How many slaves work for you?

Teach GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP network newsletter no. 17

How many slaves work for you?

Your answer will probably be "None".  But, wait a minute:

Those who make the stuff you purchase, don’t they work for YOU in some way?

So, if some of what you consume is produced by slave labour, then YOU do have slaves working for you, don’t YOU? 

Here’s a way of calculating how many slaves work for you:

This test is designed for adults and families, so if you’re not an adult, just answer for your family as a unit.

To get started, click here: How many slaves work for you?  & choose “Find out. Take the survey”

It’s a fact there’s a greater number of children and adults working TODAY in modern slavery, worldwide, than ever before!

Data about this can be found in the report ”The Global Slavery Index 2014” (156 pages, pdf)

- Introduction to the report: “35.8 Million Worldwide Living in Modern-Day Slavery” (click)

Globally, 35.8 million are estimated to live in modern slavery. Of these, 61 % reside in five countries:  India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan & Russia.

- However: … "There’s an assumption that slavery is an issue from a bygone era. Or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and poverty. These findings show that modern slavery exists in every country." (Andrew Forrest, Walk Free Foundation)

You can find in ”The Global Slavery Index 2014” ….

- the status of slavery today in your own country & all other countries and regions;

- the status of slavery in your region & all other regions of the globe;

- short survivors accounts of slavery experiences in the right margin of 30 pages;

- how governments are tackling modern slavery.

A definition of modern day slavery is …

" Someone is in slavery if they are:

- forced to work through mental or physical threat

- owned or controlled by an employer, usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse

- dehumanized, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as property

- physically constrained or has restrictions placed on his or her freedom of movement.

… only one (of these characteristics) needs to be present for slavery to exist."

Source & deepening: "Anti-Slavery - What is modern slavery?" (source)

 Are these these workers in slavery?

“Death toll among Qatar´s 2022 World Cup Workers revealed” See (The Guardian/article)

Recommended award winning documentary:

An 80-minute documentary where personal stories of slavery are woven together to tell the larger story of slavery in the global economy: "Slavery: A Global Investigation":

What can we do about it?

A. Inform yourself about modern slavery and the life conditions of the children and adults involved.

B. Act as a responsible consumer: Have a look at this example in California: (knowthechain.org)

C. Participate in campaigns against modern-day slavery:

You may find local campaigns in your own country.

You may also join one or more of the 20 action campaigns taking place through (walkfree.org)

If you are a teacher who organizes learning activities on this theme

or

If you are a student (or a group of students) who want to know more:

Take the following steps:

1. Choose the action you want to participate in, at (walkfree.org)

2. Read the introduction, check the sources (see footnotes), and decide whether they can be trusted

3. (If you decide they can be trusted …) Take a stand & act by signing a letter to the relevant authority, and help the campaign by sharing your knowledge & determination with your friends on your social media platforms.

Recommended deepening possibilities: Choose on the basis of your interest from the list:

- More than 35 thematic videos from “Freetheslaves.net”: (webpage)

Last words: “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” William Wilberforce 1759-1833

“Historically, William Wilberforce was an abolitionist (in Danish: modstander af slaveri) in England. He was a committed Christian who wanted to free all the slaves and abolish the slave trade. He was ultimately successful. His story is told in many places, including in the popular movie Amazing Grace. He had a relationship with John Newton (who wrote the song Amazing Grace) and Newton had a great influence on him.

But I think Wilberforce was saying here that when you see the realities of the slave trade, you can never go back. He used to stand up in Parliament, and would keep slave chains under his seat and pull them out and drape them around himself as he was speaking. He was so unpopular. Everybody was against him. Hardly anyone was in favor of abolishing the slave trade when he first spoke against it. But then, over time, he was successful. Literally just a few days before he died, slavery was abolished in England.”(source)

 To read any of the previous newsletters simply visit the blog http://teachglobalcitizenship.blogspot.dk/

August/September 2015, Limuru, Kenya & Copenhagen, Denmark

Yours,

Egon Hedegaard

Visiting Professor in Teaching and Learning Methods at St. Paul´s University, Limuru, Kenya

I help teachers and others with a citizenship engagement to find valuable information & learning possibilities by use of global internet resources,

 I help teachers to develop many ways of active learning, & I write on strengths & limitations of global education reforms.

Email: eghedegaard@gmail.com

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