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Debt Bondage
Wednesday April 10, 2024

MBS’s “vision” for Saudi Arabia relies on rampant abuse of foreign workers—like my father

Ahmed Abdulumer

This article was written by guest contributor, Ahmed Abdulumer, and was originally published by DAWN.  Ahmed Abdulumer’s father, an Indian national, was a foreign worker in Saudi Arabia from 1981 until 2020. It has been called a form of modern-day slavery. The abusive "kafala" or sponsorship system for foreign workers in Saudi Arabia gives their employers near-absolute authority over their legal status in the country, including their ability to leave a job. The kafala system applies to millions of migrant workers in the kingdom who account for more than 80 percent of the private

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historical image of a child laborer Child Slavery
Thursday April 4, 2024

The fight continues: U.S. states loosen child labor laws as violations keep soaring

Rebekah Enoch

Recent analysis shows that over the past 10 years child labor violations across the U.S. have tripled, reports the Washington Post. Investigators have uncovered an uptick in labor violations in standard work for teens, like fast food-restaurants and other service industries. Multiple instances of minors working in dangerous jobs that federal law prohibits, like meatpacking, manufacturing, and construction, have also been uncovered at increasing rates. Despite that, at least 16 states have one or more bills to weaken their child labor laws. What’s going on? “Irresponsible and dystopian”

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Four pieces of chocolate with cookie inside of them, one half on top of the other Child Slavery
Tuesday March 26, 2024

Chocolate Scorecard 2024: sweet progress & bitter challenges

Kiki Lindenau

It’s that special time again when we dive deep into the world of chocolate, especially with Easter right around the corner. This isn’t just about indulging in your favorite sweets; it’s about understanding the impact behind each bite. The 2024 Chocolate Scorecard is out, and there’s a lot to talk about, especially regarding our fight against forced child labor in the cocoa industry – what has changed, can we celebrate (spoiler: YES!), and what work is left? Let’s break it down, shall we?  What is the Chocolate Scorecard?   The Chocolate Scorecard is a report card for

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Screenshot from CNN live coverage showing a side view of the presenter with blond long hair wearing a red jacket holding a microphone toward the mouth of a woman with brown hair and a black jacket in conversation. Child Slavery
Friday March 15, 2024

Freedom United exposes U.S. regression on child exploitation

Joanna Ewart-James

My Freedom Day should be everyone's, every day. Except we're facing unprecedented rollbacks in labor laws across the U.S. facilitating the exploitation of children, which of course eases the path toward forced labour. My Freedom Day March 14 is designated My Freedom Day - a day of student-driven action to raise awareness of modern slavery. This year I was at Atlanta International School, where students organized a film festival from their own submissions, activities for the youngest students, presentations for parents. We launched our campaign for a U.S. where every child is protected from

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Activists
Friday March 1, 2024

We will never stop fighting for sex workers’ rights

Ellie Finkelstein

As we observe International Sex Workers' Rights Day, news from California gives us pause to reflect. California, once hailed as a leader in progressive policies is now attempting to take a step backward in its commitment to protecting sex workers' rights. In 2022, we worked alongside partners in California to successfully repeal an archaic loitering law that targeted sex workers. We pushed for this change because laws that deny sex workers protections prevent them from being able to work safely, increasing the risk of violence and exploitation. Now, the recent legislative actions are

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