors.
Excludes consular staff (covered by milestone 4, indicator
1.7.5)MUST be related to modern slavery crimes (trafficking, forced
labour, slavery, forced marriage, use of child soldiers, andworst forms of child labour).
NOT Evidence of general corruption of law enforcement.
Must refer to more than one report of complicity within thereporting period AND no steps have been taken to investigate
these reports*

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Milestone 4
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

1.5 Social
protections exist

1.5.1 Birthregistration systems
exist

The government funds or supports birth registration systems
that covers the entire population.
Can include systems which are implemented or funded by
INGOs, but with government support.
Government support is defined as development of the birth
registration system, participation in the system, or monetaryor in kind support.
Covering the entire population refers to the % of people whoare registered. Award indicator not met if less than 95% of the
population is registered OR specific groups are missing. See
UNICEF statistics and supplement with additional research on
missing vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations can
include ethnic, cultural or religious groups who do not haveequal access to birth registration. E.g. Roma populations

1.5.2 Systems arein place to allow
asylum seekers toseek protection

There are policies and procedures in place so that asylum
seekers are able to access basic support and protection withina country’s borders
Services may be provided by IOs/NGOs with government
supportGovernment support is defined as development of the asylum
seeker system, participation in the system, or monetary or inkind support.
NOT
Asylum seekers are detained without access to services
NOT
Asylum seekers are deported without their claims being
assessed
NOT
Asylum seekers claims are assessed outside of the country
where they sought asylum

1.6 Safety nets exist
for migrant workers

1.6.3 Laws orpolicies state thatprivate recruitment
fees are paid by theemployer, not theemployee

Government legislation or policies state that recruitment
fees payable to recruitment agencies are not charged to theemployee (i.e. are paid by the employer, not employee). Pleasecheck Labour Code or Employment Act for this information

1.6.5 Labour laws
extend to everyone,
including migrant
workers, domestic
workers and thosein the fishingand construction
sectors.

The legal definition of an employee includes all vulnerable
workers, such as domestic workers, migrant workers,
construction workers, maritime workers, etc. If the jurisdiction
does not have a generic definition of an employee, or a labour
code, the information can come from NGOs, related legislation
or reports.
NOT Domestic workers are not explicitly mentioned inlegislation.
NOT Labour protections do not cover fishermen in territorial
waters.
This indicator does not extend to army, judiciary and civil
service- if these are NOT included, and all other groups areincluded, this is still indicator met.

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Milestone 4
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

1.6.7 NEGATIVE
Patterns of abuseof labour migrants
are institutionalised,or systematic andunchecked

Abuse of migrant workers is institutionalised, or systematicand not addressed.
Institutionalised means that these practices are part ofgovernment policy, or that these patterns of abuse aresystematic, and the government is taking little if any action toaddress this.
Patterns of abuse includes multiple instances of the following:high recruitment fees, or high interest rates on fees, makes it
impossible to pay these fees back, or withheld passports is acommon occurrence by the majority of employers, or mostworkers have restrictions placed on their movement by theiremployers
AND this occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th June2017.
NOT instances of these abuses are reported, but the
government is taking action against these.

1.7 Government
provides support
for citizens overseas

1.6.9 NEGATIVE
There are laws
or policies thatprevent or make it
difficult for workers
to leave abusive
employers without
risk of loss of visa
and deportation

Any current specific government policy or law that leads toloss of visa or deportation of migrant workers (or specificgroups of migrant workers, such as domestic workers) for
leaving abusive employers.

1.7.1 Government
provides training for
its consular staff on
modern slavery

Governments provide training for its embassy or consular staff
before departure for a posting or during a posting.

AND current defined as operating between 1st February 2016
and 30th June 2017.
NOT there is evidence of victims being deported for breachof visa conditions, but this does not occur as a direct resultof government policy. This is covered under milestone 3,
indicator 3.2.4.

AND This has occurred once since 1st February 2012.
Definition of training includes formal in person training, as
part of broader curriculum on human rights or other training
programs, or part of an online training program.
Training can be provided by INGOs with government support(support defined as permission, development of the training,or monetary or in kind support).
NOT training manuals have been developed by INGOs, NGOs.
NOT booklets with indicators of trafficking have been handed
out to Embassy staff.

1.8 NEGATIVE
Government places
its population,or part of its
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1.7.2 Government
providesidentification
documents andsupport travel
arrangements for
citizen return

Any citizen found to be exploited overseas can obtain
documents from their own country or be facilitated withtravel back to their country by their own government. These
documents are normally given by a citizen’s Embassies orConsulates

1.7.5 NEGATIVE
Diplomatic staff are
not investigated foralleged complicity
in modern slavery
cases or abuse of
victims

Diplomatic/Embassy staff are complicit in the exploitation ofnationals or abuse those who seek assistance at the Embassyand no investigations have taken place

1.8.1 NEGATIVEState sanctioned
forced labour exists

Any form of state sanctioned labour, where the government
forced the whole, or segments of the population, to work
under threat of penalty, and for which work, the person or
population has not offered himself voluntarily. Excludes
compulsory military services, work which forms part of normal
civil obligations of the citizen, or work performed in cases of
emergency (such as war, fire, famine or flood)*

AND this has occurred at least once since 30th June 2012.
This information can be found in modern slavery legislation, oron Ministry/ Department of Foreign Affairs websites.

