Today, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta delivered the opening speech during a summit entitled ‘Sharing Models and Best Practices to end Modern Slavery and restore Dignity to Its Victims’, organised by the Amersi Foundation, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society
The summit focused on the sharing of experiences and good practice, to end the scourge of modern day slavery. The summit has been organised two days after the International Labour Organisations observed the World Day Against Child Labour, which focuses “our attention on ending the exploitation of children, particularly in areas of poverty and conflict.
The President explained that too many children and adults are still being confronted by the scourge of modern-day slavery, and that it is estimated that 11% of the overall child population is still affected, and more than half of them, approximately 85 million, are engaged in hazardous work.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the highest rate of child labour, with 21 percent of children employed as child labourers. Although the phenomenon of child labour is more commonly associated with non-EU countries, in spite of a lack of reliable comprehensive statistical sources, there is evidence, as declared by the European Parliamentary Research Service, that child labour persists in the EU and Europe as well.
“I believe that the international community cannot continue to be complacent, in the face of such serious crimes against humanity.”
President Coleiro Preca stated that it is not enough for our international authorities to be aware, and call for awareness days, and added that “we must all increase our efforts to put words into practical action.”
Her Excellency said that we definitely cannot let our societies pretend that slavery is a thing of the past, or that it is a shameful part of humanity’s history, which we can afford to put behind us.
Here, the President quoted the Head of Operations and Emergencies for IOM, Mr Mohammed Abdiker, who recently said that, “The latest reports of ‘slave markets’ for migrants can be added to a long list of outrages in Libya. The situation is dire. The more IOM engages inside Libya, the more we learn that it is a vale of tears for all too many migrants.”
A 2017 Report entitled ‘The Human Conveyor Belt: trends in human trafficking and smuggling in post-revolution Libya’, published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime identifies human trafficking and smuggling as an endemic concern in contemporary Libya. Moreover, there are shocking reports of organ trafficking, taking place in Lebanon, as migrants, in strict poverty, are forced into selling their organs, to get money to live on. A report from Reuters, dated April 2017 states that “trade in illegal organs is a booming business in Lebanon.”
“Thinking that a great number of human beings are being subject-ed to the slave trade, a few miles from where we are now, on the southern shores of our Mediterranean Sea, with repercussions for Europe, and humanity at large, makes me feel, and should make Europe, all the more responsible to do much more,” President Coleiro Preca said.
“Modern-day slavery is having a negative and a far-reaching effect, on the peace of mind, and wellbeing of entire societies”
According to a report by the UK Centre for Social Justice, entitled ‘A Modern Response to Modern Slavery’, which was endorsed by the European Commission, a huge amount of contemporary slavery, in Europe is being driven by organised crime groups – groups which are directly profiting from the relentless exploitation of vulnerable people.
President Coleiro Preca said that these highly sophisticated criminal networks are avoiding detection and prosecution, thus ‘taking advantage of the grey areas, and the complacency in our systems.”
The President added that modern day slavery thrives on extreme poverty and disadvantage. “Making modern slavery a thing of the past will require a fight against organised crime, but we must also fight the root causes, of poverty and precarity, which make a person vulnerable to exploitation in the first place,” President Coleiro Preca stated.
“The United Nations’ Agenda 2030, and its Sustainable Development Goals, with all its targets, creates a clear framework, to work together in solidarity for the benefit of humanity.”
Whilst quoting Nelson Mandela’s words, when he said that ‘like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural’, and that ‘it is man-made, and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings,’ Her Excellency referred to the first of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which focuses on the eradication of poverty. She said that it is upon this goal that our hopes for sustainable peace, prosperity and wellbeing depend.
Another Sustainable Development Goal – Goal Number 8, specifically calls for economic equity and wellbeing. Target 8.7 in particular, calls for an end to slavery. This target specifies that “[We must] take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025, end child labour in all its forms.”
Her Excellency described the fact, that the United Nations’ General Assembly has elevated the moral duty to end slavery to the level of global policy, as a source of encouragement, even when considering how the UN has given a clear mandate on this, through the SDGs.
“It is also encouraging to note that the United Nations University, in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Innovation Fund and the International Labour Organisation – ILO, alongside the US Department of Labour, have created an alliance entitled the “Alliance 8.7 Knowledge Platform,” The President added, whilst stating that this is an example of a practical initiative, to “focus our attention on ending modern day slavery, to collect knowledge, and to direct our efforts in more systematic ways.
“We must take action now, as one world, to end all forms of slavery, but we must also cooperate, across our nations, to achieve this important target within a clearly delineated timeframe.”
Her Excellency stated that the global focus, to end slavery, has been on the international agenda for many years, so much so that it is even a cornerstone of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and it has also featured in subsequent United Nations’ protocols.
The President said that thanks to the impetus generated by the Sustainable Development Goals, ‘we must take advantage of the growing momentum, to achieve meaningful change, now.’
“The scourge of slavery shall only keep growing, unless we take immediate action.”
President Coleiro Preca called for further action to be taken, to address the growing concerns, which are being experienced in various nations, about the exploitation of vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, through illicit prostitution.
“I believe there is a need for us to engage in discussions, around these important issues, including the long term effects of various national models, such as those followed in Sweden, France, and Germany. Inspired by such consultations, we must find ways to encourage directives to be developed, at a European level, which effectively tackle the challenges of illicit prostitution, and which provide support for victims,” Her Excellency said, whilst adding that the experiences of women caught up in cycles of abuse and exploitation through prostitution, must be heard and valued.
The President added that “We must make it clear that human sexuality and the human body, have no place in an exploitative marketplace. We cannot tolerate the objectification and degradation of the human person, anywhere and at any time,” whilst reiterating that the complex issue of slavery is only compounded, “when we remember the particular vulnerabilities faced by children, and in particular child migrants and refugees,”, a subject which was the focus of a recent conference organised by the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, in collaboration with Missing Children Europe.
The European Commission had also in fact, recognised the importance of the conference and its target actions, to better protect children in migration, and to prevent them from falling into the hands of traffickers and other criminal organisations.
“Even though more must be done by the European Commission, this is proof of the power that we have, as civil society activists, as researchers, as experts, and professionals, but most of all, as citizens of the world, who are concerned with safeguarding and celebrating the dignity of all humanity,” Her Excellency said.
“Modern Day Slavery, is one of the greatest Human Rights contraventions of the twenty-first century, and it must be urgently addressed.”
The President urged all businesses within the private sector to also do their part, by helping to root out and address potential instances of modern day slavery, within their supply chains and across industries. She also urged authorities to do more, to intensify the training received by law enforcement representatives, educators, and other professionals who come into contact with the public.
“In this way,” President Coleiro Preca said, “they shall be better able to identify trafficking and make an effective response,” whilst further urging all professionals to build stronger links with civil society, and with international organisations, by sharing good practices, to develop holistic and interdisciplinary strategies.
In this way, real progress shall be made, so as to achieve the promise of SDG 8, and Target 7, to end modern day slavery as part of our Global Agenda for 2030.
Lastly, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca encouraged everyone to do all that they can, to protect, to rescue and to support the victims of these horrible crimes, and to bring perpetrators to justice, as the scourge of modern slavery within our societies cannot be tolerated.
“Modern day slavery is not a challenge we can shy away from, when so many millions of lives are being damaged and destroyed. The more we get involved, to address poverty and injustices, then the more effectively we shall be stopping traffickers. Let us all work together, to promote awareness, to inform and educate, and in the process, effectively support victims, their families, and humanity at large, to achieve practical results, for the benefit of both present and future generations,” The President concluded.