NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 19 – National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has urged parliaments across Commonwealth nations to not just create laws against gender-based violence but also to eradicate modern slavery.
Speaker Wetangula emphasized that as lawmakers, they bear a profound responsibility to lead in ending these scourges that afflict nations irrespective of their economic status.
“Violence against women and girls (VAWG) and modern slavery are not issues that respect geographical boundaries or political affiliations; they are universal challenges that demand our unwavering attention as parliamentarians,” Speaker Wetangula said.
He was speaking as he opened a workshop on strengthening parliamentary action to address gender-based violence and modern slavery in supply chains.
The workshop is held at Emara-Ole Sereni Hotel is jointly organized by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association –UK (CPA UK and parliament of Kenya.
“The theme, ‘Strengthening Parliamentary Action to Address Gender-Based Violence and Modern Slavery in Supply Chains,’ aims to advocate for rigorous oversight with the ultimate goal of reducing these issues both domestically and internationally,” he added.
In today’s globally interconnected economy, the Speaker highlighted how the goods and services we consume are often the products of complex supply chains spanning nations and continents.
He lamented that while these supply chains drive economies and promise prosperity, they’ve also become sources of exploitation and suffering, especially for women and girls.
“As parliamentarians, we must wholeheartedly commit ourselves to crafting legislation that not only holds the perpetrators of these horrifying acts accountable but also ensures that our businesses and industries operate under the highest standards of ethics, with unwavering respect for human rights,” the Speaker advised.
Modern slavery, as per international standards, comprises forced labor and forced marriage.
These refer to situations where individuals face exploitation, driven by threats, coercion, or abuse, leaving them helpless and unable to escape their dire circumstances.
Referring to the alarming Global Estimates of 2021, the Speaker regretted the haunting statistic: approximately 50 million individuals trapped in modern slavery, with six individuals affected for every thousand people globally.
“Over 12 million of these victims are innocent children, while a staggering 54% are women and girls,” he revealed, adding that the impact of modern slavery knows no bounds; it transcends geographical borders and affects regions indiscriminately, regardless of economic status.
The speaker cited Asia and the Pacific as heavily impacted regions, with the Arab States bearing the highest prevalence.
“‘What’s more distressing is the evident worsening of this situation, partly due to socio-economic repercussions from the global pandemic, COVID-19,’ he lamented.”
