Human Trafficking in Australia

Human rights are moral principles and values that establish the standard of human decency and conduct, and are protected by local and international law through natural and legal rights. Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: 'No one shall be enslaved or enslaved, and in any way, slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited.' These principles apply to us as human beings. However, as smuggling and modern slavery are a growing phenomenon, it is difficult to find and locate those institutions and victims. Even though there are many organizations set up to support victims, and state sovereignty can enforce human rights. Just how successful are these legal and non-legal bodies?

In Australia, a series of legal measures have been launched to facilitate and implement the prevention of human trafficking and slavery incidents. State sovereignty has been instrumental in helping to reduce and eliminate all forms of human smuggling across the Australian borders. Human trafficking in Australia has been prohibited and is considered illegal, and is punishable under Divisions 270 and 271 of the penal code (Cth). Even with legislative measures being put in place, people still find ways to commit the heinous crime of trafficking in Australian borders. In the year March 27th 2013 Chee Mei Wong was found guilty of conducting a sexual servitude business and the felony of authorizing non-citizens to operate in violation of their visa requirements. In response to this case and of course, various past incidents of the same manner, the Slavey act and Vulnerable Witness Act were enacted, strengthening Australia's legislative framework on trafficking in human beings and slavery in 2013. February 2017 in Huang and Chen managed two fraudulent call centres, forcing staff to work 15 hours a day, seven days a week without compensation. This was the first prosecution and sentence for an offence that caused a person to stay in servitude. Since 2013, amendments extended the actions covered by that offence from only sexual slavery to all forms of enslavement. In recent events, a Modern Slavery Bill (2018) was introduced by the Federal Government. It will require mandatory regular disclosure for major companies and organizations on the effects of modern slavery in their manufacturing and operations. Over the years state sovereignty in Australia has promoted human rights and as a legal body, the can enforce and bring justice to those who impede on Australian citizens rights. However, even with the legal rights to enforce these rules, people still manage to find ways to traffick and commit slavery sentences against the state.

Though there are legal bodies in place, Australia has a proliferating amount of non-legal bodies which are using their power to promote human rights. Australia is abundant with the amount of non-legal bodies that are working to combat the issue of human trafficking and slavery, promoting not just our human rights, but rights all around the world. Twenty-three civil society associations, along with the Australian Human Rights Council, have published a Joint Report on the application of the UN Fundamental principles on Business and Human Rights. World Vision is also a well-known NGO that has had the most impact on promoting human trafficking, not only in Australia but around the world. World Vision helps children, families, communities and governments worldwide prevent trafficking, protect survivors, and strengthen. One of the challenges facing NGOs and the state is to work together and to raise awareness of all aspects about trafficking so that victims who are smuggled into the country are identified assisted and protected. NGOs have the ability to promote human rights and advocate for the abolition of Trafficking and slavery. However, since they are defined as Non-legal bodies, they legally can not enforce any rules or regulations in regards to trafficking and slavery.

When it comes to the issue of human rights and how well they are able to be enforced and promoted, legal and non-legal bodies both play an important part. Legal bodies have the means of not only advocating the issue to communities but the have the legal ability to enforce act an legislation upon individual's who violate human rights laws and policies. Even though Non-legal bodies have no legal authority to enforce they have an essential role in identifying and promoting corrections to human rights violations in regards to human trafficking. They are able to spread awareness of the issue and encourage the fight towards our fundamental freedoms. Both play a substantial role when it comes to the protection of our human rights and without them, the path to protecting our human rights would be even more laborious.