UN calls for eradication of contemporary slavery

The UN has called for the complete eradication of contemporary forms of slavery.

The focus is on eradicating trafficking in people, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict, the UN said in a statement issued on Thursday.

“We must never forget the suffering of millions of African men, women and children under the transatlantic slave trade,” UN secretary-general António Guterres posted on Twitter.

“I honour the resilience of those who endured and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the quest for freedom.”

Some of the more than 40 million victims of slavery today are forced to produce the clothes people wear, the food they eat, or construct the buildings they live and work in, Guterres said, adding: “I call on countries, civil society and the private sector to strengthen collective action to end slavery”.

“And while some may believe slavery to be a thing of the past, this evil continues to blight our modern world. Let us join forces to end the degradation and inhumanity of modern slavery once and for all,” the UN chief said.

According to the UN, slavery has evolved and manifested itself in different ways throughout history. Some traditional forms of it persist, while others have been transformed into new ones.

UN human rights agencies have documented the persistence of old forms of slavery that are embedded in traditional beliefs and customs and are the result of long-standing discrimination against the most vulnerable groups in societies, such as those regarded as being of low caste, tribal minorities and indigenous people.

Meanwhile, organised crime has increased across Africa during Covid19 and shows no signs of slowing, according to the 2021 Organised Crime Index.

It is one of Africa’s biggest security challenges, with more than two-thirds of Africans living in countries with high criminality, and nearly 80% in states with acute vulnerability and low resilience.

Organised crime got worse in 42 countries on the continent and improved in just 12 between 2019 and 2021. Africa has the second-highest levels of criminality globally, after Asia.

Organised crime causes vast social, economic, political and environmental damage, from human trafficking for sexual exploitation to corruption, fraud and money laundering, and poaching of endangered wildlife.

According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2020, organised crime threatens peace and security on the continent, in a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle, damaging governance and eroding the rule of law. Africa experiences an annual loss of $88.6 billion (about R1.4 trillion) in illicit financial flows linked to criminal activities. The Organised Crime Index is published by the Eu-funded Enact programme (Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organised Crime) – run by the Institute for Security Studies, Interpol and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).

“The wheels of the criminal ecosystem kept turning during Covid-19,” says Mark Shaw, director of GI-TOC.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the highest criminality, followed by Nigeria, with Kenya, South Africa, Libya and Mozambique also in the top 10.

Organised criminals have taken advantage of the pandemic to fill gaps left by state institutions and adapt illicit activities to beat Covid-19 restrictions. Institutional responses to stop the virus have caused extensive losses for legitimate businesses and, despite lockdowns and restrictions on movement, organised criminals have been able to adapt more effectively than legal entities.

Human trafficking has remained the most pervasive criminal market in Africa, while the cocaine trade has seen the biggest increase. Central Africa has registered the largest rise in criminality, and East Africa remains the region in which organised crime is most prevalent. Illicit economies, from drug markets to illegal mining and weapons smuggling are drivers of conflict and instability, while conflict zones and fragile states create conditions where organised crime can flourish.

“Instability caused by conflict is a significant impediment to an effective government response to organised crime,” Martin Ewi, co-ordinator of the Southern African organised crime observatory for the Enact programme, said.

The 2021 assessment shows countries scoring highest for organised crime often experience conflict or violence, insurrection, terrorist activity or civil unrest. Conflict also diverts important resources, undermining institutions responsible for taking steps to contain organised crime.

The 2021 Organised Crime Index is based on analysis and inputs from 120 experts across the continent and an extensive literature review. It reports on mafia-style groups, criminal networks, state-embedded actors and foreign criminals.

The index assesses resilience to organised crime, including political leadership and governance, criminal justice, economic and financial environments, and civil society.