In a major milestone for Freedom United’s campaign calling on world governments to ratify the ILO Forced Labour Protocol (P29) and do more to end forced labor, this week Sudan became the fiftieth country to ratify the protocol.

Thank you to 100,000+  Freedom United supporters and our partners at United Nations Association of New York who have kept up the momentum to make the ILO’s 50 for Freedom a reality!

Sudan’s ratification takes the world another step closer to achieving the target UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 of eradicating forced labor.

By ratifying P29, the Sudanese government has committed to take effective measures to prevent forced labor, protect victims, and ensure their access to justice and remedies, including compensation.

While the International Labour Organization Director-General, Guy Ryder, celebrated the milestone in a statement, he also cautioned the need for effective implementation if these ratifications are to combat modern slavery.

He told Thomson Reuters Foundation:

“If we are to achieve (this) target … we must follow up with careful implementation in every region, every country, every village, and make sure no one is left behind.”

In the wake of the pandemic, countries committing to eradicate forced labor has become even more important, with the economic shutdown leaving countless people jobless and at risk of abuse.

While the ILO estimates there are 25 million people worldwide who are victims of forced labor, there are serious concerns this number is growing significantly as a result of the pandemic.

Chile and Portugal have both ratified the protocol recently, while in November 2020, after sustained pressure and campaigning from Freedom United, Costa Rica also ratified P29.

While it is important to celebrate these successes, many more ratifications are needed.

Let’s keep up the pressure! Join over 100,000 global supporters and call on the government of your country to adopt this law immediately by signing the petition here.