A/HRC/24/43
59.
There have also been recent awareness-raising campaigns on an international level
that focus on awareness among global companies. Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
has laid out a series of good practice examples on global migration to which businesses
should adhere. BSR establishes specific standards regarding the legal status of migrant
workers, worker rights, recruitment, orientation and training, wages and benefits,
withholding of documents, living conditions, leave, grievance mechanisms, and termination
and repatriation.38 ILO has also developed a handbook for employers and business on
forced labour, which seeks to raise their awareness and understanding of the issue.39
60.
Unions have also become increasingly involved in global initiatives to raise
awareness of contemporary forms of slavery. For example, the International Union of Food,
Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations has
recently published a tool for its affiliates on migrant workers’ vulnerability. 40 The Italian
General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) has carried out a mass media campaign to raise
awareness about slave-like conditions under which workers are employed in the Italian
agricultural sector. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has also set up
information desks at airports, bus and train stations; shown videos on public transportation;
and established community education programmes and a website to educate potential
victims on risks of contemporary forms of slavery.
61.
Consumer-based initiatives and public awareness campaigns have also begun to
focus on contemporary forms of slavery. The International Organization for Migration
“Buy Responsibly” campaign looks at consumer products like cocoa, coffee, sugar and
shrimp, and identifies how each of these can be linked to forced labour in global supply
chains.41 The Slavery Footprint campaign personalizes modern-day slavery by asking
consumers “how many slaves work for you?” It raises awareness about the effects of each
person’s consumption, including products such as electronics, food, apparel and other
household items.42 Finally, the Free2Work application for mobile phones provides
consumers with information about specific products and how they relate to modern-day
slavery. It rates companies based on their anti-slavery commitments, assigning them a letter
grade from “A” to “F” to inform consumers and promote ethical consumerism. 43
D.
Victim identification, protection and rehabilitation
62.
Despite the progress that has been made in recent years, awareness-raising and
prevention have not been fully effective and victims of contemporary forms of slavery still
abound. This requires the identification, protection and rehabilitation of victims.
63.
The identification of victims is greatly aided by strengthening the capacity of labour
inspectorates and other public institutions, such as police and immigration authorities, and
by raising the awareness of authorities regarding laws on contemporary forms of slavery
and techniques for identifying victims. The creation of specialized units to identify victims
is also crucial. In the Czech Republic, a special police department aimed at uncovering
forced labour was established in April 2006.44 Brazil also offers an important and highly
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
16
www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:2309855.
See BSR, Good Practice Guide: Global Migration (2010).
ILO, Combating Forced Labour: A Handbook for Employers and Business (Geneva, 2008).
Workers and Unions on the Move: Organising and defending migrant workers in agriculture and
allied sectors (Geneva, 2008).
See www.buyresponsibly.org/index.php.
See http://slaveryfootprint.org.
See www.free2work.org.
Government of the Czech Republic, Ministry of Interior, National Strategy of the Fight against
Trafficking in Human Beings for the period of 2005 – 2007 (2005).
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