Teaching Kit ~ Step 3
Modern Slavery: A Kit for Senior Secondary Students
Step 3: RECOGNITION
Key question: Why is human trafficking wrong?
By the end of Step 3 students will have explored and understood a range of opinions about the issue of human trafficking.
Phase 1: Gathering others’ opinions
Ask students to re-read their journals to recall the comments made in interviews with family, friends and neighbours. Did any judgements emerge about the issue of human trafficking in these interviews? Eg “People have a right to be safe.” “This is a human rights issue.” Etc.
Students are now to examine a range of opinions in the public domain on the ‘appropriateness’ of human trafficking. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a minimum of two texts. It is important to ensure that more than one group are given the same text so that when analysis is undertaken, there is additional feedback to be shared.
Select from the following collection:
Gaudium et Spes par 27
This link takes the reader to Paragraph 1 of this document. Scroll down to Para 27 to read that paragraph.
World Day against Trafficking in Persons (30 July)
The World Day against Trafficking in Persons was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013.
Pope Francis denounces exploitation of migrant workers (2015)
Short news report (video) of Pope Francis addressing the deaths of seven migrant workers and the thousands still working in exploitative conditions
End Human Trafficking: The White House
Presidential Proclamation — National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month (2015)
Then US president Obama addressing the issue of modern slavery
Sr Angela Reed rsm speaks at UN on Human Trafficking (2016)
Sr Angela Reed rsm addresses the UN on the issue of human trafficking
Leave no Worker Behind (2020)
A link to an ad placed in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald in April 2020 suggesting that during the COVID-19 crisis the Australian government needs to spend stimulus money to support workers on temporary visas.
NSW Inquiry Report Recommendations Welcomed (2020)
A link from 26 March 2020 about the NSW government being urged to actually implement the legislation the NSW parliament has made law in June 2018. The legislation has not been implemented; it has been sitting on ice while the parliament decides whether it needs a state law as well as the federal government law. This is a complex argument, but will offer students with a chance to explore state and federal government law making.
Tackling Child Labour in Cocoa Supply Chain (2020)
Harkin Engel protocol and self-regulation of chocolate companies
Acrath Member Visits Seasonal Workers (2020)
The rights of 22 men from Vanuatu exploited on Queensland farms
Modern Slavery in the Pacific (2020)
A significant report with recommendations for the Pacific region
Sweet and Bitter Chocolate (2020)
Only slavery-free chocolate in schools?
Catholic Schools Lead Push to Eliminate Slavery (2020)
Only slavery-free tea, coffee and hot chocolate in school staffrooms?
Stop Trafficking Vol 18 No 2 (2020)
Role of racism in human trafficking
No Chains in Todays Slavery (2020)
Photographing modern slavery (in the UK): recommendations for responsible practice
Stop Trafficking Vol 18 No 1 (2020)
Explores the link between migration and human trafficking
Deaths of Children in Cobalt Mines (2020)
Families of dead children sue 5 of the world’s largest tech companies
Survivors Require Long Term Assistance (2019)
UN Special Rapporteur calls for better survivor support
Acrath Participates in National Roundtable (2019)
ACRATH participates in National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery where it is announced anyone facing a forced marriage will get now have access to 200 days support through the Support for Trafficked People Program with no requirement that they participate in a criminal justice response. Is this enough?
Stamping out Exploitation in Travel (2019)
Is the travel industry doing enough to prevent human trafficking?
16 Days Against Gender Based Violence Campaign (2019)
What could be done during these 16 days to reflect or address the issue of gender-based violence?
2019 Trafficking in Persons Report (2019)
Links to the 2019 US State Department Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report. Should this be the role of the US government?
Forced Marriage Awareness Raising (2019)
Link to ACRATH forced marriage prevention event and My Blue Sky. Do schools have a responsibility to run forced marriage prevention?
Modern Slavery and Climate Change (2015)
Is providing a legal path for overseas workers to come to our country enough to prevent human trafficking?
Australian South Sea Islanders Discover the Past
Few people know that the Australian sugar industry was founded on the sweat of men and women enticed or kidnapped from the islands of the South Pacific.
The Sugar Labour Trade
Can a connection be made between the social attitudes and labour demands that led to the practice of blackbirding and the ones that lead to modern slavery?
A Decent Standard of Living for All (2018)
The Rainforest Alliance believes that workers around the world should be paid enough money to provide a decent life for themselves and their families.
The ACRATH website provides other suitable general statements on this issue, which you may like to include. You might find other appropriate material in your own research, especially in daily newspapers etc.
Phase 2: Examining others’ opinions
This activity aims to assist students to consider the various opinions, the authoritativeness of those opinions and the value base from which they originate for the work required in the previous Phase. Ask students to explain to the class the different texts that they read and examined. Create a classroom chart on which statements made by each of the individuals/groups/institutions are summarized by the student groups in one key sentence or key quote. Students should articulate why that person or group sees human trafficking as wrong. The teacher is to lead a discussion with the class about the general conclusions that can be drawn from the information on the chart. The following is an example:
Phase 3: Researching an organisation
Students are required to choose an organization, using the ACRATH site. Examine its stand on the issue and what work it is doing. Organisations that could be researched include:
- Name of organization and where is it based?
- Why was this organization set up?
- Summarise what work is done in the name of this organization
Where students show interest and have time, they could compare the Australian organisation with that of an international agency: purpose of agency, work done by the agency etc.
Students discuss the key question, Why is Trafficking Wrong? by:
- Reviewing all work done so far,
- Some journal writing
- Talking with others in their class
- Talking with their teachers
- This can be synthesized by a video (or group art work, rap song etc) which humanizes the trafficked person. There must be evidence of elements of the learnings so far; shown in knowledge of terms; knowledge of breadth of the issue; church/UN/govt/personal statements; as well as students’ own opinions in this piece.