Comments on: Hope is worth much more than money

By: ILO Blog

ILO Blog — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:00:05 +0000

Thank you for your comment, Margarete. In most developed economy, labour and criminal law provisions exist to ensure at least minimal working conditions. The key challenge is to properly enforce these provisions and to extend provisions to groups of vulnerable people, such as domestic workers or irregular migrants. A strong labour inspection system is essential for this purpose.

By: Margarete Aulehla

Margarete Aulehla — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:41:52 +0000

Forced labour seemingly has many dimensions which are poorly understood. I am often reflecting about such topics.. One dimension has been highlighted by Johan Galtung the peace researcher and scientist. He has highlighted that on the borders of a society – there would happen a loss/deteriorisation of “structure and culture” . Following this theory people who are marginalized in their societies are at increased risk of coming in a situation where for them structure (legal structures and help, but also structure of regular protected employment) vanishes. Also they have to be aware of a brutalizing living and working environment. At the borders of their societies there are such persons as victims of personal trafficking and forced labour; Everybody can take them for some job and finally to slavery. Such situations can be avoided by societies with awareness of such dangers. But societies also have to be aware of the conflicts which give such developments a drive.

By: Margarete Aulehla

Margarete Aulehla — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:28:54 +0000

People with disabilities have always been involved into state programs for (occupational and medical therapy and rehabilitation) The actual legislation in my country makes me concerned about forced labour in this regard. I want to send you an email. Where could i address it to? Please do not publish this contribution to your blog. It is too sensible. Thanks in advance for your answer! Margarete Aulehla

By: Yuri Kawamoto

Yuri Kawamoto — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:24:14 +0000

I am very disturbed by forced labour or “modern slavery” in developping nations including Brazil, Myanmar and India. However I do not think that they are only out of national poverty, but the lack of ratification of ILO Convention on Abolition of Forced Labour (Nr. 105), UN Palermo Protocol against Human Trafficing, especially Women and Children and Supplementary Convention 1956 on Abolition of Slavery. It is important to know there are some nations of great economic scale that have not ratified those treaties.

By: Margarete Aulehla

Margarete Aulehla — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 09:57:12 +0000

“One worker told me: “Workers, who have been in slave labour, have nothing to lose.” But many of them have nothing to gain either if they denounce their exploiters. ”

Precarious jobs are often offered in developped countries as an alternative to employnessness. How should the contribution of the state look like to prevent a downgliding of these workers into poverty? Forbidding such jobs ?