The United Kingdom (UK) is cracking down on the barbaric crime of modern slavery, International Development Secretary, Priti Patel has said as she called for a world free from this abhorrent trade.
During a joint visit to Nigeria alongside Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Ms Patel raised the issue of trafficking at the highest levels in government and challenged the political and cultural acceptance of modern slavery.
“It is shameful that in the 21st Century the evil crime of modern slavery lurks in every corner of the globe, including on the UK’s streets, destroying the lives of young men, women, and children.
“We will not stand aside and ignore this barbaric and often invisible crime, which all too often reaches our shores and is damaging for everyone except the perpetrators.
“The UK is a global leader in stamping out modern slavery, pressing the international community including the Nigerian Government to tackle this crime at source, bringing perpetrators to justice and protecting victims who have been subject to unimaginable horrors.
“Our support is offering vulnerable girls and women an alternative life to slavery and exploitation and helping them reintegrate into society, stopping vicious cycles of abuse and creating a more prosperous and secure future for thousands, as well as for us at home,” she said on Friday.
TheNewsGuru reports Prime Minister Theresa May has made clear that tackling modern slavery is a top priority for the UK, creating the world-leading Modern Slavery Act in 2015 and establishing the cross-government taskforce, which includes the International Development Secretary.
According to latest figures, 875,500 Nigerians are living in modern slavery worldwide, including in the UK.
The International Development Secretary vowed to challenge the cultural acceptance of human exploitation, especially in Nigeria.
TheNewsGuru reports this new package of support builds on progress already being made by the UK in Nigeria and across the world.
The UK’s existing support to Nigeria is helping to support investigations and bring perpetrators to justice, as well as providing protection for victims.
The British Government is driving reform within the international system to coordinate a more effective and focused approach to stamp out this exploitation.