From Freedom United

December 6, 2020 News Digest

OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS

Anti-slavery activists
Freedom United joins Uyghur rights groups & allies in Week Of Action against Zara

Freedom United played a key role in organizing a week of activities and digital campaigning to highlight that Zara, its parent company Inditex, and the global fashion industry profit from Uyghur forced labour. For the third day’s activity, over 300 people joined a special panel on the topic hosted by Freedom United to mark the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Read more…

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Child slavery Nestlé and Cargill face Supreme Court over child slavery allegations The U.S. Supreme Court this week heard arguments in a child slavery case against food giants Nestlé and Cargill that has been ongoing for more than 15 years. The plaintiffs, a group of citizens of Mali, allege that Nestlé and Cargill knowingly sourced cocoa beans from farms in Côte d’Ivoire that the plaintiffs were forced to work on as children. Read more…

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Covid-19 U.N.: governments must do more to fight pandemic-linked exploitation More than 50 U.N. independent human rights experts, including Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, signed a joint statement this week urging governments to take immediate measures to protect citizens from a pandemic-driven surge in modern slavery. Around the world, loss of jobs and income have pushed increasing numbers of people into vulnerability to exploitation.Read more…

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TOP NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Law & Policy Joint resolution to amend 13th Amendment introduced in U.S. U.S. lawmakers this week introduced a joint resolution aimed at amending the U.S. Constitution’s 13th Amendment. Current language in the Amendment allows involuntary servitude as criminal punishment, a legal loophole that allows the exploitation of incarcerated people in the U.S. prison and detention industry.

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Law & policy Australian repository of modern slavery statements an important step forward

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Child slavery Child trafficking on the rise in Mali  Read more

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To view video click HERE

We were blown away by the interest in our #ForcedLabourFashion panel exploring the links between forced labor in the Uyghur Region and the global fashion industry. Over 700 people registered to attend this special event marking the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery! If you weren’t able to tune in live, the panel event is now available to watch on YouTube and on our Facebook page. Below you can find a list of resources mentioned during the panel event that we hope you will find useful: Sign the petition calling on the Chinese government to free Uyghurs from forced labor. Write directly to fashion brands and call on them to exit the Uyghur Region. Tell Zara to sign the Brand Commitment to Exit the Uyghur Region. Check out the #ForcedLabourFashion Week of Action for more activities to call on Zara to take a stand against forced Uyghur labor in their supply chain.

Carlo Ladd Freedom United