International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
2 December 2014
Today The Freedom Partnership marks the United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery by sharing “Sandra’s Story” of slavery as a domestic worker in Australia and the freedom she has found after leaving her situation.
Most people are unaware that slavery and slavery-like conditions can occur in Australian agriculture, construction, retail, hospitality, domestic work, sex work and any industry where workers are vulnerable. It can also occur in the form of underage, forced and slave-like marriages.
Jenny Stanger, National Manager of The Freedom Partnership says, “Today our government has also released its National Action Plan outlining how it will address slavery in all of its forms for the next three years and we look forward to implementation. Sandra’s achievements exemplify community and government collaboration to support right-based outcomes for people who have been seriously exploited here in Australia.”
The Freedom Partnership will focus on ensuring:
- Consultation with people who experienced slavery-like conditions on policies and programs designed to assist them;
- Ratification of the International Labour Organisation’s Domestic Worker Convention C189;
- Engagement and investment in ending slavery by state and local government;
- Access to support, services and rights information before and after vulnerable migrants/victims arrive in Australia via and NGO-operated national Slavery HelpLine; and
- Action by the broader community to mitigate the risk of slavery in supply chains.