RSN’s Anti-Slavery program seeks to eradicate human trafficking and forced labor linked to the manufacturing of products we use daily

 
 
 

The Problem

As defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Forced Labor Convention of 1930 (No.29), forced labor is “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.” It can take many forms including slavery or slave-like practices, various forms of debt bondage, and human trafficking, which all involve living conditions contrary to human dignity. The estimates that nearly 21 million people are victims of forced labor annually, predominantly in low-skill industries that are often under-regulated and hidden from the public. About 76%, nearly 16 million are enslaved for economic exploitation. Working in partnership with the Walk Free Foundation, the ILO is in the process of setting a new forced labor baseline for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 and Target 8.7. It will be announced in September, 2017.

Our Solutions

RSN seeks long-term solutions to address the root causes of forced labor by:

  1. Raising awareness regarding forced labor with corporations

  2. Coordinating outreach efforts with investors on anti-slavery efforts

  3. Supporting the development of effective policy and legislation

  4. Engaging in international diplomacy efforts

As a member of the Human Rights/Human Trafficking Leadership Group for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), RSN collaborates with investors to educate the business community on the issue of modern day slavery in supply chains and escalate with shareholder resolutions when necessary.