There are an estimated 6,700 people in Swaziland living in
slavery, according to a global
survey.
And, the response by the Swazi Government to the problem is
‘inadequate’, according to report publishers, the Walk Free Foundation, a global
human rights organisation dedicated to ending modern slavery.
The Global Slavery Index 2014 estimates that in Swaziland, ‘The
government response to modern slavery is inadequate, with limited and/or few
victim support services, a weak criminal justice framework, weak coordination
or collaboration, while little is being done to address vulnerability. There
are government practices and policies that facilitate slavery. Services, where
available, are largely provided by IOs/NGOs with little government funding or
in-kind support.’
The report said, ‘Modern slavery involves one person
possessing or controlling another person in such as a way as to significantly
deprive that person of their individual liberty, with the intention of exploiting
that person through their use, management, profit, transfer or disposal.’
It added, ‘Modern slavery is a hidden crime. It takes many
forms, and is known by many names: slavery, forced labour, or human traffcking.
All forms involve one person depriving another person of their freedom: their
freedom to leave one job for another, their freedom to leave one workplace for
another, their freedom to control their own body.’
This is the second annual Global Slavery Index. In 2013 it
reported there were an estimated 1,302 people
living in slavery in Swaziland. The reports publishers said the increase in
numbers from last year were probably due to an improvement in the way
information was collected, rather than an increase in slavery.
A separate
report, the 2014 Trafficking
in Persons, revealed that King Mswati III, who rules Swaziland as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, uses forced child labour to work in
his fields. ‘Swazi chiefs may coerce children and adults—through threats and
intimidation—to work for the king. Swazi boys and foreign children are forced
to labor in commercial agriculture, including cattle herding, and market vending
within the country,’ the report from the US State Department said.
See also
SWAZILAND HAS 1,302 PEOPLE IN SLAVERY
SEX TRAFFICKING RIFE IN SWAZILAND
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