CYIL 2012

MODERN SLAVERY AND CURRENT INTERNATIONAL LAW committed against any person, secondly as a “crime against humanity” when committed by public officials, and thirdly as a “war-crime” when committed by a nation at war against the citizens of its opponents. I will outline some of the key documents in the text below. It is necessary to highlight that a number of other documents 13 exist that deal with the particular forms of modern slavery. In 1924, the League of Nations set up the Temporary Slavery Commission to review the situation of slavery in all its forms around the world. The results of the Commission’s work led to the drafting of the Slavery Convention , 1926, which offers the definition of slavery. According to article 1of this convention, slavery is defined as the status or condition of the person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised. The slave trade includes all acts involved in the capture, acquisition or disposal of a person with intent to reduce him to slavery; all acts involved in the acquisition of a slave with a view to selling or exchanging him; all acts of disposal by sale or exchange of a slave acquired with a view to being sold or exchanged; and, in general, every act of trade or transport in slaves. According to article 2, The High Contracting Parties undertake, each in respect of the territories placed under its sovereignty, jurisdiction, protection, suzerainty or tutelage, to prevent and suppress the slave trade as well as to bring about, progressively and as soon as possible, the complete abolition of slavery in all its forms, so far as they have not already taken the necessary steps to do so. Not only was this document the first international standard combating slavery that defined slavery itself but it also called on the governments to bring about, progressively and as soon as possible, the complete abolition of slavery in all its forms. 13 Among the international standards adopted to suppress slavery in its particular forms are: Child labour ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 Forced Labour ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 Slavery-related practices Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (1949) Systematic rape, sexual slavery Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Resolution 2005/27 Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Resolution 2003/26 Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Resolution 1999/16 Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities Resolution 1998/18 Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities Resolution 1996/11 Domestic workers – nothing to add as yet.

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