Global March is pleased to inform members and partners of the online newsletter “Emancipate” published by its Governing Board member, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). “Emancipate” is a regular newsflash from the Global Trade Union Alliance to Combat Forced Labour and Trafficking.

The regular e-newsletter includes a broad range of articles from around the world relating to forced and child labour and trafficking, including interviews with various individuals who work on these issues in different contexts. Forced labour is any work or service performed against a person’s will under the threat of punishment. Found increasingly in the private economy in labour intensive and under-regulated sectors such as construction, agriculture, fisheries, domestic work and mining, according to the ITUC more than 12.3 million people are in forced labour today, and almost all countries are affected.

Human trafficking, debt bondage and forced prison labour are a few examples of forms of contemporary forced labour. Trade unions in most countries around the world are campaigning for “Decent Work for all” and the ITUC points out that a key element of this campaign must include tackling forced labour. Therefore, the ITUC is leading the Global Trade Union Alliance to promote geographical and institutional commitment and cooperation to eradicate forced labour and human trafficking.

The ITUC also highlights the link between forced and child labour in that they occur in the same geographical areas, the same industries and are mainly caused by poverty and discrimination, and up to half of all people in forced labour are children.

To visit the Child and Forced Labour section of the ITUC web site, click here

The site is available in French and Spanish and visitors to the site can sign up to receive the regular e-newsletter “Emancipate”.