The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations and United Nations University Centre for Policy Research launched Developing Freedom: The Sustainable Development Case for Ending Modern Slavery, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking, a major new report and companion website that considers a simple question: how can fighting slavery contribute to sustainable development?
Over eighteen months, the research team used comprehensive literature reviews and mapping, quantitative analysis, surveys and mixed methods case studies to develop a thorough answer to that question. The research included practitioner surveys, analysis of over 2 million official aid project records, stakeholder engagement and deep dives into anti-slavery efforts in six global value chains: apparel, cattle, construction, cotton, fisheries and palm oil. The analysis addresses efforts in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Qatar, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, and Uzbekistan.
It suggests that increased attention to anti-slavery, anti-forced labour and anti-human trafficking efforts by development actors will promote and maximize economic agency. This will unlock significant economic and social development gains – not just for the estimated 40.3 million victims, but for their communities and the broader economy.
The launch event consisted of a virtual roundtable, followed by Q&A.
Introductory Remarks will be given by H.E. Mr. James Roscoe, General Assembly Ambassador, and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
Speakers at the launch event included: