European Convention on Action Against Human Trafficking to become UK law in April 2009

On 19th April 2009, the European Convention on Action Against Human Trafficking will become UK law, after the Government ratified the agreement last December.

The agreement promises improvements in the way that victims of trafficking are supported by agencies such as the police, and sets minimum standards for supporting the victims of trafficking and slavery in the UK.

Some of the key promises include:

• a new national referral mechanism, providing a nationally agreed process to help frontline staff identify victims of trafficking and offer them support
• strengthened arrangements for looking after victims, including a 45 day reflection and recovery period, and the possibility of a one-year residence permit for victims
• better support for victims in giving information to police, which will help authorities bring those who exploit them to justice.

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Working to end slavery

One of our primary objectives is working to end slavery today, starting in the UK.

How will we do this?

Researching & defining

We will work to discover who are the victims of slavery in the UK today, what are its causes, who is behind it, what can be done to end it.

Raising awareness

We will raise awareness about slavery in the UK today. We will tell the stories of pain, suffering and poverty and we will expose the truth about the slavery that exists in the UK’s neighbourhoods, cities, and around the nation.

Campaigning

We will do everything we can to bring about changes to the systems that allow slavery to exist in the UK today. We will campaign to Governments and organisations that can bring about change, and we will work alongside others who are already campaigning to end slavery.