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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for domestic workers
20 results foundAuthor: Benton, Meghan Title: Spheres of Exploitation: Thwarting Actors Who Profit from Illegal Labor, Domestic Servitude, and Sex Work Summary: Large-scale migration flows are too often exploited by "bad actors" for profit-ranging from criminals who exploit trafficked people to employers who do not meet legal hiring practices. Even consumers, who may not know the source of their goods and services, sometimes aid the exploitation of migrants. This report analyzes such exploitation in three spheres: the domestic care sector, the labor market, and the sex industry. Across all three, perpetrators are broadly motivated by the lure of high profits and low risks. The report, part of a Transatlantic Council on Migration series on migration "bad actors," details several obstacles governments face in their efforts to weaken such actors: victims may be unwilling to report crimes, the crimes themselves fall into a gray area in which identification and prosecution are complex, and the leaders of criminal organizations often successfully protect themselves from enforcement efforts by implicating their foot soldiers and victims in illegal activity. Policies to disrupt the business model of exploitation seek to increase risks and reduce profits for facilitators, and they may also aim to reduce the supply and demand of exploitable labor. Most policies carry risks and practical challenges. One of the main legal tools-anti-trafficking legislation-aims to increase the risks of severe exploitation, but low prosecution rates and trivial sentences reduce their utility as a deterrent. Measures that target employers also face several challenges, such as proving employer guilt and administering high-enough fines. Increasing subcontractors' regulations, if successfully implemented, can raise standards across the board, but may also inadvertently lead to more severe exploitation (and more illegal immigration) if some operators are pushed underground. The report argues that one of the biggest challenges facing law enforcement is that the focus on serious criminals and lawbreakers ignores those who operate on the edge of legality; the reality is that creative criminal organizations exploit legal routes wherever possible, sometimes flying under the radar of police. This situation often creates unexpected results. Some policies to encourage legal migration-like those that tie workers to a particular employer-can facilitate exploitative practices, while policies designed to reduce exploitation (such as licensing systems) might make some operators more likely to hire unauthorized workers. Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2014. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/migration-exploitation-illegal-labor-domestic-servitude-sex Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/migration-exploitation-illegal-labor-domestic-servitude-sex Shelf Number: 132222 Keywords: Border SecurityDomestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingIllegal ImmigrantsSexual ExploitationUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Harroff-Tavel, Helene Title: Tricked and Trapped: Human Trafficking in the Middle East Summary: This study sheds light on the situation of trafficked adult workers in the Middle East, both women and men. It analyses the complex processes by which vulnerable migrant workers are tricked and trapped into forced labour in various types of work in the region, and the constraints that prevent them from leaving. The study aims to provide policy-makers and service providers with deeper insight into the nature of forced labour and trafficking in this region. Armed with this knowledge, action to combat trafficking in the region will become more effective, finally bringing an end to this unacceptable form of human exploitation. It also examines the responses to human trafficking put in place by national governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and other key stakeholders, and makes tentative suggestions as to how the effectiveness of their actions might be enhanced in the future. Details: Beirut: International Labour Organization, 2013. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.ilo.org/beirut/publications/WCMS_211214/lang--en/index.htm Year: 2013 Country: Saudi Arabia URL: http://www.ilo.org/beirut/publications/WCMS_211214/lang--en/index.htm Shelf Number: 132961 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman Trafficking (Middle East)Migrant Workers |
Author: Justice Centre Hong Kong Title: How Many More Years A Slave? Trafficking for Forced Labour in Hong Kong, Summary: Forced labour, modern slavery, debt bondage and human trafficking are all terms that have recently made their way into headlines in Hong Kong. These have often been in the context of multiple accounts of alleged abuse of foreign domestic helpers, such as the much-publicised cases of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih and Kartika Puspitasari in the past year. There are currently 11.7 million people in forced labour conditions in the Asia-Pacific region. As an important regional hub and both a destination and transit territory for human trafficking, Hong Kong is failing to fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. Current legislation merely prohibits human trafficking "for the purpose of prostitution", but not for forced labour or other forms of trafficking, which has been criticised in the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report, as well as by UN bodies and several human rights organisations. This briefing - the first of a joint series examining modern day slavery in Hong Kong and offering policy solutions - will provide clarity about the distinguishing features and overlaps between forced labour and human trafficking, with reference to international standards. It will go on to identify the gaps in existing legislation, which is currently failing to provide redress in cases of trafficking for forced labour and to prevent further abuses, is neglecting to prosecute traffickers and is not offering adequate protection to victims of trafficking for forced labour in the HKSAR territory. The briefing calls on the Hong Kong Government to: (1) develop a broader definition of human trafficking which encompasses all forms of human trafficking as set out in the UN Trafficking Protocol (2) create a national plan of action to combat human trafficking (3) adopt a comprehensive anti-human trafficking law and (4) offer more robust labour protections against forced labour. Doing so is crucial to prevent further human rights abuses at a time when Hong Kong is looking at other emerging markets for sources of labour. At this critical juncture, the Hong Kong Government has an opportunity and the resources to redouble its efforts to combat modern forms of slavery and serve as a model in the Asia-Pacific region. Details: Hong Kong: Justice Centre Hong Kong, 2014. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2014 at: http://www.justicecentre.org.hk/framework/uploads/2014/03/JCHK_Report_final_spreads.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://www.justicecentre.org.hk/framework/uploads/2014/03/JCHK_Report_final_spreads.pdf Shelf Number: 134246 Keywords: Debt BondageDomestic WorkersForced Labor (Hong Kong)Human Rights AbusesHuman Trafficking |
