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How accurate is the 2021 TIP report? Human trafficking
Thursday July 8, 2021

How accurate is the 2021 TIP report?

The 2021 influential U.S. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report was published last week and we’re sharing our own perspective on this year’s rankings.  The TIP report is an important tool to engage world governments on the issue of trafficking, aiming to hold countries accountable for their actions to address, or indeed exacerbate human trafficking.    Freedom United’s advocacy and campaigning tell us that not everything is as it seems in this year’s report. But which countries have been rightfully called out for their poor efforts to tackle trafficking and which countries

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Forced Labor
Friday June 25, 2021

Our message to Congress to abolish slavery

Freedom United joins a national coalition launching the #EndTheException campaign fighting to abolish constitutional slavery and involuntary servitude in all forms, for all people. Together with over 70 national organizations, we sent a joint letter to Congress, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, endorsing the recently introduced Abolition Amendment and urging immediate passage. The joint resolution (SJ Res 21, HJ Res 53) which reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude may be imposed as punishment for a crime,” was introduced

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Forced Labor
Tuesday June 22, 2021

Ending slavery in the 13th Amendment

Ahead of Juneteenth, Merkley, Williams Propose Constitutional Amendment to Close Slavery Loophole in 13th Amendment Indisputably racist exception permitting slavery as punishment for crime has fueled systemic racism in criminal justice for over 150 years  Washington, D.C. June 18 –  Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) have introduced the Abolition Amendment, which would strike the ‘Slavery Clause’ of the 13th Amendment that allows slavery to continue in the United States. Congress passed legislation to establish Juneteenth as a federal

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Migrant domestic workers demand an end to kafala system in Lebanon Other slavery
Thursday May 20, 2021

Migrant domestic workers demand an end to kafala system in Lebanon

“Employers literally control our freedom. Many of them are abusive with no one holding them accountable.” – Tsigereda Brihanu is a former domestic worker and activist Undeterred by the worsening economic crisis in Lebanon, migrant domestic workers continue to unite and campaign for an end to the exploitative kafala system in the country that traps these workers in exploitation, abuse and domestic servitude. The effects of COVID-19 and a collapsing local currency is only increasing the urgent need for migrant domestic workers to be afforded their rights in line with international

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Law & Policy
Thursday May 13, 2021

Freedom United voices concerns over Ontario’s Anti-Trafficking Bill 251

Freedom United is concerned about Bill 251, the Combating Human Trafficking Act 2021, currently being proposed in Ontario, Canada. Below is our submission to the government. May 13, 2021 Dear Legislative Assembly of Ontario, On behalf of Freedom United, an international anti-trafficking NGO home to the world’s largest anti-slavery community, I am writing to the Ontario government to voice our concerns about Bill 251, Combating Human Trafficking Act 2021 in its current form. While addressing human trafficking and supporting trafficking survivors in Ontario are indeed

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