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	Mali: Slavery by descent must be criminalised by Tomoya Obokata, Alioune Tine UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR)   May 2023   Slavery by descent and the resulting violence perpetrated by so-called ‘nobles’ or ‘masters’ against people born into slavery persists in Mali, UN experts said, urging authorities to adopt legislation to criminalise slavery in the country without delay.   “Nothing can justify slavery, whether it be culture, tradition, or religion,” Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences and Alioune Tine, Independent Expert on the situation of human right in Mali”, said.   “Continuing to support slavery in the 21st century contradicts the repeated commitments made by Malian authorities to respect, protect and fulfil human rights for all.”   Slavery by descent was forcing the displacement of hundreds of people and entire communities, who have no hope of returning to their home communities for fear of attack, the experts said.   They highlighted the example of the Kayes region of Mali, where violent clashes have resulted in injuries and forced people to flee their homes. The experts said descent-based slavery was also widespread in the central and northern regions of the country, including Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal. According to Mali's National Commission on Human Rights (CNDH), there is no data on the number of victims of slavery by descent in the country.   However, some organisations estimate that at least 800,000 people are considered to be born into slavery, of whom around 200,000 live under the direct control of their “masters.”   The experts acknowledged important efforts made by the Malian authorities, in particular the Ministry of Justice and judicial authorities, to end impunity for cases of slavery by descent. They welcomed the conviction of several individuals for such crimes at a special session of the Kayes Assize Court from 27 February to 17 March 2023.   “The Government as a whole must act, and the criminalisation of slavery must be a priority,” the experts said.   “Some human rights violations and abuses committed in the context of descent-based slavery could constitute offences under the Malian Penal Code, but not all,” the experts said. “A specific law criminalising slavery by descent would facilitate the prosecution of perpetrators and increase the protection of victims,” they said.   In a recent study, Mali's National Human Rights Commission detailed human rights violations and abuses related to slavery by descent, including acts of violence, assault, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, public humiliation, insults, intimidation, kidnapping and rape committed daily by “masters” against “slaves”, denial of access to basic social services (including water facilities such as pumps or wells, schools, sports and health facilities); and denial of access to businesses or farmland. Individuals or communities who resist slavery are often subjected to physical or social isolation and restrictions on movement by their “masters.”   “Slave ‘masters’ must be held accountable for their actions, compensate victims and restore their rights and dignity,” the experts said. Traditional and religious leaders must play in eradicating slavery by descent in the country, given their influence, they said.   The implementation of the recommendations made during the Interactive Dialogue on Mali in March 2023, and Mali's Universal Periodic Review in May, provide an opportunity for the country to immediately adopt specific legislation criminalising slavery. “Mali is the only country in the Sahel region that does not have such legislation,” they said.   The experts have previously called on Mali to criminalise and eliminate slavery by descent and raised the issue on 8 September 2020, 19 July 2021, and 29 October 2021.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/mali-slavery-descent-must-be-criminalised-un-experts-say http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-slavery   Sep. 2022   50 Million People Worldwide in Modern Slavery - ILO, IOM, Walk Free Foundation   Fifty million people were living in modern slavery in 2021, according to the latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery Report. Of these people, 28 million were in forced labour and 22 million were trapped in forced marriage.   Latest estimates show that forced labour and forced marriage have increased significantly in the last five years, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Walk Free and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).   The number of people in modern slavery has risen significantly in the last five years. Ten million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 compared to 2016 global estimates. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable.   Modern slavery occurs in almost every country in the world, and cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious lines. More than half (52 per cent) of all forced labour and a quarter of all forced marriages can be found in upper-middle income or high-income countries.   Forced labour   Most cases of forced labour (86 per cent) are found in the private sector. Forced labour in sectors other than commercial sexual exploitation accounts for 63 per cent of all forced labour, while forced commercial sexual exploitation represents 23 per cent of all forced labour. Almost four out of five of those in forced commercial sexual exploitation are women or girls.   State-imposed forced labour accounts for 14 per cent of people in forced labour.   Almost one in eight of all those in forced labour are children (3.3 million). More than half of these are in commercial sexual exploitation.   Forced marriage   An estimated 22 million people were living in forced marriage on any given day in 2021. This indicates an increase of 6.6 million since the 2016 global estimates.   