Author: Anti-Slavery International Title: Into the Unknown: Exploitation of Nepalese migrant domestic workers in Lebanon Summary: Hundreds of thousands of migrants are currently working in the Middle East in situations that can amount to forced labour and slavery. This is a direct consequence of the systems currently in place in these countries, as well as policies and practices in their home countries, including in South Asia and further afield. Research by Anti-Slavery International, KAFA - (Enough) Violence & Exploitation in Lebanon- and GEFONT - the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions - has identified that domestic workers from Nepal seeking legal and decent work in Lebanon are one such group who are suffering from this type of exploitation. Domestic work includes a range of tasks carried out in private homes including cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, taking care of children or the elderly, running errands and sometimes looking after an employer's small business. Domestic workers can live in their employer's home or independently from them, but working within the home is the single most important determinant in defining a domestic worker. Migrant domestic workers are workers who have migrated to other cities or villages, either internationally or within their own countries' borders to find employment. Thousands of women and girls migrate every day to find work as domestic workers and provide for their families. In Lebanon alone, there is currently an estimated 200,000 migrant domestic workers. The abuse and exploitation they suffer is well documented. Until 2012, Lebanon was the top country of destination for female migrant workers. The plight of Nepalese migrant domestic workers is rooted in a continuum of vulnerabilities starting from their recruitment in their rural villages and lasting until they start work in a home in the Lebanese capital city and beyond. At every stage of the migration process and employment, they risk being abused and exploited. Many are trafficked for forced labour, with some employers forbidding them from leaving the house, confiscating their passports and using violence or threats of violence to control and force them to work, often without pay. Others fall into bonded labour as a result of the transportation and recruitment costs, as well as the commission fees charged by the agent and/or broker and incurred in taking up a job abroad. They are put in this situation as a result of inadequate policies, discrimination, lack of preparedness, isolation, and an absence of coordinated efforts to protect them. Each one of these factors can lead to serious labour and human rights violations; when combined, as they are for migrant domestic workers including for Nepalese in Lebanon, they create the conditions within which abuse and exploitation can flourish. In 2012, Anti-Slavery International launched a project looking at the situation of migrant domestic workers from Nepal, prior to and after they migrate to Lebanon. The work is implemented in partnership with KAFA in Lebanon and GEFONT in Nepal. The activities build on research undertaken in these two countries as well as India examining the legislation, policy and practice of the migration cycle in origin and destination countries, with particular reference to its impact on female migrant domestic workers. The research concluded that the combination of gender discrimination in policies, lack of relevant and accessible training pre-departure, lack of protection or little or no regulation of recruitment agencies, as well as discriminatory policies in the countries of destination, mostly through the kafala - or sponsorship system - all result in a failure to protect female migrant domestic workers. The research also showed that the vulnerabilities to abuse and exploitation suffered by migrant domestic workers are inter-related and interdependent; for example, even if women received appropriate pre-departure training, they would remain vulnerable to exploitation if the ban currently preventing women under 30 from migrating to Lebanon remained. Therefore, it will be only be possible to improve their situation by addressing, concurrently, the continuum of vulnerabilities to which they are subjected prior to, during and after migrating and by making them agents of change for themselves and others in Hundreds of thousands of migrants are currently working in the Middle East in situations that can amount to forced labour and slavery. This is a direct consequence of the systems currently in place in these countries, as well as policies and practices in their home countries, including in South Asia and further afield. Research by Anti-Slavery International, KAFA - (Enough) Violence & Exploitation in Lebanon - and GEFONT - the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions - has identified that domestic workers from Nepal seeking legal and decent work in Lebanon are one such group who are suffering from this type of exploitation. Domestic work includes a range of tasks carried out in private homes including cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, taking care of children or the elderly, running errands and sometimes looking after an employer's small business. Domestic workers can live in their employer’s home or independently from them, but working within the home is the single most important determinant in defining a domestic worker. Migrant domestic workers are workers who have migrated to other cities or villages, either internationally or within their own countries' borders to find employment. Thousands of women and girls migrate every day to find work as domestic workers and provide for their families. In Lebanon alone, there is currently an estimated 200,000 migrant domestic workers. The abuse and exploitation they suffer is well documented. Until 2012, Lebanon was the top country of destination for female migrant workers. The plight of Nepalese migrant domestic workers is rooted in a continuum of vulnerabilities starting from their recruitment in their rural villages and lasting until they start work in a home in the Lebanese capital city and beyond. At every stage of the migration process and employment, they risk being abused and exploited. Many are trafficked for forced labour, with some employers forbidding them from leaving the house, confiscating their passports and using violence or threats of violence to control and force them to work, often without pay. Others fall into bonded labour as a result of the transportation and recruitment costs, as well as the commission fees charged by the agent and/or broker and incurred in taking up a job abroad. They are put in this situation as a result of inadequate policies, discrimination, lack of preparedness, isolation, and an absence of coordinated efforts to protect them. Each one of these factors can lead to serious labour and human rights violations; when combined, as they are for migrant domestic workers including for Nepalese in Lebanon, they create the conditions within which abuse and exploitation can flourish. In 2012, Anti-Slavery International launched a project looking at the situation of migrant domestic workers from Nepal, prior to and after they migrate to Lebanon. The work is implemented in partnership with KAFA in Lebanon and GEFONT in Nepal. The activities build on research undertaken in these two countries as well as India examining the legislation, policy and practice of the migration cycle in origin and destination countries, with particular reference to its impact on female migrant