IOM Campaign against Trafficking

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) presented the "Buy Responsibly" Campaign in Vienna on Friday, 15th October, to coincide with EU Anti-Trafficking Day proceedings. By urging consumers to change their behaviour and find out "What's behind the things we buy", the "Buy Responsibly" Campaign draws public attention to the vital role consumers can play in combating human trafficking.This campaign addresses a gap in global counter-trafficking efforts which have until now, mainly focused on prevention and post-rescue assistance in source countries with little work being done to tackle the equally critical demand side, fuelled by consumer purchases.

According to recent studies, an estimated 7.4 million persons worldwide are employed in situations of forced and exploited labour, while approximately 1.1 million of these persons have been trafficked. Eliminating the demand for trafficked and exploited labour to provide the cheap goods and huge profits desired by consumers and businesses the world over is critical if global efforts to end human trafficking are to be successful, says IOM.

The "Buy Responsibly" Campaign, which consists of a dedicated website, a short video, profiles of individuals trafficked for labour exploitation, basic facts regarding the global phenomenon of human trafficking, and tools to involve the interested consumer in the fight against human trafficking for forced labour, was created in collaboration with the advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland and the Brussels based photographer Jean-Pierre Van der Elst. Connected to an interactive network on Facebook, "Buy Responsibly" also works with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Clean Clothes Campaign and the Austrian NGO "Südwind" to collaborate for fair working conditions and combat modern slavery.

"Buy Responsibly" is represented visually by a gigantic upside down shopping cart with "exploited workers" trapped inside, which will be exhibited in front of the Museumsquartier in Vienna from 14 until 19 October 2010. Following the Vienna event, the exhibition will be on display in a number of other European cities including: The Hague, 8-16 December 2010; Warsaw, 18-22 December 2010; and London in Spring 2011.

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