AND this has occurred between 1st February 2016 and 30th
June 2017.

Milestone 5: Government and business stop sourcing
goods and services produced by forced labour
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

Government
sources goods andservices which
are slavery freeand encourages
businesses topractice due
diligence

1.1 Government
regulates andinvestigates public
procurement toprevent use offorced labour

1.1.1 Guidelines
exist for public
procurement
officials

The government has drafted guidelines or an internal memo
for public procurement officials that outline standards and/or operating procedures to prevent use of modern slavery in
the purchase of public goods or services. These guidelines can
include general guidelines on human rights, which include sub
sections on modern slavery.

1.1.2 Public
procurement
policies andsystems exist to
minimise the riskof governmentspurchasing
products tainted byforced labour

The Government drafts and implements public procurement
policies that outline standards for public procurement, which
explicitly prohibit using businesses suspected of using forced
labour or purchasing products that were made using forced
labour.

1.1.3 Annual reports
on government
action to prevent
use of forced
labour in public
procurement are
produced andpublicly available

The government releases reports on activities taken to prevent
use of forced labour in public procurement

1.1.4 The
government has
provided training to
public procurement
officials on modern
slavery

The government has provided training to procurement
officials on what is modern slavery, how it is relevant to theirrole, existing government policies and their implementation.

1.1.5 There isevidence that the
government has
taken remedialaction where forced
labour has been
discovered

There is evidence that the government has worked with
contractors to implement corrective action plans who haveidentified issues with the use of forced labour.

2.1.1 Laws orpolicies requirebusinesses to reporton their actions
to implement
risk minimisation
policies

Legislation or policies require business to report on theiractions to minimise risk of forced labour in their supply chain.
E.g. The UK Modern Slavery Act requires businesses earningover 36 million GBP pa to report on their actions to combat
modern slavery

2.1.2 Governments
have identified
high risk sectors
and taken action
to work with these
sectors to eradicate
modern slavery

The government has collaborated with businesses to identify
high risk sectors and set up national sector specific initiatives
that support businesses in a particular sector to tackle modern
slavery. These initiatives can be broader initiatives that cover
off sustainability, health and safety etc, but must include someelements of tackling modern slavery.

2.1 Government
encourages
business to practicedue diligence

These policies can include inserting clauses in public contracts
prohibiting the use of forced labour, not making purchasing
decisions on price alone, steps to be taken should a contractor
be found to use forced labour, or requiring government
contractors over a certain value to maintain compliance plans

AND this has to have occurred since 30th June 2012.
OR if the policy has been adopted in the last two years (since
1st February 2015), it is enough that reporting is stipulated aspart of regulating compliance.
The report can also be on human rights but include a sub
section on modern slavery.

This training is provided face to face, or through online
training modules, and has occurred at least once since 30th
June 2012.

OR where the use of forced labour is prevalent and thecontractor is unwilling to work with the government, there isevidence that the government has cancelled the contract.
AND this has occurred since 30th June 2012.

For example, the sustainable textile partnership in Germany

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Milestone 5
Outcome

Activity

Indicator 2018

Rating description

2.1.3 Laws orpolicies allow
governments tocreate a public listof businesses who
have been found totolerate slavery intheir supply chains

The government has worked with business and NGOs tocreate a public list of businesses which have been found totolerate forced labour in their supply chains AND/OR thesebusinesses are prevented from accessing public funds. For
example, the 'dirty list' in Brazil.

2.1.4 Governments
implement a
responsible
investment
reportingrequirement forinvestment funds
and banks headquartered in theircountry to ensurethat investment
does not support
modern slavery

Investment funds and banks head quartered the country
have to report on modern slavery risk in investments AND
Reporting must occur at least every two years. If policy is inplace, there MUST be evidence that this has occurred since
30th June 2012 OR If the policy has just been adopted, it
is enough that reporting is stipulated as part of regulatingcompliance. NOTE: There must be explicit mention of modern
slavery NOT Investment funds or banks have corporate social
responsibility policies that require them to report on humanrights UNLESS modern slavey forms part of this reporting.

2.1.5 Laws orpolicies prevent theimport of goods
and services madewith forced labour

The government has prohibited the import of goods andservices made with forced labour. For example, the US Tariff
Act.

2.1.6 Laws are inplace that make it acriminal offence forCompany Directors
or companies who
fail to prevent
modern slavery andfailed to undertake
reasonable due
diligence in first tiersupply chain.

Directors can be charged and prosecuted for slavery in firsttier supply chains where it can be shown that due diligencehas not occurred. This indicator measures the existence of thisprovision in legislation.

Process
Across each of the five milestones are a total of 104
indicators to determine how well a government is
responding to modern slavery. These indicators include‘positive indicators’ which cover actions the governmentis taking to achieve each milestone. These indicators
are supplemented by standardised ‘negative indicators’,
which attempt to measure implementation of a particular
activity. For example, if shelters exist for humantrafficking victims, the negative indicator ‘victims aredetained and unable to leave the shelter’ would capture
whether victims are detained and experience secondary
victimisation despite the existence of these shelters.
The negative indicators also cover broader factors,
which if conducted by governments would increase therisk of modern slavery. These include state-sanctioned
forced labour, high levels of government complicity,

60

Towards a Common Future

criminalisation of victims, deportation of potential
victims, and policies which tie migrant workers to theiremployers. Ratings are awarded (scores of either 1, 0
or -1) based on the results of a comprehensive researchinquiry in order to quickly identify if a positive indicator
has been achieved (0 or 1) or if there is evidence that
supports the awarding of a negative indicator (0 or-1). This data is gathered from publicly-available desk
research, interviews with in-country experts, and surveys
extended to government and NGOs. Desk research was
conducted by 25 individuals with a law backgroundand/or certain language skills. Data was verified at thenational level by a second reviewer and at the end of datacollection processes by reviewing an individual indicator
for all countries.

3) SUMMARY: WALK FREE FOUNDATION GOVERNMENT RESPONSESVS THE CALL TO ACTION
During the UN General Assembly week, the UK
Government launched a Call to Action, which aims
to intensify action towards the achievement of
SDG 8.7 and related SDGs, by calling all nations to‘stand together in our commitment to combatting
the exploitation of human beings for the purposes ofcompelled labour or commercial sex through the use offorce or other forms of coercion, or fraud, whether we
describe this compelled service as human trafficking,modern slavery or forced labour.’
The Call to Action outlines an agenda for action in linewith existing counter trafficking frameworks laid out inthe UN Trafficking Protocol, 2000. Under the Call, (1)governments are requested to:

1. Ratify international conventions;
2. Develop and publish national strategies;
3. Strengthen law enforcement and criminal justiceresponses;

4. Put victims first;
5. Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery, humantrafficking, and the worst forms of child labour fromour economies; and6. Strengthen cooperation regionally and

These key action areas broadly align with the conceptual
framework underpinning the data collected by the
Walk Free Foundation for the government response
section of the Global Slavery Index. The first milestone
in the conceptual framework addresses the degree towhich survivors of slavery are supported to exit slavery
and empowered to break the cycle of vulnerability. It
corresponds to those indicators in the Call to Action
which are concerned with victim-centred approaches
and raising public awareness about trafficking (action
areas 4 and e). Milestone two seeks to ensure thatnational legislation and justice systems are sufficiently
robust to penalise perpetrators, while being sensitive
to victims’ needs (action areas 1, 3 and c). The third
milestone in the conceptual framework covers elementsof action areas 2 and 6 in the Call to Action. Milestone
four corresponds to action areas a) and d) of the Call to
Action and deals with governments’ efforts to conduct
research into modern slavery so that they can better
understand the phenomenon, thus informing soundpolicy decisions. Finally, milestone five corresponds toaction area 5, which examines whether businesses andgovernments are required to exercise due diligence intheir procurement processes to ensure the production ofslavery-free goods and services.

internationally.

The Call to Action also calls for (2) enhanced
international cooperation to:a. Build the evidence base;b. Address the resourcing gap;
c. Enhance international cooperation on law
enforcement;

d. Reduce the drivers of forced labour, modern slavery,
human trafficking and worst forms of child labour;
ande. Ensure that victims can access the restorative
support they need.

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61

TABLE 2: Mapping of the Call to Action against
the Walk Free Foundation government
response conceptual framework

Call toAction‘Actionarea’

Description

Government
response
indicator

Description

1(i)Ratify and ensure the effective implementationof relevant international conventions, protocols,and frameworks including the Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children (Palermo
Protocol), supplementing the UN Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime

M2 1.1.3

Ratify/acceded to/succeeded/accept
Palermo Protocol

M2 1.2.1

Human trafficking is criminalised

M2 1.2.2

Slavery is criminalised

M2 1.2.3

Forced labour is criminalised

M2 1.2.4

Children in armed conflict iscriminalised

M2 1.2.5

Child prostitution is criminalised

M2 1.2.6

Forced marriage are criminalised

M2 1.2.7

NEGATIVE Penalties are
disproportionate

Develop and publish national strategies that:M3 1.2.1.

National action plan exists

set out a comprehensive approach across thefour key elements of prosecution, protection,
prevention and partnerships; focusing on the root
causes as well as the response

M3 1.2.1.

