Maat: We must stop these outdated practices

Aqeel: Modern slavery is one of the worst challenges in the continent ... and the international convention on slavery must be activated

Pasha: States must be urged to ratify the Forced Labor Protocol

On the anniversary of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, appeals to the African Affairs Unit of the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights; The international community to do more to combat all forms of modern slavery. It also calls for more awareness of its forms of human trafficking, forced labor and sexual exploitation, especially since the largest percentage of those who are exploited are; Graduated from the African continent.

In this regard, Maat Foundation denounces the rise in African victims of more than 9 million people; That equates to 23% out of a total of 40 million people in the world. Maat Foundation is also concerned about the crude spread of this slavery in countries: Eritrea, Burundi, and Central Africa.

Ayman Akil, President of Maat Foundation, stated that the African countries' failure to formally include the term “modern slavery” within their legal frameworks is a major reason for its continuation and spread on the continent. Aqeel emphasized the necessity of implementing Article 6 of the International Convention on Slavery, related to the inclusion of punitive legislation in its laws. He also stressed the need to implement Articles 2, 5 and 8 of the "Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery."

Abdul Rahman Pasha, a researcher at the Foundation's African Affairs Unit, said that the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is a good opportunity to raise public awareness of the dangers of racism based on slavery and exploitation in all its forms, stressing the need to confront the spread of forms of forced labor, and urging countries that have not yet ratified to join For the "Forced Labor Protocol".

It is worth noting that Africa comes within the interest of the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, as it is a member of the General Assembly in the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union, as well as the North Africa region coordinator in the group of major African NGOs of the high-level political forum at the United Nations.