domestic workers. The research concluded that the combination of gender discrimination in policies, lack of relevant and accessible training pre-departure, lack of protection or little or no regulation of recruitment agencies, as well as discriminatory policies in the countries of destination, mostly through the kafala - or sponsorship system - all result in a failure to protect female migrant domestic workers. The research also showed that the vulnerabilities to abuse and exploitation suffered by migrant domestic workers are inter-related and interdependent; for example, even if women received appropriate pre-departure training, they would remain vulnerable to exploitation if the ban currently preventing women under 30 from migrating to Lebanon remained. Therefore, it will be only be possible to improve their situation by addressing, concurrently, the continuum of vulnerabilities to which they are subjected prior to, during and after migrating and by making them agents of change for themselves and others in In Nepal, a model has been developed to bring relevant and adequate pre-departure information to potential female migrants in the two districts of Jhapa and Morang in a format they can easily rely on. The information is relayed by members of the community called Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHV) who have been trained on issues of safe migration, especially for women migrating for domestic work. As members of the community, these FCHV will have a better knowledge of the situation of women in these areas and will be more likely to gain their trust. Providing adequate pre-departure information to prospective migrant domestic workers is a crucial step in making migration safer for women. If they are informed of the legal steps to migration, of the realities and potential dangers linked to working abroad as a domestic workers, women are more likely to make informed decisions about their migratory plans. In Lebanon, the project also supports the development of the Nepali community of migrant domestic workers, who came together under the NARI group. The objective is to scale up and replicate this model across communities, based on lessons learnt from the Nepalese experience. As illustrated in the report, in addition to building stronger and better prepared communities of domestic workers, these interventions are also crucial to informing and strengthening the partnership's campaign for policy and practice reforms. Details: London: Anti-Slavery International, 2014. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2014/i/into_the_unknown_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Lebanon URL: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2014/i/into_the_unknown_report.pdf Shelf Number: 136070 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborMigrants |
Author: Ewins, James Title: Independent Review of the Overseas Domestic Workers Visa Summary: The government commissioned this review in March 2015 as part of its commitment to stop modern slavery in all its forms. James Ewins was asked to assess how far existing arrangements for the admission of overseas domestic workers are effective in protecting workers from abuse and exploitation, and to make recommendations. The government is carefully considering the report's recommendations and will announce its response in due course. Details: London: HM Government, 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486532/ODWV_Review_-_Final_Report__6_11_15_.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486532/ODWV_Review_-_Final_Report__6_11_15_.pdf Shelf Number: 138227 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman SlaveryIllegal Immigrants |
Author: Ricard-Guay, Alexandra Title: Frontline Responses to Human Trafficking in Canada: Coordinating Services for Victims Summary: Legislative progress has been made in the fight against human trafficking and the prosecution of traffickers; a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking was adopted in June 2012; and coordinated local action has developed. This study aims to review practices and expertise that have developed over these past ten years of government and community action against human trafficking in Canada. In particular, it examines victim access to appropriate psycho-social and socio-economic support. While the existing body of Canadian and international research helps us understand the phenomenon of trafficking, its dynamics and scale, as well as the profile of victims, a more thorough examination of services and intervention practices for this population is now needed. What have the various players learned? Despite the ground covered in recent years, what difficulties are encountered? Trafficking poses huge challenges for all players and frontline workers, in each phase of victim support. This study will address these questions, paying particular attention to intersectorial collaborative bodies and initiatives and to local, regional and provincial partnerships. This report offers a portrait of existing practices in Canada to support and protect victims of human trafficking. The study is based on a broad definition of human trafficking encompassing exploitation for forced labour and sexual and/or family exploitation, domestic and international trafficking involving minors and adults (for example, forced marriage, domestic servitude of children and women, adoption). Trafficking is understood here as a process and part of a continuum of exploitation in which it is often difficult to know where to draw the line designating severe forms of exploitation as trafficking1. The report relies heavily on testimonies from interview respondents; the voices and words of these frontline workers are thus given a central place. This text is divided into four sections. The first provides an overview of the political and legal context of trafficking in Canada, and then of the realities and dynamics of trafficking in this country. The second part examines support and protection services for victims of trafficking. It presents the range of services available to trafficking victims, and discusses gaps, challenges and good practices. It then provides a more in-depth analysis of three intervention and service sectors identified by respondents as particularly important: housing, service sectors identified by respondents as particularly important: housing, immigration, and police investigations. The third part of the report describes and analyzes intersectorial collaboration and coordination of these services in different cities in Canada. The final part presents the conclusions. It discusses the research results and makes recommendations for better protecting the dignity, security, and rights of people who have been trafficked. Details: Montreal: McGill University School of Social Work, 2016. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2016 at: http://www.cathii.org/sites/www.cathii.org/files/CATHII_english.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: http://www.cathii.org/sites/www.cathii.org/files/CATHII_english.pdf Shelf Number: 138242 Keywords: Child Human Trafficking Child Sexual Exploitation Domestic WorkersForced Labor Human Trafficking Sexual Exploitation Victim Services Victims of Human Trafficking |
