Eradicating Modern Slavery from Catholic Supply Chains

A two day conference aimed at helping Australian Catholic organisations to eliminate slavery from their supply chains was held in Sydney 30th-31st July. Organised by the Sydney Archdiocese Anti-slavery Task Force the conference was an opportunity for participants to be informed about modern slavery and the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018 and to consider where supply chains may be at risk of modern slavery. Time was spent considering how to address operational and supply chain risks. There was also presentations from some organisations that have begun the process of reviewing their supply chains in order to address modern slavery. The SVHA-ACRATH Human Trafficking Project was presented by St Vincent’s Health Australia Senior Procurement Specialist, Genevieve Alexander, and ACRATH President, Noelene Simmons sm.

A highlight of the two day event was the Australian launch of The Dead Eye and the Deep Blue Sea: A Graphic Memoir of Modern Slavery. In this book Cambodian modern slavery survivor Vannak Anan Prum records through word and art his experience of being enslaved first on a Thai fishing vessel and then on a palm oil plantation.