A René Cassin public event
on Wednesday 22 April, 6.15-8.00pm
at Berwin Leighton Paisner, Adelaide House, London Bridge, EC4R 9HA
Speakers
- Parosha Chandran – barrister, the only lawyer asked to give expert legal advice on all new human trafficking and modern slavery legislation in the UK
read Parosha’s PowerPoint presentation from the evening: Rene Cassin – Presentation April 2015 – Parosha Chandran
- Aidan McQuade – Director of Anti-Slavery International
- Dr Rosa Freedman (chair) – senior lecturer, Birmingham Law School
Slavery is not history. Although it calls to mind images of the Israelites in Egypt or the trans-Atlantic trade, it is here and it is now – in the UK today there are as many as 13,000 victims of slavery or trafficking.
Modern slavery exists in many forms – including forced labour, forced marriage and human trafficking. It’s illegal in most countries where it is practised. It’s prohibited by a multitude of international laws and conventions. But there are still more enslaved people in the world today than at any point in history.
René Cassin brings together two leading experts on this modern scourge to answer the key questions:
- Panacea or placebo – will the recently enacted Modern Slavery Act help end these shameful practices?
- Breaking the chains – in an international economy, how do we stamp out slavery in our supply chains?
- Let the people go – can Britain lead a drive against this worldwide problem?
At the beginning of April, Jewish people celebrate the festival of Pesach (Passover), which retells the story of the Israelites being freed from slavery. As we celebrate our freedom, we should remember the countless people around the world, including here in the UK, who do not share our good fortune.
René Cassin is very grateful to Berwin Leighton Paisner for hosting this event.
