December 2011 edition

> download the December 2011 edition of the Public Sphere newsletter (PDF, 938KB)

Editorial

A just world requires that people are treated fairly in those workplaces hidden from public scrutiny and that all children are protected from abusive sexual and labour practices. Sadly, according to speakers at the recent Pacific Trafficking in Persons Forum ‘The Inconvenient Truths’, the Pacific is not free from exploitative workplaces and the abuse of children.

Speakers at the forum from countries across the Pacific revealed exploitative employment practices, sex trafficking and the trading in consumer goods manufactured by children.

Reports on trafficking in persons are sometimes weakened by anecdotal information presented in an extravagant, highly emotional manner. The Pacific Trafficking in Persons avoided this trap with evidential reports and papers presented by reputable organisations working in this field within the Pacific. Researchers came from a diverse range of creditable organisations, including Auckland University, the Australasian Institute of Criminology, Stop the Traffick UK, Save the Children, the Department of Labour and the US Embassy.

The report from Dr Christina Stringer and Glenn Simmons of Auckland University documented labour abuse and disturbing human rights breaches on foreign-chartered fishing vessels contracted to New Zealand companies, and operating in the exclusive economic zone.

The research showed that although crew voluntarily entered into contractual agreements to work on these foreign chartered vessels, they were then subjected to exploitative working conditions—some forced to work shifts of more than 50 hours, and paid as little as NZ$6700 a year. Examples were given of crew having their passports and other documents confiscated, and the use of debt-bonding to keep crew members compliant was a common tactic. Crew suffered maltreatment on board ship, including verbal, physical and occasionally sexual abuse, as well as insanitary living conditions, food rationing and substandard food and water quality.

Trafficking in persons represents modern day slavery and, appropriately, the forum finished with a strengthened commitment for organisations to provide further research on the subject, and to work together for the abolition of trafficking in persons in the Pacific.

By Major Campbell Roberts (Director, Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit)