Contemporary Slavery Back Then

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the international efforts to combat traffic in persons, slavery and forced labour from 1937 to 1957, phenomena we today recognize as contemporary slavery. It describes and analyzes the processes of the respective matters, culminating in three separate conventions; two conventions within the United Nations and one within the International Labour Organization. In chapter one I introduce the matters, and put them into an international and historical context, and discuss existing literature, methodology and sources. In chapter two I elaborate on the origins of the matters, and how they came to be matters of international concern. In chapter three I look at the process of traffic in persons and what characterised it, starting within the League of Nations, and ending within the United Nations in 1949, with an emphasis on the role of the UK. Additionally, I look at the role of two NGOs. In chapter four I write about the processes of slavery and forced labour, the reasons for why these matters became a matter of international concern within the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. This chapter is also written with an emphasis on the UK. In chapter five I gather the matters, and look at similarities and differences with the processes. I have found that the heritage of the League of Nations was important for all these matters, the matter of traffic in persons in particular. Moreover, I have found that there were considerable challenges in dealing with these matters within the international governmental organizations. Moreover, the reasons for why these matters were brought up were generally due to national interests. The UK and the rest of the colonial powers was mostly concerned about securing the colonial application clause, and to avoid attention to the various existing practices in its colonies. Additionally, there was a tendency that governments focused on the legal abolition rather than de facto abolition of the matters of traffic in persons, slavery and forced labour. Lastly, the Cold War influenced the processes of all these matters different ways.

This dissertation deals with the international efforts to combat traffic in persons, slavery and forced labour from 1937 to 1957, phenomena we today recognize as contemporary slavery. It describes and analyzes the processes of the respective matters, culminating in three separate conventions; two conventions within the United Nations and one within the International Labour Organization. In chapter one I introduce the matters, and put them into an international and historical context, and discuss existing literature, methodology and sources. In chapter two I elaborate on the origins of the matters, and how they came to be matters of international concern. In chapter three I look at the process of traffic in persons and what characterised it, starting within the League of Nations, and ending within the United Nations in 1949, with an emphasis on the role of the UK. Additionally, I look at the role of two NGOs. In chapter four I write about the processes of slavery and forced labour, the reasons for why these matters became a matter of international concern within the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. This chapter is also written with an emphasis on the UK. In chapter five I gather the matters, and look at similarities and differences with the processes. I have found that the heritage of the League of Nations was important for all these matters, the matter of traffic in persons in particular. Moreover, I have found that there were considerable challenges in dealing with these matters within the international governmental organizations. Moreover, the reasons for why these matters were brought up were generally due to national interests. The UK and the rest of the colonial powers was mostly concerned about securing the colonial application clause, and to avoid attention to the various existing practices in its colonies. Additionally, there was a tendency that governments focused on the legal abolition rather than de facto abolition of the matters of traffic in persons, slavery and forced labour. Lastly, the Cold War influenced the processes of all these matters different ways.