ILO launches a new toolkit to support national efforts against forced labour
As the most vulnerable people are the hardest hit by the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, it is all the more urgent to prevent them from forced labour and protect them from abusive and fraudulent recruitment practices.
The toolkit comprises of detailed guidance and national examples that will aid national stakeholders in formulating their own action plans, coordinating its implementation, and ensuring its smooth governance and evaluation.
To date, 47 countries have ratified ILO’s forced labour protocol (P29). The protocol is a legally binding instrument, requiring States to take effective measures with regard to prevention of forced labour, protection and access to justice of victims. In particular, it requires countries to develop national policy and plans of actions in consultation with social partners.
It is time for other countries to follow suit. There is an urgent need to transform the lives of the 25 million of men, women and children, trapped in forced labour. These people are deceived and coerced, working in slave-like conditions in sectors such as domestic work, agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. No country is spared.
Strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work is critical to building back more resilient and equitable societies. If we really want to leave no one behind, we must put the most vulnerable at the centre of our policy responses, especially in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
This article has been developed in the framework of the "50 for Freedom" campaign (ILO Bridge project)
