Australia’s Slavery Past
A lunchtime webinar exploring Australia’s early days of slavery will be held on 2nd December as part of the UN’s 16-Days campaign against gender based violence. The 16 days of activism begins on 25th November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends on 10th December – Human Rights Day.
Human trafficking, a $150 billion global industry, is one of the greatest examples of violence against women and girls. Millions of women and girls are forced to marry, or to work in slave like conditions for little, or no, pay and no chance of an education.
While the 16 Days campaign shines a spotlight on many current practices, the ACRATH webinar, Looking into Australia’s Slavery Past, will also take a look at Australia’s past practices, particularly the ‘blackbirding’ of people from the eighty islands of Vanuatu and the Solomons.
The, Looking into Australia’s Slavery Past, webinar will be held at 1pm (Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney time) on Wednesday 2nd December 2020. To participate in the zoom webinar please register in advance at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItdu6srDMuEtdo0MaufHWXPPVlNkQSCARl
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The webinar will feature Emelda Davis MA, Chairwoman – Australian South Sea Islanders Association (ASSI) who will outline the history of ‘blackbirding’ in Australia, particularly in Queensland. She will also explore the impact of blackbirding on today’s society. The webinar, which is expected to attract people Australia wide, will also invite participants to take an action to combat human trafficking today.
ACRATH’s Marguerite Buckley said the webinar is an important event during a 16-Days campaign that explores many aspects of human trafficking and its very real impact on those communities most affected.
For more 16 Days Against Gender-based Violence Campaign information and resources click here.