National action plan exists

take steps to measure, monitor and share dataon prevalence and response to all such formsof exploitation, as appropriate to national
circumstances;

M4 1.1.1; M4 1.1.2

Government funds research

M3 1.1.1

National Coordination Body exists

M3 3.1.1

Regional inter-government response

M3 3.1.3

Country collaboration agreements

M3 3.2.1

Government facilitates repatriation

M3 3.2.6

Labour migration agreements

M1 1.1.1

Campaigns promote hotline

M1 1.1.2

Campaigns systematic

M4 1.2.1

Campaigns target risks

M1 2.3.1

Training regulatory responders

M2 3.1.1

Special police units

M2 3.1.3

NEGATIVE units insufficiently
resourced

M2 3.1.4

Units have special operatingprocedures (SOPs)

as well as by developing and accelerating
effective implementation of our own domestic
legislation; to ensure that forced labour, modern
slavery, human trafficking and the worst forms ofchild labour are never tolerated in our societies.

1(ii)promote cooperation amongst the full range ofstakeholders needed for effective prevention
and response; including private sector, civilsociety, and law enforcement and other frontline
agencies;

Raise awareness and improve understandingof the issues amongst the general public andamongst communities vulnerable to exploitation.

1(iii)

Strengthen law enforcement and criminal justiceresponses in order to rapidly enhance capacity toidentify, investigate, and disrupt criminal activity;

strengthen international legal cooperation,
including through mutual legal assistance andextradition;

62

Towards a Common FutureNo
corresponding
indicator(s)Call toAction‘Actionarea’

Description

and bring perpetrators to justice by applying
sufficiently stringent penalties consistent with
our legal obligations.

1(iv)

Put victims first, including by putting effective
mechanisms in place to help ensure that all
victims are identified, are protectedhave access to justice,

and appropriate support;

Government
response
indicator

Description

M2 1.2.7

NEGATIVE Penalties are
disproportionate

M2 3.2.5

NEGATIVE Judicial rulings
disproportionate

M1 1.1.1

Campaigns promote hotline

M1 1.1.2

Campaigns systematic

M1 1.1.3

Public reports increase

M1 2.1.1

Hotline exists

M1 2.1.2

Hotline covers all

M1 2.1.3

Hotline freeM1 2.1.4

Hotline 24/7

M1 2.1.5

Hotline multilingual

M1 2.2.1

Training identification police

M1 2.2.4

NEGATIVE No victims identified

M1 2.3.1

Training regulatory responders

M1 2.3.3

Training systematic

M1 4.1.1

Screening guideM1 4.1.2

Presumed victims category

M1 4.1.3

Guidelines identify organisations

M1 4.2.1.

National Referral Mechanism (NRM)

M1 4.2.2

Victims identified using NRM

M2 1.4.1

Victim legal participation

M2 1.4.3

Visa without court process

M2 2.1.1

Free legal services

M2 2.1.3

Protection inside courtroom

M2 2.1.4

Protection outside courtroom

M2 2.1.5

Restitution available

M2 2.1.6

Child-friendly justiceM2 3.2.1

Judiciary training

M2 3.2.2

Prosecutors training

M2 3.2.4

Training systematic

M1 3.1.1

Victim services exist

M1 3.1.2

NEGATIVE victims detained

M1 3.1.3

Government funds services

M1 3.1.4

Health services

M1 3.1.5

NEGATIVE gaps in services

M1 3.1.7

NEGATIVE services not used

M1 3.2.1

Reintegration support

M1 3.2.2

Options to remain

M1 3.2.3

Services child-friendly

M1 3.2.4

Family reunification

M1 3.3.1

Direct assistance staff trained

M1 3.3.2

Services evaluatedM1 3.3.3

NRM received evaluations

Walk Free Foundation

63

Call toAction‘Actionarea’

Description

and are not unreasonably penalised for unlawful
activities where they have been compelled tocommit crimes as a direct consequence of their
exploitation.

1(v)

1(vi)

2(iv)

2(v)

64

Eradicate forced labour, modern slavery,
human trafficking, and the worst forms of childlabour from our economies (both formal andinformal) by developing regulatory or policy
frameworks, as appropriate, and working withbusiness to eliminate such practices from global
supply chains; whilst addressing government
procurement practices, and building a culture of
consumer awareness which supports such action
and promotes decent work.

Strengthen cooperation regionally andinternationally including, as appropriate:facilitating better data-sharing; supportinginternational legal cooperation during
investigations and prosecutions; preventing safe
havens for criminals; exchanging best practices;collaborating on victim identification, protection,
reintegration and repatriation; and providing
appropriate technical and financial support topartners.

Enhanced international cooperation on law
enforcement responses to end the impunityof criminal groups, including transnational
criminal organizations, individuals, and complicit
government officials.

Increased focus and cooperation on themeasures that can be taken to reduce thedrivers of forced labour, modern slavery, humantrafficking, and the worst forms of child labour
and to protect the most vulnerable; including
those affected by conflict and humanitariansituations, people on the move, marginalised
groups, and women and children.

