Videos of Modern Slavery

This documentary tells the story of child labour in India. Over 260 million children are enslaved across several industries, including carpet and garment industries, and sex work. These children were unable to go to school as their families relied on their work, therefore making them vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers. Once sold on the promise of good wages, the children are treated like cattle, and forced to face physical and mental abuse whilst working gruelling hours in factories. The documentary tells the stories of several of these children, many of whom have spent several months in the factories. Despite several missions to save the children, workers face difficulties as village heads and police officers are often involved in the trade. Ultimately, the tendency in the consumer world for cheap products has been the driving cause of child exploitation, as a massive profit can be obtained from using child workers. The documentary highlights the importance of consumer power, which can empower governments to change the law. #Human trafficking, #forced labour, #hazardous child labour.

Ghost Fleet VR is an immersive look at the true story of modern slavery in the Thai fishing industry, told through the experience of one man’s harrowing ordeal to escape a prison of water after 10 years at sea. It is inspired by the feature documentary Ghost Fleet which follows a small group of Thai activists who risk their lives to find justice and freedom for enslaved fishermen. It depicts the harsh and violent living and working conditions that the fishermen are exposed to. Being far from sight–in faraway seas, they are harassed, beaten, threatened, and forced to work in horrendous inhumane conditions. This documentary is a 360 video – so you can scroll the screen or move your mobile device around you to get the best visual experience. #Human trafficking, #forced labour, #exploitation #fishing industry

This documentary shows the prevalence of modern slavery in the Italian agricultural sector. Yvan Sagnet from Cameroon once worked as a low-wage farmhand. Now he is fighting for the rights of seasonal farmworkers, taking criminal recruiters, or gangmasters, to court. Hundreds of thousands of seasonal farm workers from Africa and Eastern Europe work on Italy’s fields, making them vulnerable to modern slavery. Their hard work provides the country with tomatoes, oranges, and olive harvests. But sadly, the workers are exploited and often forced to live under inhumane conditions in ruins or shanty towns called ghettos. Sagnet has been an activist for the rights of the farmworkers and against the gangmasters. Despite death threats, he has set up an organization called NoCap, a label to certify produce farmed under ethically acceptable conditions. Further, he has taken his fight against exploitation and modern slavery to the courts. However, the Italian justice system has responded to this very slowly. It is a long way to win the fight. #forced labour, #inhumane working conditions #human trafficking #exploita

Growing demand for mica, a mineral dust in makeup products, has fuelled child labour and exploitation in India. Despite its illegality, child labour is being used as it is cheaper, thus providing a greater profit. In one of the poorest states in India, Jharkand, child labour has become a norm, as most families live under the poverty line. In Pooja’s example, her family cannot afford to feed themselves, and sent her to the mines aged 8 to work. Pooja and her friends are given ice picks, hammers, and baskets, and must undertake strenuous labour in extremely hazardous conditions with limited protection. Once the mica has been extracted, it is sold to exporters and traded mainly to China. Despite the profit mica brings, the estimated 20,000 children working in the mines make ¼ of a dollar daily for their work. Not only is this labour exploitation, but it deprives the children, some as young as 4 years old, of their education and traps families into the cycle of poverty and slavery. #Forced labour, #hazardous child labour.

In Kuwait, apps such as 4Sell, Haraji, and Instagram are being used to advertise and sell domestic workers. Despite Kuwait’s strict laws, local agents and domestic owners have continued to engage in this practice. Workers are constantly monitored, have their passports withheld, are given little to no time off, and frequently go unpaid before being sold on again. Tech giants such as Facebook, Apple, and Google are reportedly banning activities pertaining to modern slavery, however, migrant workers are continually posted on social media as a commodity. The video tells the story of Fatou, a 16-year old Guinean girl. She doesn’t speak Arabic, and is shown sitting with her owner, unaware that she is being sold. Whilst Kuwaiti law states that only domestic workers over the age of 21 can be hired, most owners hired and enslaved teenage girls. Fatou was returned to her home country 3 months later and described her experience as “hell” just to bring money back to her family in Guinea. #Forced labour, #hazardous child labour, #debt bondage.

Slavery in Ghana manifests itself today among the most vulnerable group in society, children in poverty. This often involves selling and trafficking children for fishing labour. Children are bought from other traffickers, and fishermen themselves may later also engage in trafficking. Children are forced to paddle, dive, pull up nets and collect fish. In many cases the children drown attempting to collect nets. The children are priced at $250-500, and ironically, many traffickers sell children to afford to send their own children to school. The depravation in Ghana that has damaged the economic prospects for many is directly to blame for child slavery, as it creates a scenario where for many, the only choice is to sell their children or traffic someone else’s children to survive. The government has taken little action, however, to change this scenario or implement laws to stop this. Without change, poverty will continue to enforce child slavery in Ghana, as even children that are rescued will be returned to slavery, as they have no other options. #Human trafficking, #hazardous child labour, #labour exploitation.