Training and Events Calendar

As a follow up to our report on the Safety of Survivors of Modern Slavery Government Funded Safe-Houses, we are collaborating with a group of survivors and experts with lived experience of Modern Slavery to organise a conference on 10 October 2024 from 12pm to 5pm.

BASNET Research Residential Programme 25-26 September 2024 – Meet our Delegates

BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network, is proud to hold the inaugural Research Residential Programme for Black and ethnic-led organisations and individuals with lived experience in the modern slavery and human trafficking sector. The BASNET Research Residential Programme is designed to foster a sense of community among our members who are Anti Trafficking Innovators  and individuals with lived experience, while enhancing the skills and processes necessary to narrate their stories supported by data, evidence, knowledge, and experience. The programme will host 15 participants – inclluding BASNET Full Members and Lived Experienced experts.

BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network an initiative of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children held its second residential capacity-building programme for UK Black and Ethnic anti-trafficking innovators in Manchester from 21 to 23 May 2024. 14 participants who are founders and CEOs of charities, Community Interest Companies or Community Interest Organisations gained new and essential organisational skills to enable them effectively address modern slavery issues within their communities.

This important programme was delivered with funding from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

This year, we were delighted to extend participation to a BASNET Associate member in Nigeria, Betty Abah from CEEHOPE. This enabled us to explore the potential to expand the capacity building residential programme outside the UK to help meet the needs of anti-trafficking organisations in other countries.

Click here to join BASNET

BASNET Open Day London : Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the UK Modern Slavery Sector

Date: Thursday 25 April 2024

Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

We had an insigthful event at our in person opn day in Greenwich, South Lodon in partnership wih our member BME Volunteers CIC. We met BME charities who work in the modern slavery sector with some of their service users

BASNET Online Open Day

Date: Thursday 18 April 2024

Time: 1pm - 2pm

We held an enlightening and engaging open day event to introduce potential members and partners to BASNET and our work. We explored BASNET’s mission and impact, provide insights into the Network’s ongoing initiatives, membership benefits, and what it means to be a part of our community.

BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network is hosting a series of “Brunch and Learn” sessions for colleagues in the anti-slavery sector. These sessions are bitesize events on various subjects developed by BASNET for the sector. This will include sessions on: best practice on cultural intelligence; race equality, diversity and inclusion in modern slavery sector; effective community engagement and service design and delivery through an EDI lens. 

The first session was held on Tuesday 30 April from 11am to 12pm and focused on: “Using Cultural Intelligence when Supporting BME Survivors of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.”

BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network unveiled a groundbreaking report on 18 March 2024 highlighting the harsh realities faced by survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking in government-funded Safe Houses across England. Based on firsthand experiences from 13 experts residing in these shelters, the report exposes inadequate accommodation and discrimination rooted in race, sexual orientation, gender, nationality, and ethnicity. BASNET organized a sector-wide briefing to discuss the report's findings and recommendations, emphasizing the voices of survivors and urging systemic change. Key stakeholders, including the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, representatives from organizations like The Salvation Army and the Care Quality Commission, and survivors themselves, participated in the dialogue. The conversation underscored the importance of trauma-informed support, cultural competency training, and collaboration among stakeholders to transform safe houses into empowering havens for survivors. A commitment to tangible reforms and engaging the Home Office in collective efforts emerged from the discussion, signaling a call to action to ensure that safe houses genuinely serve as sanctuaries for those seeking freedom from exploitation.

Read the full press release

Download the full report

Download “Frequently Asked Questions”

On 13th of March 2024, BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network organised an online event titled “Exploitation of Migrant Women in the UK Health and Social Care Sector: A New Slavery?”. The event served to underscore the racial dynamics, gender inequality and migrant rights issues involved in what is now referred to as “state enabled” exploitation and modern slavery of migrant workers in the UK. The event unravelled the intricate layers of exploitation and modern slavery lurking beneath the surface of the health and social care industry. Through panel discussions and interactive sessions, the event explored the root causes, systemic implications, and potential solutions to this multifaceted, multilateral problem. BASNET continue to stand at the forefront of addressing this pressing issue that has so far remained hidden from plain sight: the exploitation of workers in the health, domiciliary and care sectors, with a high number of cases involving women from outside the UK seeking to work under different government health and social care work visa schemes.

Inspired by the first successfully prosecuted Organ Trafficking case in the UK earlier this year, this online event by BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network eld on 13 October 2023 explored the complex issues of organ trafficking, organ harvesting and illegal organ transplant and the intersections with race, migration, poverty and other vulnerabilities.

Funded by the UK Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network, a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children in partnership with the University of Nottingham, the St Mary’s University, Twickenham and the University of Sheffield held a launch event of our new Research report: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Publicly Funded Modern Slavery Research in the UK. The event took place on 17 July 2023 at the Exchange, St Mary’s University in Twickenham. Click here to read the research report

This International Women's Day event by BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network engaged four special women who are survivors of human trafficking and who have been supported by AFRUCA - Safeguarding Children on their journey towards recovery. They shared their candid opinion about the Modern slavery and human trafficking sector, what could work to enhance prevention and the significance of engaging survivor voices and affected communities in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking.

At this unique event held by BASNET - The UK BME Ant,-Slavery Network, community experts explored the vulnerabilities of BME LGBTQIA community to modern slavery and human trafficking and the intersections with other issues.

8 June 2022 - One Year On: The second Online Conference to mark the launch of BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network's Action Plan: 'Promoting Racial Equality, Diversity and Inclusion In the UK Modern Slavery Sector’ and explore progress made in the sector on race equality issues.

An expert dialogue held by BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slovery network on how the absence of strong policies affect the dynamics of modern slavery and human trafficking across Africa. This event was held to commemorates International Anti Slavery Day 2021.