Anti-Slavery Organization International Justice Mission Announces Grant from Walmart Foundation to Address Human Trafficking ...
21 September 2017 - 10:15PM
Business Wire
Today International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest
international anti-slavery organization, announced support from the
Walmart Foundation to address human trafficking, also known as
modern slavery, in the Thai fishing industry.
News reports of modern slavery in supply chains in Southeast
Asia are making international headlines. While these reports have
shown how migrant workers are being forced to work in the Thai
seafood industry, there has not yet been a comprehensive study
documenting the prevalence of forced labor and exploitation of
fishermen on Thai fishing vessels. With funding from the
Walmart Foundation, IJM commissioned Issara Institute to conduct
groundbreaking research in Thailand documenting the prevalence of
forced labor.
The study surveyed migrant fishermen who worked on Thai fishing
boats from 2011 – 2016. The findings1 show that labor trafficking
of migrant fishermen has been widespread (37.9% were
identified as victims of trafficking), and there are common
patterns of abuse in the industry (14.1% were physically
abused; 31.5% witnessed a crewmate’s abuse at sea;
76.2% accrued debt prior to even beginning work). A summary
of key findings, as well as the full report can be found here.
The Walmart Foundation grant to IJM builds upon funding from the
U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking
in Persons (TIP Office), which helped open the IJM Bangkok office
to work alongside the Royal Thai Government as it combats human
trafficking in the fishing industry. The funds will also help
ensure strong casework development, improved law enforcement
efforts against human trafficking, and criminal deterrence to help
stem impunity for criminal actors and to ensure stronger victim
protection. This coming together of public and private foundation
resources to co-support a single initiative is the
first-of-its-kind and an innovative approach to ending modern
slavery in a region where many seafood global supply chains
begin.
“Many of the greatest risks to worker dignity are complex,
systemic and industry-wide issues that no single organization can
solve. By working with industry stakeholders, nonprofit
organizations, governments and others, we are striving to improve
transparency, empower workers and create positive change throughout
supply chains,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, President of the
Walmart Foundation. “We believe IJM’s work will help strengthen
the systems in Thailand, and, with the information from the
prevalence study, create real and sustainable change for the
workers in the seafood supply chain.”
“No person should have to live under the oppression or ownership
of another, and, as consumers, we shouldn’t have to wonder if the
products we’re purchasing are the result of violent injustice,”
said Gary Haugen, CEO of International Justice Mission. “IJM
is grateful for the partnership of the Walmart Foundation, as well
as the Department of State’s TIP Office, as we support the Thai
Government’s efforts to stop the horrific crime of human
trafficking in the fishing industry.”
IJM’s experience over the past 20 years has demonstrated the
importance of strengthening a criminal justice response so would-be
perpetrators are deterred from committing human trafficking crimes.
Unless the Thai justice system routinely and effectively holds
traffickers accountable, boat captains, brokers, recruiters, local
business owners and complicit officials will continue to abuse
vulnerable migrant laborers at sea and on shore with impunity.
The Thai Government has made significant efforts to combat human
trafficking. In fact, the Thai Government has strengthened its 2008
anti-trafficking in persons act by amending it in 2015 and 2017.
More specifically, in 2015 the Thai Government operationalized
specialized anti-trafficking units within each sector of the
criminal justice system and issued a human trafficking criminal
procedure act. IJM’s work will continue to support those efforts to
fight the complex, cross-border crime.
Progress against human trafficking is being made, but there is
still more work to do. Bolstered by this new research and with the
public-private investment from the U.S. Department of State’s TIP
Office and Walmart Foundation, IJM’s office in Bangkok is
positioned to support the Thai Government’s efforts to combat human
trafficking in the fishing industry.
About IJM: International Justice Mission is the world’s
largest international anti-slavery organization working in 17
communities across the developing world to combat slavery,
trafficking, and other forms of violence against the poor by
rescuing and restoring victims, holding perpetrators accountable,
and transforming broken public justice systems.
1 http://www.ijm.org/thai-fishing-study
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International Justice Mission (IJM)Maggie CutrellU.S. Media
Managermcutrell@ijm.orgorWalmart Media
Relations1-800-331-0085news.walmart.com/reporter
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