Author: Maroukis, Thanos Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in the United Kingdom Summary: The British government has taken several important legislative steps in addressing THB, the modern slavery bill being the most recent one. At the same time, it has adopted a number of policies that contradict the implementation of a public policy intent at criminalising and stopping THB. The change of the overseas domestic worker visa rules putting newly arrived domestic workers in a very vulnerable position as regards their employment is a case in point. The UK also remains a country with a largely unregulated domestic work sector and without a Labour Inspectorate agency overseeing the activities of employers and businesses across the sectors of the British economy. The evidence collected in this study suggests that the main obstacles to prevent exploitative situations within the domestic work industry are: a) the strict immigration rules and political priorities of law enforcement agencies, b) the involvement of the State in the organisation and regulation of the domestic work labour market, and c) the state of the welfare regime protecting families and offering vulnerable individuals access to the rule of law. These are the structural reasons that lie behind the failure to protect domestic workers and deter abusive behaviour on the part of employers in the UK. The study's findings on national law-cases also demonstrate that the kind of work relationship established in domestic work aggravates the vulnerability of the workers and the sense of impunity on the part of the employers Details: Vienna: ICMPD, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 7: Accessed August, 1, 2016 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41930/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2016_07.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41930/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2016_07.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 139908 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Palumbo, Letizia Title: Trafficking and Labour Exploitation in Domestic Work and the Agricultural Sector in Italy Summary: In Italy, as in many European countries, agriculture and domestic work are sectors characterised by high levels of irregular work without contract and with no respect of minimum pay, humane living conditions or access to basic services. Generalised informality however sometimes leads to cases of sever exploitation and outright human trafficking. This report focuses on the conditions that can lead from irregular work to abuse and trafficking in agriculture and domestic work - we question the cultural and economic aspects that make such situations possible. We also review the relevant legislation punishing exploiters and protecting victims with a view of identifying existing gaps and make suggestions for improvement. Indeed while the Italian legal framework is particularly progressive as regards the assistance and protection of victims of trafficking and severe exploit ation, related legal practices and implementation of policies on the ground suffer from several shortcomings. For instance, the implementation of Article 18 of Legislative Decree No. 286/1998, which provides victims of exploitation and trafficking with spe cial protection and assistance as well as with a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, has been arbitrary and inconsistent throughout the country, especially in cases of labour exploitation. In addition, Italy has inadequately transposed into national law Directive 2011/36/EU on trafficking and lacks a comprehensive law on labour exploitation. In recent years anti -trafficking interventions have not been a priority and programmes for assistance of victims of trafficking and severe exploitation have been under -funded. There is no effective system of data collection on the victims participating in these programmes; the national plan against trafficking has been adopted only recently (February 2016) after a severe delay of more than one year with respect to the established deadline; there is a lack of structured campaigns against t rafficking and serious exploitation. This report stresses the need for an integrated and comprehensive approach to trafficking and labour exploitation in agriculture and domestic w ork and makes specific recommendations for each of the two sectors. Details: Italy: European University Institute, 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/42406/GGP_TRAFFICKO_2016_EN.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2016 Country: Italy URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/42406/GGP_TRAFFICKO_2016_EN.pdf?sequence=3 Shelf Number: 139910 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingLabor Exploitation |
Author: Palumbo, Letizia Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in Italy Summary: Notwithstanding significant demand for domestic workers in Europe, sub-standard conditions and informal work-arrangement persist. Despite various national contexts and policies, this labour sector mostly composed of migrant women still face vulnerability to abuses, exploitation, as well as trafficking. Informal work arrangement still prevails. A new study on trafficking in domestic work brings visibility and new data on this under-researched and hidden phenomenon happening in Europe. This study examines the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work in Italy in its multiple facets (diplomatic household, domestic worker visa regime, aupair, child fostering, etc.). It is part of a series of studies conducted in 7 European countries, from southern, central and northern Europe: Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands and the UK. Looking at the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work brings back at the core of the discussion: the private nature of the employer/employee relationship which often escapes regulation, monitoring and sanctioning. Domestic work is still largely undervalued and hardly perceived as 'real' form of work. Details: Vienna: ICMPD, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 5: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_5_Italy_Palumbo.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Italy URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_5_Italy_Palumbo.pdf Shelf Number: 139912 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced laborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Volder, Eefje de Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in the Domestic Work Sector in the Netherlands Summary: Notwithstanding significant demand for domestic workers in Europe, sub-standard conditions and informal work-arrangement persist. Despite various national contexts and policies, this labour sector mostly composed of migrant women still face vulnerability to abuses, exploitation, as well as trafficking. Informal work arrangement still prevails. A new study on trafficking in domestic work brings visibility and new data on this under-researched and hidden phenomenon happening in Europe. This study examines the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work in the Netherlands in its multiple facets (diplomatic household, domestic worker visa regime, au pair, child fostering, etc.). It is part of a series of studies conducted in 7 European countries, from southern, central and northern Europe: Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands and the UK. Looking at the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work brings back at the core of the discussion: the private nature of the employer/employee relationship which often escapes regulation, monitoring and sanctioning. Domestic work is still largely