Trafficking in Agriculture

The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and girls, Ms. Siobhán Mullally, expressed her grave concern about trafficking in the agriculture sector. In her  June 2022 report to the UN Human Rights Council she stated:

“The growth of agribusiness and the power of corporations, combined with the rapid pace of climate change have further exacerbated risks of trafficking in persons.”

Ms Mullally also commented on the prevalence of child labour in the sector and the lack of protection for temporary, seasonal and migrant workers which opens them to exploitation.

ACRATH has long been concerned about the plight of migrant workers in Australia and is currently advocating for a National Labour Hire Licensing Scheme that gives Federal Government oversight of labour hire companies who recruit overseas seasonal workers to work in Australia.

The Special Rapporteur’s report, Trafficking in persons in the agriculture sector: human rights due diligence and sustainable development can be accessed here.