Theresa May demands tough action from UN to end modern slavery

Theresa May today called on the United Nations to unite behind tough action to end modern slavery.

The Prime Minister issued an official call to action as world leaders met in New York, setting her sights on a historic international pledge to confront the scandal.

The text was being agreed at a special modern slavery event hosted by Mrs May in the margins of the UN General Assembly.

In an exclusive interview, she told the Standard: “I am calling on the leaders at the UN General Assembly to work collaboratively and internationally — but also to look at their own situation.”

She said world opinion was shifting significantly, from widespread scepticism that slavery could still exist, to a new position of being determined to act. “It is becoming more and more talked about,” she said.

“People are committed to doing something. Many wrongly believe slavery was ended by the actions of William Wilberforce. Sadly, the estimates are that potentially millions of people around the world are impacted by this.”

The Prime Minister welcomed the Evening Standard’s investigation into the horror of modern slavery in London, saying: “It’s great that the Evening Standard has shone a light on this issue.

“When victims come out of it, the trauma of what has happened to them is very grave. But the message that overwhelmingly I hear from them is, ‘Please — stop this happening to other people.”

Britain will host an international summit for prosecutors to identify ways of stepping up cross-border co-operation and getting more convictions. Mrs May will also announce the launch of specialist training courses for investigators and measures to increase awareness of the issue among frontline police officers.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s complex case unit will also get extra training to improve UK expertise in dealing with slavery cases and supporting victims.

In addition, the UK’s permanent mission to the UN in New York will co-host a high-level event with Denmark to launch a major media campaign, Why Slavery?.

Foreign leaders who back the call to action will sign a pledge to adopt measures at home and abroad to eradicate slavery. Each will commit to develop domestic legislation and work on national plans to prevent people falling into slavery, strengthen law enforcement, clean up supply chains and support victims.

Some countries, including Australia, are bringing in laws modelled on Britain’s trailblazing Modern Slavery Act 2015, which imposed tough sentences on slave masters of up to life imprisonment.

Britain’s anti-slavery commissioner, Kevin Hyland, has called for a “radical reform” of the system set up to identify and help victims, to encourage more to come forward.