Freedom United

Freedom United: Our vision is a world free of modern slavery and human trafficking. We are the world’s largest community dedicated to ending human trafficking & modern slavery. We mobilize a united community to create power for change by making the public stakeholders in the ending modern slavery. We equip millions of supporters with awareness, education & ways to take action that drives real change. https://www.freedomunited.org/about-us/

Chocolate can’t be sustainable until companies pay a living income price for cocoa
| | |

Chocolate can’t be sustainable until companies pay a living income price for cocoa

As the European Union develops new rules to hold companies accountable for social and environmental harms, such as deforestation and child and forced labor, the spotlight is on the chocolate industry.  Cocoa production is notorious for causing adverse impacts on farming communities and the land. Companies and governments claim to be working to make cocoa more…

It’s not a just transition if clean energy is powered by forced labor
| | |

It’s not a just transition if clean energy is powered by forced labor

The phrase “just transition” is on everybody’s lips in the aftermath of COP27, but in the race toward cleaner energy, are we losing sight of what justice really looks like?   A closer look at solar panel and electric transport supply chains suggest we may be sidelining human rights as we scale up solutions to the…

New report uncovers widespread migrant worker abuse in Qatar
| | |

New report uncovers widespread migrant worker abuse in Qatar

A new report by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has shed light on widespread abuse of migrant workers in Qatar as the World Cup gets underway. “Legacy of the kafala […]

The post New report uncovers widespread migrant worker abuse in Qatar appeared first on FreedomUnited.org.

COP27 is over – what next?
| | |

COP27 is over – what next?

The Sharm El-Sheikh COP27 climate summit concluded last week after two weeks of tense discussions with world leaders. Well past the agreed deadline, talks eventually resulted in a historic agreement on loss and damage, which places the responsibility on wealthier states to provide financial assistance to poorer states facing the immediate impacts of the climate…

Grounds to suspect Shamima Begum was trafficked, court hears
| | |

Grounds to suspect Shamima Begum was trafficked, court hears

Police should have investigated whether Shamima Begum was a victim of human trafficking and helped her return if she was, a court heard, as there were grounds to suspect she had been groomed as a child bride.   Begum was 15 years old when she left the U.K. to join Islamic State in Syria. Just…

Lab results find Shein clothes likely made with Uyghur cotton
| | |

Lab results find Shein clothes likely made with Uyghur cotton

Bloomberg News sent out Shein clothing for a laboratory test. The result? The German lab, Agroisolab GmbH, found that the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios indicated that the Uyghur Region was the likely origin and that 95% of other possible cotton regions were definitely not the source. Agroisolab uses isotope testing to trace source…

Freedom United launches campaign film calling on fans to think of fallen migrant workers
| | |

Freedom United launches campaign film calling on fans to think of fallen migrant workers

“This is because of our blood and sweat.” – Ram Pukar Sahani, Nepali worker in Qatar In just two days the World Cup in Qatar will begin amid intensifying pressure from migrant workers, activists, politicians, fans, brand sponsors and national Football Associations calling for a compensation fund for exploited workers and the families of those…

Modern Slavery Act failing Australia, advocates report
| | |

Modern Slavery Act failing Australia, advocates report

Australia’s Modern Slavery Act (MSA) has once again come under scrutiny for failing to hold businesses accountable for forced labor in their operations. A new report by human rights advocates entitled “Broken Promises” investigates two years of statements submitted by 92 companies in at risk industries including garments in China, rubber gloves in Malaysia, seafood…

Can private inspections and certification schemes really fix forced labor?
| | |

Can private inspections and certification schemes really fix forced labor?

A new report by Human Rights Watch explores the potential of audits and certification schemes to hold companies accountable for labor abuses in their global supply chains and what their […]

The post Can private inspections and certification schemes really fix forced labor? appeared first on FreedomUnited.org.

Armed militias endanger and exploit people fleeing Libya – with E.U. support
| | |

Armed militias endanger and exploit people fleeing Libya – with E.U. support

“Get away from Libyan territorial (waters), otherwise we’ll shoot you by SAM (surface-to-air) missiles,” German doctor Leona Blankenstein heard from a vessel that had been given to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard by Italy as she flew above a migrant boat in Maltese waters on October 25. Charity organizations providing search and rescue in the Central…