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Countering human trafficking is an ongoing challenge for NZ

Countering human trafficking is an ongoing challenge for New Zealand

At first glance, it is difficult to believe that human trafficking is an offence that is taking place in New Zealand. It is a harsh reminder that the rule of law sometimes does not reach far enough.

In one recent case, two men were charged with human trafficking in New Zealand on August 28, and face a total of 11 charges. One of the men is facing another seven charges, along with a further 36 charges with a third man for giving false or misleading information to a refugee status officer in that country.

Human trafficking continues to provide forced labour in a surprisingly wide range of commercial pursuits that are notorious for low wages and conditions. It is a growing problem globally, affecting industries as varied as fishing, agriculture and farming, hospitality, entertainment and sex work, and even nursing.

Victims are often coerced into unpaid labour, prostitution — including the sexual exploitation of children — forced marriages, surrogacy, sweatshops, organ harvesting, and other indignities.

Many of the victims are residents of poorer Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia, and are tricked into making sea journeys working as sailors or to travel to promised jobs, only to find themselves trapped by unsubstantiated debt, confiscated identity papers, physical and psychological abuse, appalling working conditions and inadequate shelter.

Exacerbating the problem is the fact that access to justice for many of these aggrieved people is not easy to acquire. For example, legislation in New Zealand does not presently recognise trafficking internally, and excludes exploitation as a purpose for the offence. In many cases the best that victims of exploitation can hope for is a return to their country of origin.

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However, there are those willing to provide assistance to victims of forced labour, trafficking or slavery. Slave Free Seas provides legal assistance for victims — and promotes prosecution where possible — along with programmes to raise public awareness of the problem, research into the extent of human trafficking around the world, and advocacy for legislative change. Among its members are lawyers who specialise in maritime law and human rights, academics and business people.

Slave Free Seas has cooperated with other like-minded groups and LexisNexis to produce a free resource to assist those helping victims to seek justice, in any jurisdiction around the world, and to encourage the legal pursuit of those who try to profit from human trafficking.

Among these resources is Practical Guidance – Slave Free, a free legal resource prepared by Slave Free Seas and LexisNexis, to assist legal practitioners in their support of victims. It contains general information on modern slavery and human trafficking, practical guidance on advocacy for victims’ rights, and ways to seek policy changes in jurisdictions that do not provide adequate safeguards for victims.

“Every year we decide what we’re going to focus on in terms of our charitable activites, we have specifically this year concentrated on Practical Guidance – Slave Free. Our staff put a lot of their work time and their personal time in to developing this important rule of law initiative.”

LexisNexis Pacific COO Dr. Marc K Peter says, “It it is a privilege to partner with the legal community to enable the advancement of society.”

To access this free legal resource, visit www.lexisnexis.co.nz/practicalguidance/slave-free.

This article appears in the latest edition of Advancing Together: Rule of Law Updates and Perspectives, a biannual publication which can be downloaded free of charge. Click here to download the latest edition or visit the LexisNexis website to subscribe to this free publication now.

About LexisNexis® Legal & Professional

LexisNexis Legal & Professional is a leading global provider of content and technology solutions that enable professionals in legal, corporate, tax, government, academic and non-profit organizations to make informed decisions and achieve better business outcomes. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. Today, LexisNexis Legal & Professional harnesses leading-edge technology and world-class content, to help professionals work in faster, easier and more effective ways. Through close collaboration with its customers, the company ensures organizations can leverage its solutions to reduce risk, improve productivity, increase profitability and grow their business. Part of Reed Elsevier, LexisNexis Legal & Professional serves customers in more than 175 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide.

About Slave Free Seas

Slave Free Seas is a charitable trust based in New Zealand and is the only NGO in the world with a specific focus on ending human trafficking at sea. Slave Free Seas has a team of some of the world’s foremost experts on modern slavery, including international lawyers specialising in human rights and maritime law, world-leading academics, and a diverse group of advocates from the private sector.


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