Illicit trade fuels modern slavery. Human trafficking is a highly lucrative line of business for the global criminal network that also engages in the trade of drugs, wildlife, counterfeit products, etc. These criminals reap profit not only from the trading of human beings but also from exploiting the victims to produce, distribute and finance their illicit trade operations.
This research aims to understand the nexus between modern slavery and illicit trade by analyzing how modern slavery is involved in the value chains of different types of illicit trade operations. From laborers who are forced to produce counterfeit products with little to no compensation, to women that are coerced into sexual labor to make money for organized crime groups, we identified that modern slavery can be found in each step of the illicit trade value chains.
Labour rights are deteriorating in Bangladesh, despite government promises to commit to an International Labour Organization (ILO) road map for reform. While the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a period of crisis for workers, the p...Read More
The global economy is becoming increasingly reliant upon rare earth minerals, the ores of 17 metallic elements that are a key part of renewable energy solutions to climate change, enabling us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Two of these ...Read More
The report provides insight into how current research on purchasing practices and factory-level noncompliance can inform supply chain due diligence. Buyer purchasing practices most strongly impact working time, contracts, HR and compensation, with s...Read More
This Modern Slavery PEC Policy Brief is the third in a series of Policy Briefs that assess the evidence base on the effectiveness of different regulatory interventions to address modern slavery in global supply chains, a key research priority for th...Read More
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