Human Rights First Claims US Senate Must Pass ‘Anti-Slavery’ Bill

Human Rights First stated that the US Senate must pass a bill to boost funding for efforts to combat modern slavery.

 

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Senate must pass a bill to boost funding for efforts to combat modern slavery, Washington-based advocacy group Human Rights First said in a statement.

“The financial resources currently at work fighting modern slavery are alarmingly low… Eradicating it will require significant additional resources, as well as sustained focus and cooperation among nations, state and local governments, law enforcement, private companies, and civil society,” the statement, issued on Tuesday, said.

A bill introduced by two US senators would commit the US government to providing $250 million for the launch of a new non-governmental organization focused on pooling private and governmental funds to stop modern slavery, according to Human Rights First.

The proposed new organization would aim to expand its budget to $1.5 billion by collecting donations from other governments and foundations, Human Rights First said in the statement. The funds would be used to bolster police forces in selected areas with the goal of cutting incidents of slavery by half. After five years, the group would draw up a master plan for permanently ending slavery.

The International Labor Organization estimates that almost 21 million people are subjected to forced labour worldwide.