Towards a Common Future

Government
response
indicator

Description

M2 1.4.5

Victims not criminals (legislation)

M2 1.4.5

NEGATIVE Victims treated criminals

M5 1.1.1

Guidelines Public Procurement (PP)
officials

M5 1.1.2

PP policies

M5 1.1.3

Annual PP reports

M5 1.1.4

Training PP officials

M5 1.1.5

Remedial action taken

M5 2.1.1

Business reports anti-slavery efforts

M5 2.1.2

Risk sectors identified

M5 2.1.3

Offending businesses list

M5 2.1.4

Slavery-free investment

M5 2.1.5

Forced labour import banned

M5 2.1.6

Due diligence required

M3 3.1.3

Country collaboration agreements

M3 3.2.1

Government facilitates repatriation

M3 3.2.4

NEGATIVE foreigners immigration
violation

M3 3.1.3

Country collaboration agreements

M3 3.2.1

Government facilitates repatriation

M3 3.2.4

NEGATIVE foreigners immigration
violation

M4 1.4.1

Law criminalises corruption

M4 1.4.3

NEGATIVE complicity widespread

M4 1.7.5

NEGATIVE diplomatic staff
uninvestigatedM4 1.2.1

Campaigns target risks

M4 1.3.2

Labour inspections informal sector

M4 1.3.3

Affordable health careM4 1.3.4

Education for all

M4 1.5.1

Birth registration

M4 1.5.2

Asylum seekers protection

M4 1.6.3

Employer pays fees

M4 1.6.5

Labour laws cover allCall toAction‘Action
area’

2(vi)

3

Description

Ensure that victims can access the restorative
support they need, including through better
victim safeguarding coordination to connect
victims to appropriate support and reintegration
services to reduce the risk of re-exploitation.

Commit to assess our progress towards theachievement of these aims in a transparent
manner; including by publishing our national
strategies or relevant progress reports annually,and by reporting on progress towards achieving
SDG Target 8.7 as part of the wider follow-up andreview process for achieving Agenda 2030.

Government
response
indicator

Description

M1 3.1.1

Victim services exist

M1 3.1.2

NEGATIVE victims detained

M1 3.1.3

Government funds services

M1 3.1.4

Health services

M1 3.1.5

NEGATIVE gaps in services

M1 3.1.7

NEGATIVE services not used

M1 3.2.1

Reintegration support

M1 3.2.2

Options to remain

M1 3.2.3

Services child-friendly

M1 3.2.4

Family reunification

M1 3.3.1

Direct assistance staff trained

M1 3.3.2

Services evaluatedM1 3.3.3

NRM received evaluations

M3 1.1.1

National Coordination Body exists

M3 1.2.1.

National action plan exists

M3 1.3.2

Plan used to report

M3 2.1.1

Plan monitored independently

Walk Free Foundation

65

Girls attending the Adolescent Learning
Resource Centre in Satkhira, Bangladesh, in2010. The Adolescent Learning Resource Centre
aims to improve sexual reproductive healthand rights of adolescents to prevent humantrafficking and early marriage.
Photo credit, ©VSO

66

Towards a Common Future

APPENDIX 2:

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APPENDIX 3:ENDNOTES	See 2018. Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to Transform
our World. United Nations. Available from: http://www.un.org/
sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/#[02/02/2018].

1

	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Malta 2015.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Communiqué.
Commonwealth.

	International Labour Organization 1999. C182 - Worst Forms ofChild Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). Convention concerning
the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the
Worst Forms of Child Labour (Entry into force: 19 Nov 2000).
Geneva.

132	United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
2000a. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of theChild on the involvement of children in armed conflict, United
Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner 2000b.
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Childon the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

14	General Assembly Resolution 70/1 2015. Transforming our world:the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development A/RES/70/1.
Available from: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.
asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. [2 February 2018].

3

4

5

	International Labour Office 2017. Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage. Geneva.
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dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.
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	United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) 2011.
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separation in emergencies. Available from: https://www.unicef.
org/protection/57929_57994.html. [1 February 2018].

6

	Dutta, M. 2017. Natural Disaster and Vulnerability to Traffickingof Women and Girls in India. European Scientific Journal, 54-69.
Available from: https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/
viewFile/9242/8781. [1 February 2018].

	Hepburn, S. 2017. ‘Harvey, Irma, and Maria: Natural Disasters
and Human Trafficking’. Huffington Post (online), 4 October
2017. Available from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/
entry/harvey-irma-and-maria-natural-disasters-and-human_
us_59d55cdbe4b085c51090ad63. [1 February 2018].

	International Labour Office 2017. Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage. Geneva.

15	Hyland, K. 2016. ‘Britain must address the root causes of sex
trafficking from Nigeria to Europe’. The Guardian (online).
Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2016/aug/12/britain-must-address-root-causessex-trafficking-nigeria-to-europe. [15 February 2018].

