Success! U.K. bans child marriage
May 1, 2022 News Digest
From “Miriam Karmali, Freedom United”
OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS
| Forced marriage We did it! 254,000+ Freedom United voices successfully call on U.K. to ban child marriage Success! This week, the U.K. passed the bill to ban child marriage in England and Wales. Previously, 16 and 17-year olds were able to get married with parental or familial consent, a legal exception that left children vulnerable to being coerced into marriages against their will. We are so proud of our campaign lead and survivor advocate, Payzee Mahmod, and to 254,000+ of you in the Freedom United community and partners who helped make this happen. Read more… |
| Read our field report |
Domestic slavery
Between two crises—the life of Sri Lankan domestic workers in Lebanon
Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers in Lebanon are stuck between two crises – the rapid decline of the Lebanese lira and the exploitative kafala system in Lebanon, and the even lower wages in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans lack economic opportunities at home, meaning the cycle of vulnerability and exploitation for migrant workers is likely to continue. Read more…
Supply chain
A history of exploitation in chocolate
In the two centuries since the Swiss first mixed cocoa with milk powder to make chocolate as we now know it, the product has become a central ingredient of the world’s favorite snacks. But how and when did the chocolate industry become associated with child labor and exploitation? And how are consumers holding companies accountable for change? Read more…
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| TOP NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD |
| EVENTS HAPPENING NEXT WEEK |
| Wednesday May 4: Home-grown slavery: A focus on BME migrant labour exploitation in UK Thursday May 5: Do no harm: Understanding intersectional experiences in human trafficking Addressing the risks of exploitation for displaced Ukrainians in the UK |
On this International Labor Day, let’s label the forced labor and spread our voice! Join the Urban Outfitters action week by following these steps:
- Print out an A4 sheet with the different tags, cut them out and put them in an envelope.
- Find your nearest Urban Outfitters store, go to the shop and tag their garments in real life (you can put the tags in the pockets of the garments).
- Invite your friends and family and those who care about ending forced labor in the fashion industry to join!
We are independent – our work is not influenced by government, corporate or other interests. If you can, please consider making a regular $10 donation to sustain our work building power for change. Thank you.
 | Miriam Karmali Freedom United |
