Ideal Queen's Speech: Tackle modern slavery

UNICEF UKwelcomes the Home Secretary’s commitment to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking through the proposed Modern Slavery Bill, which is set to be announced in today's Queen’s Speech.

Slavery is still a devastating reality for nearly 21 million men, women and children around the world today. Shockingly in 2012 there were 2,225 potential victims of human trafficking in the UK.

At least 10 children are trafficked every week in the UK, destined for domestic work, forced labour or sexual exploitation. Child trafficking is a hidden crime and there is limited data available to us to really understand the extent of the problem; there are potentially thousands more children that have not yet been identified and remain invisible.

Once identified, trafficked children often struggle to access education, healthcare or a safe place to live. Alone and separated from their families, they find meeting after meeting with different authorities frightening and don’t receive the support or protection they need.

The Modern Slavery Bill has the potential to transform the lives of trafficked children, and those at risk of trafficking, in the UK and set a gold standard for this type of legislation globally. In order to seize this opportunity, UNICEF UK is calling for the Modern Slavery Bill to:

• Appoint independent legal guardians for all unaccompanied children. A guardian would provide a child with the support and protection they need to guide them through what are often complicated and intimidating criminal justice, immigration and child protection systems.

• Include separate offences for child trafficking and child exploitation to ensure child traffickers are held to account and prosecuted in a way that reflects the severity of the crime.

• Ensure trafficked children are not prosecuted for crimes they have been forced to commit as a direct result of their trafficking situation.

Three simple steps that can make a real difference to the lives of these vulnerable children.

Since the Government published the draft Bill in December we’ve seen many positive steps forward for children. The Government has committed to strengthening the focus on victims within the Bill and they have also announced trials of personal advocates for trafficked children. Both of these show the Government is listening, but we need to take this singular opportunity to put the strongest possible protection in place for children, including ensuring advocates have the legal powers needed to act in the best interests of the child and are available for every child at risk of trafficking.

We look forward to the announcement of the Bill in the Queen’s Speech today and to working with parliamentarians from all parties to ensure the Bill achieves transformative change in the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.