The true incidence of forced marriage, particularly involving children aged 16 and younger, is likely far greater than current estimates can capture; these are based on a narrow definition and do not include all child marriages. Child marriages are considered to be forced because a child cannot legally give consent to marry.   Forced marriage is closely linked to long-established patriarchal attitudes and practices and is highly context-specific. The overwhelming majority of forced marriages (more than 85 per cent) was driven by family pressure. Although two-thirds (65 per cent) of forced marriages are found in Asia and the Pacific, when regional population size is considered, the prevalence is highest in the Arab States, with 4.8 people out of every 1,000 in the region in forced marriage.   Migrants particularly vulnerable to forced labour   Migrant workers are more than three times more likely to be in forced labour than non-migrant adult workers. While labour migration has a largely positive effect on individuals, households, communities and societies, this finding demonstrates how migrants are particularly vulnerable to forced labour and trafficking, whether because of irregular or poorly governed migration, or unfair and unethical recruitment practices.   "It is shocking that the situation of modern slavery is not improving. Nothing can justify the persistence of this fundamental abuse of human rights," said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder.   "We know what needs to be done, and we know it can be done. Effective national policies and regulation are fundamental. But governments cannot do this alone. International standards provide a sound basis, and an all-hands-on-deck approach is needed. Trade unions, employers' organizations, civil society and ordinary people all have critical roles to play."   Antonio Vitorino, IOM Director General, said: "This report underscores the urgency of ensuring that all migration is safe, orderly, and regular. Reducing the vulnerability of migrants to forced labour and trafficking in persons depends first and foremost on national policy and legal frameworks that respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants -- and potential migrants -- at all stages of the migration process, regardless of their migration status. The whole of society must work together to reverse these shocking trends, including through implementation of the Global Compact for Migration."   Grace Forrest, Founding Director of Walk Free, said: "Modern slavery is the antithesis of sustainable development. Yet, in 2022, it continues to underpin our global economy. It is a man-made problem, connected to both historical slavery and persisting structural inequality. In a time of compounding crises, genuine political will is the key to ending these human rights abuses."   Ending modern slavery   The report proposes a number of recommended actions which, taken together and swiftly, would mark significant progress towards ending modern slavery. They include: improving and enforcing laws and labour inspections; ending state-imposed forced labour; stronger measures to combat forced labour and trafficking in business and supply chains; extending social protection, and strengthening legal protections, including raising the legal age of marriage to 18 without exception.   Other measures include addressing the increased risk of trafficking and forced labour for migrant workers, promoting fair and ethical recruitment, and greater support for women, girls and vulnerable individuals.   # Modern slavery, as defined for the report, is comprised of two principal components - forced labour and forced marriage. Both refer to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or cannot leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, or abuse of power. Forced labour, as defined in the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29), refers to "all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily". The "private economy" includes all forms of forced labour other than state-imposed forced labour.   http://www.iom.int/news/50-million-people-worldwide-modern-slavery http://www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2022/09/special-rapporteur-right-development-covid-19-pandemic-triggered-largest-global Visit the related web page
	States must refuse to normalise the devastating toll of explosive weapons on civilians by International Network on Explosive Weapons   Apr. 2023   The number of civilians killed or injured by bombing and shelling in urban areas globally soared by 83 percent in 2022, largely driven by the increased use of explosive weapons by Russian armed forces in Ukraine, and rising incidents in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Somalia, a new report by the Explosive Weapons Monitor (EWM) has revealed.   According to “Two Years of Global Harm to Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons (2021-2022)”, explosive weapons used in cities, towns and villages caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries around the world. The highest civilian toll was recorded in Ukraine where thousands of civilians were killed by explosive weapons in 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.   “Civilians are paying the ultimate price when explosive weapons with a wide destructive radius are launched or dropped on populated towns and cities. We see a disturbing pattern of harm caused by the use of explosive weapons in new and ongoing conflicts that extends well beyond the area of attack,” said Katherine Young, Research and Monitoring Coordinator at EWM.   “Not only do explosive weapons kill and maim, they also cause massive damage to schools, health clinics, power lines, water supplies and other essential infrastructure which can last long after conflicts have ended. This inflicts further, long-term suffering on populations whose lives have been made unbearable by being under bombardment,” she explained.   The EWM is part of the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW), which is calling for all states to sign the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. The international agreement to protect civilians from the devastating effects of explosive weapons in urban areas has been endorsed by 83 countries so far.   “States must refuse to normalise the devastating toll of explosive weapons on civilians. By signing the political declaration, states are sending a clear message that harm to civilians, and destruction of the infrastructure they need to survive, will not be tolerated,” said Laura Boillot, Coordinator for INEW.   Attacks on schools and hospitals   Modern wars are increasingly fought in urban areas, putting civilians at risk of immense harm and suffering from explosive weapons that were designed for use against military targets in the open battlefield. These include aerial bombs, rockets, artillery and missiles, which have a wide blast or destructive radius.   Many of these inaccurate and often recklessly deployed weapons have an indiscriminate effect on civilian populations. Bombarding populated areas from afar often leads to homes, schools, hospitals and other vital infrastructure being pulverised causing reverberating impacts on education, healthcare and other critical services long after conflicts end.   According to EWM, incidents in which hospitals, ambulances and health workers were bombed or shelled globally almost quadrupled to 603 in 2022, from 165 in 2021.   In Ukraine, ground-launched artillery shells and missiles fired by Russian forces have damaged and destroyed hundreds of health facilities, clinics, pharmacies and emergency response centres. At least 53 hospitals were reported to have been hit multiple times by explosive weapons, while one in 10 of the country’s hospitals have been damaged.   Damage to health facilities providing specialist care can have catastrophic consequences. In Ethiopia’s western Tigray region, a rocket attack forced a facility providing maternity care to close with serious implications for the already low infant survival rates in the area.   The report also showed that incidents involving the use of explosive weapons on schools and teachers rose to 168 in 2022, from 133 in 2021.   In Myanmar alone, 190 attacks involving explosions in and around school buildings were documented between February 2021 and March 2022. By June 2022, at least 7.8 million children in the country were out of school.   The report detailed harrowing attacks using explosive weapons, including the 16 March 2022 Russian airstrike on the Donetsk Regional Academic Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering. They had fled there to escape increased shelling by Russian forces, who also targeted power stations, water and gas supplies, and cellular towers, in their assault on the city.   In Tigray, Ethiopian National Defence Forces bombed a camp for internally displaced people in Dedebit town, using an armed drone on 7 January 2022. At least 56 people were killed in an attack that left dismembered bodies and human flesh hanging from trees, and forced humanitarian agencies to suspend operations.   Somalia also saw an increase in explosive weapons use with car bombs reportedly causing 821 civilian casualties in 2022. The report also outlined examples of harm caused by explosive weapons in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria and Yemen.   “By endorsing the political declaration, governments and militaries are committing to ensure their policies and rules of engagement are updated to fall in line with stronger standards to protect civilians caught up in armed conflict,” Laura Boillot said.   http://www.inew.org/press-release-dying-under-bombs-and-shells-new-report-finds-escalation-in-armed-conflicts-worldwide-causes-over-80-percent-surge-in-civilian-casualties-from-explosive-weapons/   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/un-icrc-urge-stepped-up-support-to-protect-civilians-from-explosive-weapons-populated-areas http://www.icrc.org/en/publication/4716-explosive-weapons-populated-areas http://www.icrc.org/en/document/milestone-political-declaration-brings-hope http://www.inew.org/dublin-conference-to-adopt-the-political-declaration-on-explosive-weapons/ http://aoav.org.uk/2022/states-set-to-adopt-first-ever-international-agreement-to-protect-civilians-from-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas/ http://civiliansinconflict.org/press-releases/civic-urges-immediate-implementation-of-political-declaration-on-explosive-weapons/ http://www.justsecurity.org/84240/80-countries-committed-to-curb-use-of-explosive-weapons/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/26/safeguarding-civilians   http://www.hrw.org/news/2022/09/20/explosive-weapons-declaration-curb-civilian-harm http://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/16/explosive-weapons-declaration-curb-civilian-harm http://www.justsecurity.org/82220/protecting-civilians-from-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas-a-new-political-declaration/ http://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/international-priorities/peace-and-security/ewipa-consultations/ http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/story/civil-society-statement-protection-civilians-urban-conflict http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/10/domicide-must-be-recognised-international-crime-un-expert   http://www.icrc.org/en/what-we-do/war-in-cities http://www.icrc.org/en/document/civilians-protected-against-explosive-weapons http://www.icrc.org/en/explosive-weapons-populated-areas http://www.icrc.org/en/publication/i-saw-my-city-die-voices-front-lines-urban-conflict-iraq-syria-and-yemen http://international-review.icrc.org/reviews/irrc-no-901-war-cities http://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/protected-persons/civilians http://hi.org/en/a-political-declaration-against-the-use-of-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas http://civiliansinconflict.org/press-releases/ewipa-2022-statement/ http://civiliansinconflict.org/blog/ewipa-consultations/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1119552 http://www.inew.org/press-release-use-of-heavy-explosive-weapons-killing-civilians-in-towns-and-cities-must-be-prevented/ http://bit.ly/3KbheWU Visit the related web page
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