Project Status:

Ongoing

UNU-CPR RESEARCHERS: Alice Eckstein, Nesrien Hamid, Angharad Smith

On any given day in 2016, the latest year for which we have a reliable estimate, 40.3 million people were in situations of modern slavery or forced labour—or one in every 174 people alive —and 152 million children were victims of child labour. Urgent action is needed to address these problems. With Target 8.7 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 193 countries pledged their commitment to take effective measures to eradicate modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and child labour.

But what are effective measures? What works to address these problems?

To answer these questions, the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR) created Delta 8.7 — an innovative project that helps policy actors understand and use data responsibly to inform policies that contribute to achieving Target 8.7. Delta 8.7 brings together the most useful data, evidence, research and news, analyses cutting-edge data, and helps people understand that data so it can be translated it into effective policy.

Delta 8.7—the Alliance 8.7 global knowledge platform — was established during Phase 1 of funding from the UK’s Modern Slavery Innovation Fund (MSIF). Phase 2 continues the development of Delta 8.7 making innovative use of computational technologies including the online knowledge platform, AI and machine learning, and data visualization to accelerate identification of “what works” to end modern slavery.

Through a public consultation of their Policy Guides process, the project aims to conduct a transparent and highly credible drafting process that combines rigorous scientific review and evidence with policy acumen. This includes convening three global expert working groups on Justice, Markets and Crisis.