undervalued and hardly perceived as 'real' form of work. Details: Vienna: ICMPD,2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Demand AT Country Study No. 6: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_6_Netherlands_deVolder_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Netherlands URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_6_Netherlands_deVolder_0.pdf Shelf Number: 139913 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Angeli, Danai Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in Cyprus Summary: Notwithstanding significant demand for domestic workers in Europe, sub-standard conditions and informal work-arrangement persist. Despite various national contexts and policies, this labour sector mostly composed of migrant women still face vulnerability to abuses, exploitation, as well as trafficking. Informal work arrangement still prevails. A new study on trafficking in domestic work brings visibility and new data on this under-researched and hidden phenomenon happening in Europe. This study examines the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work in Cyprus in its multiple facets (diplomatic household, domestic worker visa regime, aupair, child fostering, etc.). It is part of a series of studies conducted in 7 European countries, from southern, central and northern Europe: Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands and the UK. Looking at the demand-side of trafficking in domestic work brings back at the core of the discussion: the private nature of the employer/employee relationship which often escapes regulation, monitoring and sanctioning. Domestic work is still largely undervalued and hardly perceived as 'real' form of work. Details: Vienna: ICMPD, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 2: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2_Cyprus_Angeli.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Cyprus URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2_Cyprus_Angeli.pdf Shelf Number: 139914 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Camargo Magalhaes, Beatriz Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in Belgium Summary: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in Belgium Beatriz Camargo Magalhaes June 2016 DemandAT Country Study No.1 Summary : Belgian anti -THB policy is often pointed as exemplary given its broad definition of the crime of trafficking for labour exploitation, as being the work or service carried out in conditions contrary to human dignity, in which the coercion element is not compulsory. However, hardly any policy initiatives in Belgium tackle specifically demand- side aspects in labour exploitation and THB in the domestic work sector. Recent policy changes in the domain of domestic work at diplomatic households and the formalisation of live -out domestic work with a service voucher policy have positive effects on the sector. Undocumented domestic workers in the shadow market and possibly regular migrants under temporary work permits are, though, still largely unprotected. The main obstacles to prevent exploitative situations within the sector are the migration and employment policies applying to domestic work. Indeed, this paper argues that when migrant workers are without the possibility to regularise their migration status maintain them in a vulnerable situation: migration status is a key issue for giving people the real possibility to access and defend their rights. Only the full respect of (all) workers' rights will reduce their vulnerability to labour exploitation and trafficking. Details: Vienna: ICMPD, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 1: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_1_Belgium_Camargo.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Belgium URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_1_Belgium_Camargo.pdf Shelf Number: 139915 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Angeli, Danai Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in Greece Summary: June 2016 DemandAT Country Study No.4 Summary Even though Greece counts as one of Europe's four main trafficking hubs and even though migrant domestic workers have been arriving in the country since the late 70s, these two storylines somehow fail to meet. According to the official figures, trafficking of human beings (THB) for domestic work is practically non -existent in Greece; and labour trafficking in general, is just a recent phenomenon. Addressing demand for cheap and exploitable workers becomes then a theoretical question. Migrant domestic workers themselves, however, have a very different story to tell about how they entered and stayed in the country, under what terms they found their work, what the expectations are and why they cannot leave. In most cases, these are stories of false promises, long working hours, small salaries and fear of coming forward. Lifting these cases out of their invisibility and understanding what are the factors shaping the demand in the context of THB in the domestic work sector is an important necessary step to open the debate on trafficking in domestic work in Greece. Details: Vienna: ICMPD, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 4: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_4_Greece_Angeli.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Greece URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_CountryStudies_4_Greece_Angeli.pdf Shelf Number: 139916 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForce LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Levy, Florence Title: Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings in the Domestic Work Sector in France Summary: The fight against trafficking in human beings (THB) is now part of the French political agenda. Yet the priority is given to the fight against sexual exploitation while labour exploitation is still regarded as a minor phenomenon. The particular issue of exploitation in domestic work has not been considered on its own even if France has been condemned twice by the European Court of Human Rights for failing to protect victims in two cases of exploitation in domestic work. Since then, the law has been amended, and we have to wait until we can assess the effectivity of this new legal framework. The issue of demand remains a blind spot in terms of how THB is understood. The public declarations of government's commitment to the fight against THB provide a contrast with the low number of convictions actually brought down by the courts. The research highlights the difficulties faced by labor inspectorates and legal actors in establishing cases of THB in domestic work. This is linked with the characteristic of this work sector, but also with confusions in the understanding of what is THB, what are the victims and perpetrators profiles and the tensions between the fight against illegal immigration and the mission to protect victims of THB. Details: Vienna; ICMPD, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Country Study No. 3: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41926/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2016_03.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: France URL: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/41926/DemandAT_CountryStudies_2016_03.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 139931 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Mellish, Madison Title: Gender-Based Violence in Malawi: A Literature Review to Inform the National Response Summary: The government of Malawi has taken important actions to address gender-based violence (GBV), recognizing its detrimental impact on the people of Malawi and the progress of the country. The Department of Gender Affairs of the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare (MoGCDSW) coordinates the national GBV response and is working to strengthen GBV data systems and improve the use of data for GBV policy development and program implementation. In support of this effort, the USAID- and PEPFAR-funded Health Policy Project (HPP) conducted a literature review to identify and synthesize existing studies and key government documents on GBV in Malawi. The literature review focused on the following questions: • What are the various forms of GBV that exist in Malawi, and how prevalent are they? What are the trends? • What is known about GBV among specific populations or in specific settings? • What factors are associated with GBV? • What is the impact of GBV? • What interventions have been undertaken to address GBV and how effective have they been? • What key government documents on GBV exist and what do they say? This literature review provides answers to these questions by compiling information from available published and unpublished sources and presenting it in a succinct format so that researchers and policymakers can familiarize themselves with existing research and key documents, use it to inform policy and program decision making, and build a research agenda and portfolio that targets knowledge strengths and gaps. The review includes 74 documents related to GBV in Malawi. Most focus on various forms of violence experienced by women, including domestic or intimate partner violence (IPV). Several large nationally representative surveys have been conducted, notably the Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys 2004 and 2010, as well as a national GBV study that focused on IPV (Pelser et al., 2005). These provide prevalence estimates for GBV and a wealth of other information on factors associated with GBV experienced by women. Also, a large portion of the reviewed studies and policy documents examined GBV among children. One nationally representative study looked at the prevalence of several forms of violence experienced by school-aged children, both inside and outside the school environment (Burton, 2005). Another looked at experiences of GBV among girls and young women, and focused on educational impact (Bisika et al., 2009). A third nationally representative survey examined prevalence of coerced first sex in Malawi and three other African countries (Moore et al., 2007). About one-third of the reviewed research studies addressed GBV among specific populations, including people living in specific geographic locations, school children, employees, female domestic workers, female university students, prisoners, street children, people living with HIV, women with disabilities, and refugees. A slightly larger number of studies examined knowledge and attitudes related to GBV and other associated factors, including demographics, harmful traditional practices, the school environment, controlling behaviors, and substance use. Several of the reviewed studies examined the impact of GBV in Malawi, focusing on individuals’ health and education, as well as Malawi’s economy. Only a few studies were found that evaluated GBV interventions, despite the fact that many GBV interventions are occurring in Malawi. Summaries of findings from all reviewed studies are included in this report. Details: Washington, DC: Futures Group, Health Policy Project, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2016 at: http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/pubs/436_FINALHPPMalawiGBVLiteratureReview.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Malawi URL: http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/pubs/436_FINALHPPMalawiGBVLiteratureReview.pdf Shelf Number: 144998 Keywords: Domestic WorkersFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceStreet ChildrenViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Beddoe, Christine Title: Class Acts? Examining modern slavery legislation across the UK Summary: In 2015 the Modern Slavery Act, the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland), and the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act entered into force in the UK. These Acts have introduced new offences of human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery, as well as a raft of provisions aimed at preventing modern slavery and protecting its victims. The purpose of this research was to review and compare the key provisions in these three Acts, to assess the extent to which they contribute to the UK’s implementation of the 2005 Council of Europe Trafficking Convention and EU Trafficking Directive , and the extent of their implementation to date. The report considers whether the Acts have better equipped the UK to tackle modern slavery. The research was undertaken through a combination of desk research, parliamentary questions and interviews with key stakeholders. The introduction of this legislation marks a significant development in the UK’s efforts to tackle this crime. A considerable amount of time and expertise was involved in the drafting of the legislation, and the resulting laws passed are comprehensive in scope. The Acts, and the scrutiny surrounding them, served to shine a spotlight on the issue of modern slavery and galvanise efforts to tackle it. The Prime Minister's recent announcement to continue her work on fighting modern slavery is encouraging and signals that the momentum gained in this regard will not be lost. However, the ATMG has found, through reviewing the Acts' provision, that there are significant differences in a number of key areas across the three jurisdictions of the UK, for instance in both the statutory support entitlements for adult victims and in the non-criminalisation provisions. In the majority of cases where differences occur, it is the Modern Slavery Act that falls short of its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The ATMG is concerned that there isn’t a robust monitoring framework in place to oversee the implementation and impact of the Acts, and calibrate their success. This research highlights continuing weaknesses in data collection and the lack of a central, statutory body with the responsibility to collate and analyse data on both victims and perpetrators and to assess the interface between the various data streams across the UK. There must also be greater oversight and accountability to ensure that data on victims is stored safely and used effectively. The ATMG believes the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner would, with the necessary resources and independence, be ideally placed to have oversight of modern slavery data collected in the UK. However, this is currently not part of the Commissioner's role. Details: Anti-Slavery International, 2016. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2016 at: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2016/a/atmg_class_acts_report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2016/a/atmg_class_acts_report.pdf Shelf Number: 146646 Keywords: Domestic WorkersHuman TraffickingModern SlaverySexual Exploitation |
Author: Ricard-Guay, Alexandra Title: Addressing demand in the context of trafficking in the domestic work sector: perspectives from seven European countries Summary: Trafficking in human beings covers various forms of coercion and exploitation of women, men and children. Responses to trafficking have traditionally focused on combating the criminal networks involved in it or protecting the human rights of victims. However, European countries are increasingly exploring ways in which to influence the demand for services or products involving the use of trafficked persons or for the trafficked persons themselves. DemandAT aims to understand the role of demand in the trafficking of human beings and to assess the impact and potential of demand-side measures to reduce trafficking, drawing on insights on regulating demand from related areas. DemandAT takes a comprehensive approach to investigating demand and demand-side policies in the context of trafficking. The research includes a strong theoretical and conceptual component through an examination of the concept of demand in trafficking from a historical and economic perspective. Regulatory approaches are studied in policy areas that address demand in illicit markets, in order to develop a better understanding of the impact that the different regulatory approaches can have on demand. Demand-side arguments in different fields of trafficking as well as demand-side policies of selected countries are examined, in order to provide a better understanding of the available policy options and impacts. Finally, the research also involves in-depth case studies both of the particular fields in which trafficking occurs (domestic work, prostitution, the globalised production of goods) and of particular policy approaches (law enforcement and campaigns). The overall goal is to develop a better understanding of demand and demand-factors in the context of designing measures and policies addressing all forms of trafficking in human beings. The research is structured in three phases: Phase 1: Analysis of the theoretical and empirical literature on demand in the context of trafficking and on regulating demand in different disciplines, fields and countries. From January 2014-June 2015. Phase 2: Three in-depth empirical case studies of different fields of trafficking - domestic work, prostitution, imported goods - and two studies on different policy approaches: law enforcement actors and campaigns. From September 2014- December 2016. Phase 3: Integrating project insights into a coherent framework with a focus on dissemination. From January 2017-June 2017. This report examines the demand-side of trafficking in the domestic work sector based on seven country studies (Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK). The report i) provides an overview of the phenomenon of trafficking in domestic work, ii) examines the factors influencing the demand in the context of trafficking, and iii) discusses key challenges in responding to and tackling this issue. The paper argues that measures addressing the demand-side (employers/labour market) can hardly be separated from tackling the 'supply' side, namely addressing the workers' situations. Domestic workers face vulnerabilities to exploitation: the work is performed in private homes within intimate relationships characterised by dependency and power imbalance, very often within informal and live-in arrangements. Some policies may also foster the precariousness of migrant domestic workers. Preventing trafficking from occurring and discouraging inappropriate demand includes the reduction of vulnerability to abuse on the side of workers and the limitation of the opportunities for exploitation on the side of employers. Thus, a holistic approach must be adopted to address the demand-side of trafficking. Establishing stronger regulations for domestic work is crucial, but it is not sufficient without simultaneously seeking ways of empowering domestic workers and fostering change in social norms and employers' behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes that tend to undervalue domestic work. Details: Vienna, Austria: DemandAT, 2016. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper no. 7: Accessed August 8, 2017 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP7_RicardGuay_DomesticWork_Trafficking_Final_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP7_RicardGuay_DomesticWork_Trafficking_Final_0.pdf Shelf Number: 146778 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingModern Slavery |
Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Title: Modern slavery and global supply chains. Interim report Summary: With reference to the United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act 2015 and to relevant findings from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's report, Trading Lives: Modern Day Human Trafficking, the Committee shall examine whether Australia should adopt a comparable Modern Slavery Act. The Committee shall have particular regard to: 1 The nature and extent of modern slavery (including slavery, forced labour and wage exploitation, involuntary servitude, debt bondage, human trafficking, forced marriage and other slavery-like exploitation) both in Australia and globally; 2 The prevalence of modern slavery in the domestic and global supply chains of companies, businesses and organisations operating in Australia; 3 Identifying international best practice employed by governments, companies, businesses and organisations to prevent modern slavery in domestic and global supply chains, with a view to strengthening Australian legislation; 4 The implications for Australia's visa regime, and conformity with the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children regarding federal compensation for victims of modern slavery; 5 Provisions in the United Kingdom's legislation which have proven effective in addressing modern slavery, and whether similar or improved measures should be introduced in Australia; 6 Whether a Modern Slavery Act should be introduced in Australia; and 7 Any other related matters. Details: Canberra: The Committee, 2017. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2017 at: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024092/toc_pdf/Modernslaveryandglobalsupplychains.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024092/toc_pdf/Modernslaveryandglobalsupplychains.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf Shelf Number: 147004 Keywords: Debt BondageDomestic WorkersForced LaborForced MarriageHuman TraffickingModern SlaverySupply ChaingsWage Exploitation |
