Anti-Slavery Australia

Project summary

Over 40 million people globally are estimated to be living in conditions of modern slavery. Australia is no exception, with estimates of up to 1900 people living in modern slavery conditions at any one time.

Modern slavery is an umbrella term used to describe human trafficking, slavery, servitude, forced labour, debt bondage, deceptive recruitment for labour services, forced marriage, and the worst forms of child labour.

But what does modern slavery look like in Australia? It could be a migrant worker tricked into coming to Australia on the false promises of a good job, only to find themselves threatened and working excessive hours in a drastically different job to the one promised - for no pay. Or maybe a young person being tricked into travelling overseas and forced into marriage.

Anti-Slavery Australia is a dedicated centre within the UTS Faculty of Law, working to end modern slavery. Since 2011, Anti-Slavery Australia has lead policy development, advocacy, research and legal representation for survivors. Anti-Slavery Australia also leads Australia’s forced marriage response through the My Blue Sky initiative.

Each year, Anti-Slavery Australia supports hundreds of survivors of modern slavery across the nation through its free legal practice – providing survivors with access to justice and empowering them to rebuild their lives.

Anti-Slavery Australia trains and builds the capacity of individuals, organisations and businesses to recognise, identify and respond to modern slavery through awareness raising, education and training for businesses, government, law enforcement, universities, schools and community organisations.

Anti-Slavery Australia also works collaboratively with government, civil society and business to address modern slavery, sitting on the National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery and convening a number of community networks.

Anti-Slavery Australia’s policy and advocacy has made significant contributions to law reform including the establishment of forced labour and forced marriage as specific criminal offences in Australia and the establishment of the Australian Modern Slavery Act.

For more information see the Anti-Slavery Australia website and My Blue Sky website.

Project timeframe

Ongoing

SDG targets addressed by this project

Gender equality:

5.3 - Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

 

Decent work and economic growth:

8.7 - Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

Back to SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth