The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives.With 27 million people in slavery today, how can we ever hope to eradicate this horror? In fact, this generation, after 5,000 years of human slavery, can bring it to an end.
The anti-slavery movement was the world's first human-rights campaign. Growing not from politicians, but from everyday people, it swept away legal slavery. In the early 20th century courageous campaigners, fighting both financial interests and governments, brought an end to the continuing slavery in places like the Congo.
Those heroes won great battles for us. Today we do not have to win the legal argument—laws against slavery exist in every country. In the past many national economies were based on the profits of slavery, but now we do not have to win an economic argument. If all slavery stopped today, no industry or country would suffer economically; Only the criminals who profit from slavery would be disadvantaged. And today we do not have to win the moral argument; almost everyone in the world agrees that slavery is wrong.
To bring people to freedom and to end slavery, three things have to happen: 1. Public awareness has to grow, and there has to be public agreement that it is time to end slavery once and for all. This public commitment must be communicated to politicians.2. Money needs to be spent to eradicate slavery, but not nearly as much as you might think. For the price of a bomber or a battleship, the amount of slavery in the world could be dramatically reduced.3. Governments must enforce their own anti-slavery laws. To make this happen every country has to understand that they must take action or face serious pressure. We all know about the United Nations weapons inspectors, who enforce the Conventions against Weapons of Mass Destruction, but where are the United Nations Slavery Inspectors? When the same effort is put behind searching out and ending slavery, there will be rapid change.
While the 27 million people enslaved today are the largest number of slaves alive at any time in human history, they are also the smallest proportion of the world population to ever be held in slavery. No one wants to live in a world with slavery. Today the slaveholders are weaker than they have ever been, and there is universal agreement that slavery must end. In South Asia whole villages come to freedom when others help them form institutions such as small credit unions, inform them of their rights, and show them how to organize to fight for them. Slaves everywhere outnumber their masters. When we all stand with the slaves, their masters cannot keep them in bondage. It is true that criminal mafias control some of the traffic in people, and they will be difficult to root out. But slavery will end if corruption is tackled, victims are treated with respect, and those of us who are free decide to support all those who help others to freedom.
Imagine that after 5,000 years of slavery we commit ourselves to achieving its eradication in our lifetimes.Imagine that your generation will be the one that is looked back on in history as the generation that ended slavery. Imagine that your children and your grandchildren will grow up in a world where slavery is just seen as an ugly blot on our history.Imagine a world where every person is born in freedom and lives in liberty.
All this is possible, just follow these three steps:
1. Learn! Become aware of how slavery touches your life. For more information, visit http://www.freetheslaves.net/, and read "Disposable People." Then download our Teaching Pack.2. Join! Work with others who want to live in a world without slavery. Free the Slaves is one American organization fighting slavery worldwide.3. Act! Bring your strength and imagination to ending slavery.
The anti-slavery movement was the world's first human-rights campaign. Growing not from politicians, but from everyday people, it swept away legal slavery. In the early 20th century courageous campaigners, fighting both financial interests and governments, brought an end to the continuing slavery in places like the Congo.
Those heroes won great battles for us. Today we do not have to win the legal argument—laws against slavery exist in every country. In the past many national economies were based on the profits of slavery, but now we do not have to win an economic argument. If all slavery stopped today, no industry or country would suffer economically; Only the criminals who profit from slavery would be disadvantaged. And today we do not have to win the moral argument; almost everyone in the world agrees that slavery is wrong.
To bring people to freedom and to end slavery, three things have to happen: 1. Public awareness has to grow, and there has to be public agreement that it is time to end slavery once and for all. This public commitment must be communicated to politicians.2. Money needs to be spent to eradicate slavery, but not nearly as much as you might think. For the price of a bomber or a battleship, the amount of slavery in the world could be dramatically reduced.3. Governments must enforce their own anti-slavery laws. To make this happen every country has to understand that they must take action or face serious pressure. We all know about the United Nations weapons inspectors, who enforce the Conventions against Weapons of Mass Destruction, but where are the United Nations Slavery Inspectors? When the same effort is put behind searching out and ending slavery, there will be rapid change.
While the 27 million people enslaved today are the largest number of slaves alive at any time in human history, they are also the smallest proportion of the world population to ever be held in slavery. No one wants to live in a world with slavery. Today the slaveholders are weaker than they have ever been, and there is universal agreement that slavery must end. In South Asia whole villages come to freedom when others help them form institutions such as small credit unions, inform them of their rights, and show them how to organize to fight for them. Slaves everywhere outnumber their masters. When we all stand with the slaves, their masters cannot keep them in bondage. It is true that criminal mafias control some of the traffic in people, and they will be difficult to root out. But slavery will end if corruption is tackled, victims are treated with respect, and those of us who are free decide to support all those who help others to freedom.
