An international conference is to be held on all aspects of child slavery at the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE), University of Hull, UK in association with AntiSlavery International, Gilder Lehrman Center, Yale University and Free the Slaves on November 27-28 2008

Following the highly successful conferences on Modern Slavery (November 2006), and Unfinished Business (May 2007), WISE is now organising a conference, in conjunction with partner organisations, to examine all aspects of child slavery worldwide, including bonded labour, trafficking, domestic servitude and child labour more generally. This is a first call for expressions of interest in attending and in giving workshop papers. Also visit WISE's website

 

Child slavery is now becoming a focus of considerable international concern. Despite the creation during the late 20th century of a series of Conventions and Protocols, banning the use of children in trafficking and forced labour and despite more wide-ranging international legislation defining the Rights of the Child, the extent and variety of forms of child slavery appears to be growing worldwide. The ILO - which marks the 10th anniversary of its Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention in 2009 - estimates that there may be 218 million children trapped in child labour worldwide of whom 126 million children were engaged in hazardous work. Many are in situations of modern slavery, working in clothing and shoe sweatshops, as child soldiers, in agriculture, brickmaking, fishing, domestic service, or as child sex workers.

This conference will examine all these forms of child slavery and will be focused in particular on the need for further political and policy action, as well as the further development of services to support and rehabilitate children who are freed from slavery. Speakers from international organisations, policy contexts and campaigning and NGO backgrounds across the world will set the scene for discussions and there will be a series of workshops at which a range of presentations will be made. Those attending will be given a copy of the Special issue of the journal Children and Society on child slavery, due to be published in the Spring of 2008.

The costs for the two day conference will be in the region of £130 for larger and statutory organisations, and £90 for smaller and community and voluntary organisations/NGOs. Those attending will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements but the cost of the conference will include papers, refreshments, lunch on each day and a conference dinner on the first evening. If you are interested in attending, giving a paper, or making a presentation, please contact Jane Ellison  by email: j.ellison@hull.ac.uk as soon as possible.

 Those interested in giving a paper or making a presentation in a workshop should indicate when writing to us (in no more than fifty words) what the focus of their presentation will be. Further details early in 2008 with a call for firm bookings. This event is likely to be well-attended and you are urged to make your interest known as soon as possible as it is likely that we will have to limit the numbers attending.

All events will take place in the WISE building in the centre of Hull.

The total attendance will be limited to 80 and the three parallel workshop sessions will (unless demand is particularly high) hear one paper or presentation only in each workshop. There will thus be space for at least 12 presentations but possibly more. Each presentation will last 45 minutes with time for questions and discussion.

For further information contact:
Jane Ellison
Conference Manager
WISE (Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation) University of Hull Oriel Chambers 27 High Street Hull, HU1 1NE
T: 01482 305182
F: 01482 305184
E: j.ellison@hull.ac.uk
www.hull.ac.uk/wise