By Admin1
Copyright ghanaiantimes
A DAY’S international conference to discuss progress and measures to end modern slavery was held in Accra yesterday, with a call for closer collaboration among governments, faith-based organisations and civil society to tackle the menace.
The Founding Executive Director of the Sanneh Institute at the University of Ghana, Professor John Azumah, who made the call in his keynote address, stated that the complex nature of modern slavery necessitates the collective efforts of key stakeholders to effectively combat it.
Dubbed: ‘Faith in Action Against Modern Slavery Conference,’ the event was organised by the Global Freedom Network (GFN), the faith-based arm of Walk Free, an international human rights group committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery.
GFN defines modern slavery as situations of exploitation of a person who cannot refuse or leave due to threats, violence, coercion, deception or abuse of power and at its core, a manifestation of extreme inequality and entrenched power imbalances.
The conference, which marked a decade of interfaith advocacy and action, brought together survivors, faith leaders, civil society organisations and government partners from Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom. It reviewed collective progress and reignited momentum to address modern slavery, human trafficking, and forced and child labour.
Delivering the keynote address on “How the Global South’s Religious Growth Shapes Social Justice,” Prof. Azumah urged faith communities to address root causes of modern slavery such as poverty, forced migration, child labour and harmful cultural practices, including female genital mutilation.
He noted that religion had played both oppressive and liberating roles in the history of slavery, and faith leaders must now use their influence to promote justice, freedom and human dignity.
Sharing a personal experience of his nephew’s trafficking ordeal, Prof. Azumah emphasised that human trafficking was a real and present danger that could affect any family.
He also called for the passage of the Witchcraft Accusations Bill to protect vulnerable women. He urged faith leaders to move beyond short-term relief interventions to drive systemic and legislative reforms. “Faith leaders must work together to influence policy and protect the vulnerable in society,” he stressed.
The Head of the GFN, Ms Franca Pellegrini, expressed gratitude for the partnerships that had sustained the movement over the past decade, but warned that the global challenge remained immense, with more than 15 million people currently living in modern slavery.
She stated that faith communities, as the world’s most trusted institutions, had a unique role to play in eradicating slavery, adding that collaboration and survivor leadership were essential.
Ms Pellegrini mentioned some successful faith-led campaigns in Kenya and Ghana that had tackled child marriage and exploitation through education and community mobilisation.
The Director of the Migration Unit at the Ministry for the Interior, Mr Dominic Agyeman, reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening laws, enforcement and social protection systems to address human trafficking, gender-based violence and child marriage.
He said the Ministry was working to enhance prison reforms and finalise the State Safety Bill to improve correctional facilities.
The Director of Operations of Walk Free, Katherine Bryant, in a presentation on ‘Unveilling Modern Slavery in Africa – Insights from the Global Slavery Index,’ indicated that modern slavery was a global challenge and no country was immuned to the challenge.
She said globally, 15 million people were affected by modern slavery, 7 million in Africa and about 91,000 in Ghana.
The Deputy Australian High Commissioner, Ms Penny Dennis, highlighted that no country was immune to modern slavery, and urged all nations to intensify efforts to end the practice.
She commended GFN for its decade-long leadership in galvanising interfaith action against modern slavery.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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