16

	Australian Government Attorney General’s Department
Human Trafficking. Available from: https://www.ag.gov.au/
CrimeAndCorruption/HumanTrafficking/Pages/default.aspx [2February 2018].

17	Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. 2017.
Trafficking in Persons Report: Belize Country Narrative. UnitedStates Department of State, p. 66. Available from: https://www.
state.gov/documents/organization/271341.pdf. [31 January 2018].

18

7

8

	Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs 2017.
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documents/files/png_highlands_el_nino_lessons_learnt_
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	Roy Ahn, G. P., Anita M. Mc Gahan, Hanni Stoklosa, Thomas F.
Burke, Kathryn Conn, Hannah L. Harp, Emily de Redon, Griffin
Flannery, Wendy Macias-Konstantopoulos 2015. Innovations in
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In: ROY ANH, T. F. B., ANITA M. MC GAHAN (ed.) Innovatingfor Healthy Urbanization. Boston, MA: Springer. Available from:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7597-3_4. [1 February 2018].

	Kafeero, S. 2017. ‘How girls are trafficked to Middle East through
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20

9	Bales, K. 2006. Testing a Theory of Modern Slavery. La Strada
International. Available from: http://lastradainternational.org/
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10	United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
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Crime. 55/25 of 15 November 2000.

	United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). 2014.
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21

	UNICEF. 2016. State of the World’s Children 2016, p. 151.
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22

	United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 2016.
Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) in the Pacific: A Threat
Assessment, p. iv. Available from: https://www.unodc.org/
southeastasiaandpacific/en/2016/09/tocta-pacific-reportlaunch/story.html. [15 February 2018]2411	Which also includes trafficking for forced labour. See:
International Labour Organization 2014b. P029 - Protocol of2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930. Geneva.

12

As above.

23

25

As above.

Walk Free Foundation69

	Hedwards, B, Andrevski, H & Bricknell, S. 2017. Labour
exploitation in the Australian construction industry: risks andprotections for temporary migrant workers. Research Report 02,
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[15 February 2018].

26

	Minshall, J. 2015. ‘Slavery in the Australian suburbs: It’s
happening, but how do we stop it?’. SBS News (online), 4 April.
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	Public Safety Canada 2018. National Action Plan to Combat
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aspx#toc-01.2 [12 February 2018].

37

	Theobold, C. 2016. ‘Report blames temporary foreign worker
program for making employees vulnerable to exploitation’.
Edmonton Journal, 2 December. Available from: http://
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38

27

	Dumas, D. 2016. ‘‘This is happening in Australia’: Sydney victim
of slavery speaks out’. Sydney Morning Herald (online), 10 April.
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	Tomlinson, K. 2014. ‘McDonald’s foreign workers call it ‘slavery’’.
CBC News (online), 17 April. Available from: http://www.cbc.ca/
news/canada/edmonton/mcdonald-s-foreign-workers-call-itslavery-1.2612659. [13 February 2018].

39

28

	Meldrum-Hanna, C, Russel, A & Christodoulo, M. 2015. ‘Labour
exploitation, slave-like conditions found on farms supplying
biggest supermarkets’. ABC News (online), 7 May. Available
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[15 February 2018].

	International Organisation for Migration 2017. UN Migration
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4029	Knaus, C. 2017. ‘Australian slavery inquiry told fruit pickers‘brainwashed’ and trapped in debt’. The Guardian (online),
30 October. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/
world/2017/oct/30/australian-slavery-inquiry-told-fruit-pickersbrainwashed-and-trapped-in-debt. [13 February 2018].

	Girls not Brides 2016. Child Marriage in Humanitarian Crises June 2016.

41	United Nations Security Council 2017. Conclusions on children
and armed conflict in Nigeria. S/AC.51/2017/5.

42

30

	Doherty, B. 2017. ‘Modern-day slavery in focus Hungry, poor,
exploited: alarm over Australia’s import of farm workers’. The
Guardian (online), 3 August. Available from: https://www.
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43	International Justice Mission. 2016. Child Trafficking into Forced
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resources/ijm-ghana-report.pdf. [15 February 2018].

44

31	Tomazin, F & McKenzie, N. 2017. ‘Will Australia’s new laws
stamp out modern slavery?’. Sydney Morning Herald (online),
20 August. Available from: http://www.smh.com.au/national/
will-australias-new-laws-stamp-out-modern-slavery-20170818gxz7o0.html. [13 February 2018].

45

32	Knaus, C. 2017. ‘Australian slavery inquiry told fruit pickers‘brainwashed’ and trapped in debt’, The Guardian (online),
30 October. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/
world/2017/oct/30/australian-slavery-inquiry-told-fruit-pickersbrainwashed-and-trapped-in-debt. [13 February 2018].