Imagine that after 5,000 years of slavery we commit ourselves to achieving its eradication in our lifetimes.Imagine that your generation will be the one that is looked back on in history as the generation that ended slavery. Imagine that your children and your grandchildren will grow up in a world where slavery is just seen as an ugly blot on our history.Imagine a world where every person is born in freedom and lives in liberty.
All this is possible, just follow these three steps:
1. Learn! Become aware of how slavery touches your life. For more information, visit http://www.freetheslaves.net/, and read "Disposable People." Then download our Teaching Pack.2. Join! Work with others who want to live in a world without slavery. Free the Slaves is one American organization fighting slavery worldwide.3. Act! Bring your strength and imagination to ending slavery.
National Geographic online map reflecting slavery geographically:
Related Organizations:
Amnesty Internationalwww.amnesty.orgAmnesty International is a worldwide campaigning movement that works to promote internationally recognized human rights.
Anti-Slavery International
www.antislavery.orgFounded in 1839, Anti-Slavery International is the world's oldest international human rights organization and the only charity in the United Kingdom working exclusively for the elimination of all forms of slavery. Anti-Slavery International has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Through campaigning, research, supporting local NGOs' work, and pressing governments to implement national and international laws against slavery, the organization works to end this abuse throughout the world.
Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition
www.omnigon.com/~bsccThis organization works on prevention of sexual exploitation of people from Central America, Mexico, and the United States.
Children of the Night
childrenofthenight.orgChildren of the Night has rescued more than 10,000 American children from prostitution since 1979. It is dedicated to assisting children between the ages of 11 and 17 who are forced to prostitute on the streets for food and a place to sleep.
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
www.catwinternational.orgThe Coalition Against Trafficking in Women is a nongovernmental organization that promotes women's human rights. It works internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms, especially prostitution and trafficking in women and children, particularly girls.
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
www.ciw-online.org/The CIW is a community-based worker organization with a member base of mostly Latino, Haitian, and Maya Indian immigrants working in low-wage jobs throughout the state of Florida. CIW works for fair wages, better working conditions, stronger laws and law enforcement of workers' rights, and respect.
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
www.castla.orgCAST is the first and only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to serving survivors of trafficking. CAST is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive social services to survivors of trafficking and conducts advocacy through training and outreach to raise awareness on the needs of trafficking survivors.
ECPAT International
www.ecpat.net/eng/index.aspECPAT is a network of organisations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes.
Free the Slaves
www.freetheslaves.netFree the Slaves fights slavery all over the world by helping people to freedom and to stable lives after liberation, by removing slave labor from the products we buy, and by helping governments enforce their own anti-slavery laws. Free the Slaves is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that is leading U.S. work against slavery.
Global March Against Child Labour
www.globalmarch.orgChild labor and its worst forms are a problem affecting every part of the world, be it slavery, prostitution, armed conflict, or hazardous work. Children are being used as an expendable commodity, to be used and discarded. Global March works to put an end to child labor worldwide.
Human Rights Watch: Campaign Against the Trafficking of Women and Girls
www.hrw.org/about/projects/traffcamp/intro.htmlHRW investigates and exposes trafficking and slavery incidences around the world. This site links to numerous reports about trafficking in countries in every region of the world.
International Human Rights Law Group
www.hrlawgroup.org/initiatives/trafficking_persons/default.aspThe International Human Rights Law Group is a nonprofit organization of human rights and legal professionals from over 20 countries engaged in advocacy, human rights lawyering, and training around the world. IHRLG's Initiative Against Trafficking in Persons assists advocates and NGOs in building their advocacy, legal-literacy, and case-monitoring skills; encourages governments to protect the rights of victims of trafficking and also to prosecute traffickers; disseminates up-to-date information on trafficking cases and anti-trafficking legislation in countries around the world; and seeks to increase the awareness of the link between trafficking and the subordinate status of women and other vulnerable groups in all societies.
International Justice Mission
www.ijm.org/ijm_home.htmlIJM's legal and law enforcement professionals use investigation strategies, legal expertise, and cutting-edge technology to rescue individual victims of injustice and abuse around the world.
International Organization for Migration
www.iom.int/IOM's counter-trafficking activities are geared toward the prevention of trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, and the protection of migrants' rights.
Interpol: Children and Human Trafficking
www.interpol.com/Public/THB/default.aspThe main aim of Interpol is to promote assistance among all criminal police authorities. It provides a structured platform for raising awareness, building competence, and identifying best practices within law enforcement worldwide. Trafficking in human beings is considered one of the top priorities at Interpol, and only by ascertaining the true character of trafficking can we hope to adapt appropriate measures against it.
Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse
www.mincava.umn.edu/traffick.asp#A101280100The Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse Electronic Clearinghouse provides a quick and user friendly access point to the extensive electronic resources on the topic of violence and abuse available online. It also has a section of links to trafficking articles and resources.
Polaris Project
www.polarisproject.orgVisit the site of Polaris Project, a non-profit organization that researches and combats the sex trafficking of women and children.
The Protection Project
www.protectionproject.orgThe Protection Project is a human rights research institute based at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. The project documents and disseminates information about the scope of the problem of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, with a focus on national and international laws, case law, and implications of trafficking on U.S. and international foreign policy.
Rugmark
www.rugmark.org/RUGMARK is a global nonprofit organization working to end child labor and offer educational opportunities for children in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The RUGMARK label is your best assurance that no illegal child labor was employed in the manufacture of a carpet or rug.
United Nations Children's Fund
www.unicef.orgUNICEF works to protect the rights of children worldwide, including protecting them from trafficking and slavery.
U.S. Agency for International Development, Trafficking in Persons
www.usaid.gov/wid/pubs/trw01a.htmUSAID is funding direct anti-trafficking activities that include prevention through economic and educational opportunities targeted at groups that are especially vulnerable to traffickers, public awareness, protection and rehabilitation of trafficked victims, and legislative changes.
U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
www.state.gov/g/tipThe Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons assists in the coordination of the U.S. government's anti-trafficking efforts, both domestically and abroad, guided by the vision of eradicating trafficking worldwide. It also releases an annual report on the state of trafficking worldwide.
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http://allafrica.com/stories/200707051299.html
Ex-Museveni Maid Sues Whitaker
The Monitor (Kampala)
NEWS
6 July 2007
Posted to the web 5 July 2007
By Grace Matsiko
Kampala
An American adviser to the NRM government on trade and investment has lost a preliminary appeal in a U.S. court to dismiss a fraud case filed against her by her Ugandan housemaid.
Ms Idah Zirintusa, a former State House employee, sued Ms Rosa Whitaker in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for fraud, unjust enrichment, and illegal interference with her earlier contract with State House.
Ms Zirintusa alleges in court papers that Ms Whitaker entered into a three-year oral employment contract with her promising four times the wage she earned in Uganda, full tuition at an American college, food, and shelter.
It is further alleged that Ms Whitaker promised Ms Zirintusa to make separate payments to support her family in Uganda.
In the pleadings, a copy of which Daily Monitor has obtained, Ms Zirintusa further says that Ms Whitaker violated various provisions of the US Fair Labour Standards Act, D.C. Payment and Collection of Wages Law, and D.C. Minimum Wage Act by failing to pay her the minimum wage and overtime fee to which she was entitled for the domestic services she provided Ms Whitaker and her friend Ms Pauline Harris.
Ms Whitaker worked as the assistant U.S. trade representative for Africa under President Bill Clinton, and during the early years of Mr George W. Bush's presidency.
In that job, she "developed and implemented the African Growth and Opportunity Act and other bilateral and multilateral trade policy initiatives towards Africa".
When she left the trade representative's office, Ms Whitaker founded The Whitaker Group, a consultancy firm that advises several African countries, including Uganda, on international business issues.
The Whitaker Group officials were recently in Uganda pushing for increased production of organic cotton to make apparel for the American market.
In her defence, Ms Whitaker argues that Ms Zirintusa could not sustain her claims because she was not legally permitted to work in the United States.
She also argues that her accuser is not entitled to overtime pay under either federal or Washington D.C. law because Ms Zirintusa lived in her employer's home - in this case Ms Whitaker's home.
Ms Whitaker bases her defence in part on the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) which makes it illegal for aliens to sue for breach of contract. In its ruling, however, the judge allowed Ms Zirintusa to proceed with the suit.
The court stated that nothing in IRCA prohibits undocumented workers from asserting their labour rights under the US Fair Labor Standards Act.
The court also ruled that Ms Whitaker acted fraudulently when she "made material misstatements of fact" in January 2003, September 2003, and July 2004.
The court found that Ms Whitaker falsely promised Ms Zirintusa that if she accepted her offer of employment, the American lobbyist would provide payments for the care and support of the accuser's family in Uganda.
According to the court's ruling, Ms Whitaker made these representations knowing they were false and Ms Zirintusa reasonably relied on the misstatements to sell her possessions at a significant loss and leave her family in Uganda to work for Ms Whitaker in the United States.
"The Court finds that these facts are sufficient to overcome a motion for judgment on the pleadings," reads part of the January 3, 2007 ruling.
Ms Zirintusa, who once worked as a catering officer at State House Nakasero, arrived in the United States on August 18, 2004 on a student visa.
On the issue of unjust enrichment, the court held that Ms Zirintusa proved that Ms Harris had received a benefit at Ms Zirintusa's expense by accepting domestic services without paying for those services.
Ms Zirintusa, who still lives in the United States, is now demanding full compensation for the value of the services rendered.
The court is yet to set a date to hear the Ugandan's compensation claims against Ms Whitaker. Efforts to reach both women for further comment were unsuccessful.
President Museveni's press secretary said he was not aware of the case. "If it is true that there was an employment agreement," Mr Tamale Mirundi said, "then that lady has a right to sue."
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