Author: Latonero, Mark Title: Technology and Labor Trafficking in a Network Society. General Overview, Emerging Innovations, and Philippines Case Study Summary: While interviewing survivors of labor trafficking for this report, researchers heard from a young woman in the Philippines who applied for domestic work in the Middle East. She recounted the way her friend, already working abroad, had called and sent texts of encouragement and eventually put her in touch with a recruiter. She was promised that her documents would be arranged with an employer before her flight to begin work. Upon her departure, the recruiter said that plans had changed. She was told her work papers and airline ticket would be issued in Malaysia. The woman was put on a boat and spent over a week crossing the Sulu Sea from one island to another. She was isolated. Her only means of communication was her mobile phone. Not wanting to worry her family (they had high hopes for her employment), she communicated only with her friend, asking for advice and reassurance. Even if she had been able to access the Internet, it is unclear whether she possessed the skills or knowledge to search for the appropriate online resources. Once in Malaysia, she was put into a van with others. While traveling to an unknown destination they were apprehended by police. Interrogated and imprisoned, the young woman managed to sneak her phone into jail and made one last call. Finally, the friend passed along word of her plight and the Philippine government intervened. After a month in prison she was repatriated and is currently in a rehabilitation shelter in Manila. This report finds that isolation from the technologies and social networks that connect individuals to support and services is an indicator and risk factor for labor trafficking. Stories of isolation are unfortunately common in cases of labor trafficking. What is striking in the case above is the central role played by technology. The woman's mobile device both connects and disconnects her from illegal recruiters, employers, family, friends, social services, and assistance. This speaks to the larger premise of this report - new information and communication technologies (ICT's) have become an integral part of the networks that underpin labor trafficking in the 21st Century. Yet little research exists on the impact of technology in exacerbating or addressing the isolation, fraud, force, and/or coercion so often at the heart of trafficking cases. There is a lack of evidence-based research on any relationship between technology and labor trafficking either within or across national borders. To effectively intervene in labor trafficking, the impact of technology needs to be addressed by policy makers, governments, NGOs, researchers, and the private sector. Throughout the world, the rapid diffusion of technologies, such as social media, mobile devices, and the Internet, is impacting social, economic, and political life at an unprecedented scale. We live in a "network society" where technology and the flow of information are crucial forces of global social change. The network perspective helps us examine labor trafficking in a new way - not only as an economic, regulatory, or legal problem but as an issue driven by the technologies connecting networks of actors. This research report is the first to investigate the relationship between technology and labor trafficking. This project began in early 2014 and was made possible by a grant from Humanity United. The research builds upon the Technology and Human Trafficking Initiative, launched in 2010 at the Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy at the University of Southern California. The evidence gathered and analyzed in this report is based on public documents, websites, interviews with key stakeholders in the US and internationally, and fieldwork in the Philippines. With little previous research on the topic, this study is inherently exploratory. Thus this report's primary goal is to frame technology's impact on labor trafficking and to establish a set of definitions, theories, terms, themes, recommendations, and principles that can guide future research and policy. Details: Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 9, 2018 at: https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/files/2015/10/USC_Tech-and-Labor-Trafficking_Feb2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Philippines URL: https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/files/2015/10/USC_Tech-and-Labor-Trafficking_Feb2015.pdf Shelf Number: 149415 Keywords: Domestic WorkersForced LaborHuman TraffickingLabor TraffickingMobile TechnologiesMobile TelephonesOnline CommunicationsSocial MediaTechnology and Crime |
Author: Reed, Sasha Title: The economic and social costs of modern slavery Summary: The aim of this report is to estimate the cost of modern slavery in the UK in order to better understand the impact of this crime. By contributing to the evidence base in this way, the research is intended to inform the policy and operational response and better understand the value of preventative work. This report follows the methodology used in 'The Economic and Social Costs of Crime' (Heeks et al., 2018) and adapts it where necessary to reflect some of the particular characteristics of this offence type. The framework for estimating the cost of crime breaks down the costs into three distinct areas of cost: - In anticipation (expenditure on protective and preventative measures). - As a consequence, including physical and emotional harms, lost time and output, health and victim services. - In response, including police costs and costs to the criminal justice system. This same framework is adopted to estimate the costs of modern slavery with the same methods also generally applied within this framework; however, it has not been possible to estimate the costs to the criminal justice system. Additional data was collected to fill evidence gaps, and adaptations were made to take into account particular features of modern slavery offences. In particular, to inform the costs, interviews with 17 support providers and four police officers were undertaken to provide estimates for the number of violent and sexual offences typically experienced by victims of modern slavery during their exploitation, as well as the duration of exploitation and the physical and emotional harms experienced. Findings from these interviews were then applied to the same Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) methodology for estimating the costs of the physical and emotional harms, and also used in the estimates of lost time and output, and health services. However, it should be noted that these findings rely on the perceptions of the interviewees of what constitutes a typical case of each type of modern slavery rather than being informed by a representative survey of actual victims (such as the Crime Survey for England and Wales that informs the cost of crime estimates). For the purposes of this analysis, costs for three broad exploitation types - labour exploitation, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation - have been estimated. However, recent research (Cooper et al., 2017) has identified 17 types at a more granular level, and many victims will experience more than one type. Unlike many crimes, modern slavery is not a single time-limited event. The interviews revealed that the median perceived duration of exploitation ranges from nine months for labour and sexual exploitation to 24 months for domestic servitude. During the period of exploitation, a number of violent and sexual offences can repeatedly occur. The frequency of rape and other sexual offences reported to be experienced in typical cases of sexual exploitation was particularly high, amounting to several hundred offences of each type during the period of exploitation. These high numbers of offences result in overlapping injury durations. To estimate the physical and emotional harms of these, an additive approach has been used. Each subsequent injury causes the same reduction in QALY as the initial injury, even if they overlap. Details: London: Home Office, 2018. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 100: Accessed July 30, 2018 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/730366/Cost_of_modern_slavery_report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/730366/Cost_of_modern_slavery_report.pdf Shelf Number: 150951 Keywords: Costs of Crime Domestic WorkersEconomic Analysis Forced Labor Human Trafficking Modern Slavery Sexual Exploitation |