	Kindzeka, M. 2017. ‘Child labor in Cameroon’s gold mines’.
Deustche Welle (online), 1 May. Available from: http://
www.dw.com/en/child-labor-in-eastern-cameroons-goldmines/a-37018940. [15 February 2018].
	Mazumdaru, S. 2016. ‘Why Child Labor is Rampant in Dhaka’s
Slums’. Deustche Welle (online), 12 August. Available from:http://www.dw.com/en/why-child-labor-is-rampant-in-dhakasslums/a-36694551. [15 February 2018].

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33

	Morris, S. 2018. ‘Trio who used trafficked girls to work in nailbars jailed under slavery laws’. The Guardian (online). Available
from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/02/
trio-trafficked-girls-work-nail-bars-jailed-slavery-laws-uk. [15February 2018].

	Gentleman, A. 2017. ‘Trafficked and enslaved: the teenagers
tending UK cannabis farms’. The Guardian (online). Available
from: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/25/
trafficked-enslaved-teenagers-tending-uk-cannabis-farmsvietnamese [19 February 2018].

47

34

35

	Guilbert, K. 2017. ‘Modern slavery seeps through murky world of
Britain’s car washes’. Reuters (online). Available from: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-slavery-carwash/modernslavery-seeps-through-murky-world-of-britains-car-washesidUSKBN1D80XI. [15 February 2018].
	Grierson, J. 2017. ‘UK family found guilty of enslaving homelessand disabled people’. The Guardian (online). Available from:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/11/uk-familyfound-guilty-of-enslaving-homeless-and-disabled-people. [15February 2018].

36

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Towards a Common Future	United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
2000c. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing theUnited Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime. 55/25 of 15 November 2000.

48

	International Labour Organization 2014b. P029 - Protocol of2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930. Geneva.

49	International Labour Organization 2011. C189- Domestic Workers
Convention, 2011. Geneva.

50	South Africa has both dualist and monist approaches in its
Constitution. See Aust, A. 2007. Modern Treaty Law and Practice,
Cambridge University Press.

51

52

	United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2016.
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. New York. Available
from: https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/
glotip/2016_Global_Report_on_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf.
[15 February 2018].

	Ezeilo, J N. 2014. Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking
in persons, especially women and children - Mission to Belize.
United Nations Human Rights Council, Twenty-sixth session, pp.
5-6. Available from: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/
RegularSessions/Session26/Documents/A-HRC-26-37-Add6_
en.doc. [15 February 2018].

https://www.naptip.gov.ng/?page_id=134 [29 March 2017].

53

	European Commission 2016. Study on prevention initiatives on
trafficking in human beings: Final report.

6667	International Labour Office 2017. Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage. Geneva.

68	United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2016.
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. New York.

69

54

55

	International Organisation for Migration & Polaris 2017. CounterTrafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). Available from: https://www.ctdatacollaborative.org/ [18 February 2018].

	Ertl, V, Pfeiffer, A, Schauer, E, Elbert, T & Neuner, F. 2011.
‘Community-Implemented Trauma Therapy for Former Child
Soldiers in Northern Uganda: A Randomized Controlled Trial’.
Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 306, no. 5, pp.
503-512.

	Freedom Collaborative 2018. About. Available from: http://www.
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56

	Prof. Cornelius Katona, D. K. R., Rachel Shapcott, Rachel Witkin2015. Addressing Mental Health Needs for Survivors of Modern
Slavery: A Critical Review and Research Agenda. Freedom
Fund and Helen Bamber Foundation, Barrenechea, A. 2016. Too
little, too late: Psychological Support for Victims of Trafficking
for Labour Exploitation in the UK. Available from: http://www.
labourexploitation.org/news/too-little-too-late-psychologicalsupport-victims-trafficking-labour-exploitation-uk [21 April
2016], Dr Sian Oram et al 2015. Provider Responses Treatment
and Care for Trafficked People: Final Report for the Department
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	Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings(GRETA) 2015. Report concerning the implementation of theCouncil of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in
Human Beings by Cyprus. Council of Europe.
	Woolf, K. 2010. Case Study: The Centre for Domestic Training
and Development, The Global Fund for Children. Available from:http://globalfundforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/
GFCCaseStudyDec10-2.pdf. [15 February 2018].

	Miller, C & Tsoka, M. 2012. ‘Cash Transfers and Children’s
Education and Labour among Malawi’s Poor’, Development
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72

	Tostan 2018. Empowering women and girls. Available from:https://www.tostan.org/areas-of-impact/cross-cutting-gendersocial-norms/empowerment-women-girls/ [18 February2018]. See also https://www.tostan.org/resources/evaluationsresearch/ for details of evaluations conducted of the Tostan
program.; More details on each of these programs can befound in: Bryant, K. & Joudo, B. 2017. Promising Practices:
What Works? A review of interventions to combat modern day
slavery. Walk Free Foundation.

73

	Asangalisah, S. 2007. Combatting hazardous child labour
in tobacco farming in Urambo district - Phase II – UTSP,International Labour Organization. Available from: http://www.
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publication/wcms_126633.pdf. [15 February 2018].

