Walk Free

Global military expenditure has surged past $2.4 trillion - a staggering contrast to the tiny fraction allocated to diplomacy, aid, and disarmament. For those who question the value of development funding, the numbers speak for themselves. What we spend on weapons eclipses what we invest in peace 100 times over.

Thailand is drafting a new law requiring businesses to ensure human rights and environmental due diligence in their supply chains. This step strengthens corporate responsibility and aligns with global standards, helping to combat issues like modern slavery. With an estimated 401,000 people affected by modern slavery in Thailand, this law aims to protect vulnerable workers and improve Thailand’s reputation as a responsible business hub.

Child marriage is still legal in many parts of the world, including the US, where only 13 states have banned it as of last year.   In some states like California, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, there is no minimum age for marriage.   Despite global commitments, leaders are failing to act on issues like child marriage, forced labour, and human trafficking.   The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women happening in New York is a key opportunity to make progress, but urgent action is needed to protect women and girls' rights.

The urgent need to dismantle barriers to gender equality must be the focus at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).   The rollback on women’s rights highlights the urgent need for action, as modern slavery and gender inequality remain deeply connected.   We call on global leaders to take immediate action to address these issues.

Modern slavery is driven by power imbalances, with gender inequality increasing the vulnerability of women and girls to exploitation. At the current rate of progress, achieving full gender parity will take 134 years, according to the World Economic Forum. Gender-based discrimination begins at birth and continues to affect women throughout their lives.

The EU is at risk of rolling back important protections for human rights, including modern slavery. A new proposal could undermine the laws that help ensure companies are held accountable for their impact on people and the environment. Vulnerable workers around the world could suffer if these protections are delayed or watered down. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) ensures businesses are held responsible for human rights abuses in their supply chains. EU leaders must act now to protect these crucial safeguards.

A brilliant few days in The Hague working with the Australian high commission to the Netherlands to deliver an event on modern slavery in international law and in our global economy. Grateful to have been hosted by Ambassador Greg French at the Australian Residence, alongside Patricia Sellers (ICC), Hope Rikkelman (Yazidi Legal Network), and Conny Rijken (Dutch National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking). In the leadup, Walk Free made several submissions to the ICC to contribute to the latest Slavery Crimes Policy from the Office of the Prosecutor. Thank you to Lynn Bell, Australian Ambassador to Counter Modern Slavery, for the special mention and for reinforcing the need for stronger action. Modern slavery is connected to all of us through the goods we buy and import every year. Despite international attention, no country is effectively responding to modern slavery. While the issue remains on the global agenda, meaningful action and enforcement continue to lag behind the scale of the problem. We must hold the world's most powerful accountable in order to dismantle the systems that enable modern slavery to thrive.

International law should be a powerful tool for holding governments accountable for modern slavery, but it’s still falling short of what it could do. Challenges like jurisdictional issues can make enforcement difficult. Despite these hurdles, international law is important in setting global standards and pressuring countries to protect human rights.

Colombia has banned child marriage, a major step in protecting children's rights and combating modern slavery, which disproportionately affects girls from minority groups. An estimated 397,000 people in Colombia live in modern slavery, according to our latest Global Slavery Index. The ban sets a key precedent for Latin America, reinforcing Colombia’s commitment to safeguarding children's rights.

Thailand has repatriated 260 survivors of human trafficking from Myanmar, with more than half identified as Ethiopian nationals. This latest crackdown exposes the widespread scale of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. Human trafficking is defined under the Palermo Protocol as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or coercion for exploitation, including forced labour and modern slavery. There's an urgent need for stronger international cooperation to dismantle these networks and protect vulnerable communities.