successes -- delivering change

Anti-Slavery International's work has produced real change.Throughout the last century, the organisation was involved in manysuccessful campaigns, such as those to stop the abuse of rubber workersin the Belgian Congo and the use of child slaves - Mui Tsai - inHong Kong. In the 21st century we continue to be closely involved inachieving progress in the fight against slavery:

• Our Home Alone campaign played a big part in persuading the International Labour Organisation to adopt a Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers in June 2011, which secures the rights of millions of domestic workers across the globe.
  

• We successfully campaigned to force the UK government to sign up to a new EU anti-trafficking law that will help better protect the victims and secure justice for people who have been trafficked (2011).

• Last December our Cotton Crimes campaign convinced MEPs to overwhelmingly reject a proposal to extend a trade deal with Uzbekistan because of the ongoing use of forced child labour in the country's cotton industry.

• The United Nations’ decision to create a new Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery in 2008, who will report directly to the UN Human Rights Council on measures that Governments need to take to tackle slavery practices in their respective countries.  This is the first new UN mechanism on slavery in over 30 years.

• In 2008 we supported a former slave, Hadijatou Mani in obtaining the verdict of international ECOWAS court that found the state of Niger guilty of failing to protect her from slavery . This was a major victory in the figh against slavery in West Africa. The ruling sets a legal precedent with respect to the obligations of states to protect its citizens from slavery. The ECOWAS Court decisions are binding, and the human rights obligations the Court interprets are applicable to all member states.

• The United Nations’ decision to create a new Special Rapporteur onContemporary Forms of Slavery in 2008, who will report directly to theUN Human Rights Council on measures that Governments need to take totackle slavery practices in their respective countries.  This is thefirst new UN mechanism on slavery in over 30 years.
  
  
• Nepal (2002), Niger (2003), Brazil (2003) and Mauritania (2007) aresome of the countries which have introduced or amended laws so thatslavery practices are prohibited and properly punished. These reformshave led to the release of more than 100,000 people from slavery.
  
  
• In 2005, the United Arab Emirates recognised that some 3,000children had been trafficked to the UAE to be used as camel jockeys andpassed a law banning anyone under 18 from taking part in camel racing.The Government also provided UNICEF with US$2.7 million to assist thesechildren to return to their homes. Qatar and Kuwait also passed lawsprohibiting children under 18 from being camel jockeys.
  
  
• The UK has taken various measures to raise awareness of slaveryissues and counter trafficking in people, including: introducing lawsagainst trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation and fundingsupport services for those affected (2004); the creation of a nationalslavery memorial day in the UK (from 23 August 2008); making itobligatory to teach the Transatlantic Slave Trade in the UK NationalCurriculum (from September 2008); and committing to ratify the Councilof Europe Convention against trafficking (by the end of 2008).
  
  
• The approval of the Council of Europe Convention againsttrafficking in 2005 which is the first international standard toguarantee trafficked people minimum standards of protection andsupport.  This Convention came into force in February 2008 and has beensigned or ratified by nearly 40 countries.
  
  
• In 2008 the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, in the united States of America, achieved a major victory in its Campaign for Fair Food after fast-food giant Burger King agreed to work with them to improve the wages and working conditions of those who pick its tomatoes.
  

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