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	Jones, K. 2017. For a Fee: The Business of Recruiting Bangladeshi
Women for Domestic Work in Jordan or Lebanon. International
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publication/wcms_377806.pdf. [15 February 2018].

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62

	Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. 2016.
Trafficking in Persons Report: Lesotho Country Narrative. UnitedStates Department of State, p. 244. Available from: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/258880.pdf. [15February 2018].

	Silverman, B. 2014. Modern Slavery: an application of Multiple
Systems Estimation, p. 1. Available from: https://www.gov.
uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/386841/Modern_Slavery_an_application_of_MSE_revised.
pdf. [15 February 2018].

United Kingdom Government 2015. Modern Slavery Act.

	Business and Human Rights Resource Centre 2018.
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77	Walk Free Foundation 2018. Bali Process Businessand Government Forum. Available from: https://www.
walkfreefoundation.org/news/initiative/bali-process-businessgovernment-forum/ [18 February 2018].

78	International Labour Office 2017. Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage. Geneva.

79	The Commonwealth 2013. Charter of the Commonwealth.
Available from: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-charter [13February 2018].

80	See the Global Slavery Index vulnerability model- Walk Free
Foundation 2018. Global Slavery Index 2018, forthcoming.

64	National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP) 2017. Research and Programme. Available from:	International Labour Office 2017. Global Estimates of Modern
Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage. Geneva.
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dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.
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76

63

65

	2018 ‘India’s child marriage numbers plunge driving down
global rate: UNICEF’. ABC News (online). 6 March. Available
from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-06/child-marriagein-india-nearly-halves-in-decade/9519504.

	Pathfinder International. 2013. PRACHAR: Advancing Young
People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in India.
Available from: https://www.pathfinder.org/wp-content/
uploads/2016/11/PRACHAR-Advancing-Young-PeoplesSexual-and-Reproductive-Health-and-Rights-in-India.pdf.
[15 February 2018].

	Pervin, S. 2014. Final Evaluation of The Project: Addressing
Health Issues of Survivors of Human Trafficking in Jessore andSatkhira in Bangladesh. International Organisation for Migration,
available upon request to OIG/Evaluation at Headquarters(eva@iom.int).

59

	United Nations University 2018. Alliance 8.7 Knowledge
Platform. Available from: https://unu.edu/projects/alliance-8-7knowledge-platform.html#outline [18 February 2018].

81

As above.

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The Commonwealth 1991. Harare Commonwealth Declaration.

82

	The Commonwealth. 2017. Commonwealth marks International
Human Rights Day, 13 December. Available from: http://
thecommonwealth.org/media/news/commonwealth-marksinternational-human-rights-day. [13 February 2018].

96

	The Commonwealth 2007. The Commonwealth Kampala
Communiqué Kampala Uganda.

83

	The Commonwealth 2009. Affirmation of Commonwealth
Values and Principles. Trinidad and Tobago.

84	Commonwealth Network 2018. Human Rights. Available from:http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/commonwealth-inaction/human-rights/ [4 February 2018].

85

	Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) 2016.
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. Available from: http://
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/index.php [4 February 2018].

86

As above.

87	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Malta 2015.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Communiqué.
Commonwealth.

88

As above.

89	Commonwealth Foundation n.d. Commonwealth Gender Planof Action Monitoring Group (CPMG). Available from: https://commonwealthfoundation.com/project/cgpmg/. [28 March 2018].

90

	The Commonwealth Secretariat. 2014. CommonwealthRoundtable on Early and Forced Marriage, p. 1. Available from:http://thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/organisation/
documents/EFM%20ReportFinal.pdf. [13 February 2018]

91

	The Commonwealth 2017b. Working together to end childmarriage. Available from: http://thecommonwealth.org/media/
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92	Girls Not Brides. 2017. Child Marriage Around the World: Malawi.
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93	Royal Commonwealth Society and Plan UK. 2013. Empowering
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97	United Kingdom – Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
2017. A Commonwealth Wide Movement to Tackle Modern
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news/a-commonwealth-wide-movement-to-tackle-modernslavery/. [15 February 2018].
	Guilbert, K. 2017. ‘Taking UK’s Lead, Commonwealth lawmakers
set sights on modern slavery’. Reuters (online), 15 December.
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98

	The Commonwealth 2017a. Office of Civil and Criminal JusticeReform. Available from: http://thecommonwealth.org/officecivil-and-criminal-justice-reform [13 February 2018].

99

100

	Ucnikova, M. 2014. OECD and Modern Slavery: How much aid
money is spent to tackle the issue?. Anti Trafficking Review.
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102

	The Freedom Fund 2018. Home. Available from: http://
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103

	Global Fund to End Modern Slavery 2018. Home. Available from:https://www.gfems.org/ [5 February 2018].

104

94

	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Malta 2015.
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95

72

Towards a Common Future

As above.

	International Labour Organization 2014a. ILO says forced labour
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	United Kingdom Government. 2017. PM to call for revitalised
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105

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