BASNET Press Releases
Find our latest press releases and news here
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More than 100 leaders in the human rights and anti-slavery sector have written to MPs asking for urgent changes to the new Nationality and Borders Bill currently making its way through Parliament.
The Bill could mean more victims of modern slavery going unidentified, including British victims and children, making it harder to prosecute traffickers.
To make this message even louder, we need your help.
Take urgent action today
Please email your MP asking for urgent amendments to the Bill in its current form. You can find your MP at: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
Choose from either the template letter below – copy and paste it into an email. Or use the template to compose your own letter.
Remember to include your name and contact details: if your MP receives a personal letter from a genuine constituent, they are more likely to take notice.
Letter template to send to your MP
Dear [insert MP name]
I am writing as a concerned constituent from [insert address with postcode].
You will soon be asked to vote again on the Nationality and Borders Bill, and I ask that you consider the inadvertent but serious harm this Bill is likely to cause to the fight against slavery.
Unless we significantly increase prosecution rates, slavery will remain a low risk/high reward crime for traffickers, and the costs to this country of modern slavery will continue to rise.
Key to securing more convictions is victims’ testimony and engagement with the police. Yet, this Bill will likely make it more difficult to identify victims and hinder their access to support, so their vital evidence will be lost. It misses the opportunity to enable more victims to engage with prosecutions.
It is my view that modern slavery and immigration are distinct matters and that the clauses within Part 5 of the Bill would be better being removed from the Bill and more carefully considered in the current review of the Modern Slavery Strategy. I fear this section will not achieve its aims in its current form.
If Part 5 is not removed from the Bill, I would ask you to support the anti-slavery sector’s proposed amendments to Part 5 in order to mitigate against these very real risks and ensure this Bill is fairer to victims and firmer on criminals.
My specific concerns are as follows:
British victims of modern slavery will be harmed by this Bill
This Bill’s purpose is to address immigration and asylum concerns in the UK, but modern slavery is an issue of serious and organised crime, not primarily immigration.
The changes to the modern slavery system will affect all victims, including British nationals. While some victims of modern slavery might be from overseas and be part of the asylum system, a significant number are from the UK: in 2020, 34% of all victims of modern slavery identified in the UK were British.
A time limit on reporting could mean thousands of victims not being identified
Experts in policing, the courts and the anti-slavery sector agree that this Bill will make it harder for victims of slavery, including British victims, to be identified and supported.
One of the main reasons is that it puts pressure on victims to identify themselves within a limited timeframe, without considering the impact that trauma may have on the victim’s ability to disclose their experiences.
This has echoes of the mistakes we made around historic rape cases: victims could feel if they have missed the timeframe that there is no point in coming forward. It means fewer victims will be identified and helped, and more criminals free to exploit the most vulnerable in our area.
Victims who are forced to commit crimes, including child victims of County Lines, could receive no help and remain trapped in exploitation
The Bill will also disqualify from support any victim of modern slavery who is considered to be a “threat to public order”, using a broad definition that fails to take account of the fact that many victims will be forced to commit crime as part of their exploitation (including victims of County Lines drugs gangs), or that victims can be targeted for exploitation because they have criminal convictions.
I fear this will send a message to traffickers that they are free to exploit people with criminal records (including for crimes committed under duress) as they will no longer qualify for help.
Experts agree that it is likely that the fewer people we identify as victims of modern slavery, the fewer traffickers will be caught and ultimately convicted. Despite the Bill’s stated intentions to be “firm but fair”, it is unfair to victims of slavery while making it easier for the perpetrators to get away with their crimes.
That is why I am asking you to (1) support the removal of Part 5 from the Bill and, if Part 5 is not removed, (2) support the anti-slavery sector’s amendments to Part 5.
I, like you, want to eradicate modern slavery from our area. But to do so requires us to provide support, not barriers, to victims so that we see more traffickers behind bars.
Yours sincerely
[Insert name and address]
BASNET Statemement On International Labour Day 2022
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May 3, 2022
In commemorating International Labour Day 2022, the UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET) has called on the UK government and its agencies including the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the National Health Service, care associations and other stakeholders to put in measures to protect and safeguard health professionals and care workers recruited from foreign countries from labour exploitation.
As a Network, we welcome the new UK Health and Care Workers Visa Scheme introduced by the government on the 4th August 2020. However, we are particularly concerned about the potential risks posed to successful applicants without appropriate monitoring and checks. Based on our work and reports from our members, we have identified new patterns and trends that suggest long haul recruitment of health and care workers presents potential high risks of exploitation. It is possible that these risks are replicated in the recruitment of agricultural workers under the Seasonal Workers Visa Scheme.
What we are seeing:
Social media adverts offering ‘irresistible’ work opportunities in the UK (e.g. high salaries, free travel and accommodation, mouth-watering terms and conditions of work). Many of these adverts are too good to be true, but are believed by those reading them as genuine. Hence, they are a potential gateway into exploitation.
New migrants under these government schemes may be trapped in debt bondage. This is because upfront costs like travel tickets, visa application fees and employment recruitment fees may be paid upfront as a ‘loan’. The individual’s travel documents and certificates are then seized by the recruiter or agency to tie workers to debts they can never pay off.
Some migrants may be further bonded by blackmail, threats, ‘Juju’ or oath rituals that instil fear of harm to themselves and their families should they fail to repay the money owed. This form of psychological control stops exploited individuals from approaching the authorities for help.
Migrants caught up in debt bondage and labour exploitation, out of fear of repercussions, may unwittingly protect their perpetrators by refusing to co-operate with law enforcement to bring them to justice. In other instances, some migrants may actually believe their trafficker means well based on the supposedly “help” and “access to opportunities” provided.
An absence of counter-action in source countries compounds the problem. The strength of the narrative that there are ‘greener pastures’ in the UK drowns out the messages about risks of labour exploitation and harm.
To address the above gaps that create opportunities for trafficking, exploitation and abuse, BASNET recommends the following:
The Home Office should work with sector partners to conduct modern slavery and human trafficking risk assessment of the two long haul visa schemes to understand the risks involved
Migrating visa holders should be provided with information on labour exploitation and human trafficking so they know what to do if they feel caught up in that situation
The NHS should set strict quality standards for the recruitment agencies it works with in relation to the safety and well-being of those recruited.
UK licenced recruitment agencies should receive training on modern slavery and human trafficking to help them spot the signs and how to protect potential victims
UK licenced recruitment agencies should use vetted and trained agents in source countries and provide strict guidelines to monitor their activities
Migrating visa holders and employers should have compulsory labour migration training and awareness to enable them understand how to deal with potential risks of exploitation
Government and businesses should collaborate and partner with grassroots UK organisations, especially those working in diaspora and Black and Ethnic minority communities, to develop community education and action programmes to address drivers of exploitation, human trafficking and modern slavery
UK government and its agencies should collaborate with ‘source’ countries to develop a robust, system-wide preventative response to modern slavery, exploitation and human traffficking.
Note to Editors
The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET) established by AFRUCA is the first network in the UK and in Europe dedicated to promoting racial equality, diversity and inclusion in the anti-trafficking and anti-slavery space. Our Network members are registered charities and community interest companies working in diaspora communities affected by modern slavery.
Each year, hundreds of victims of modern slavery or human trafficking are brought into the UK from over 20 countries but the voices of those communities are often unheard in much of anti-trafficking work across the country. BASNET is therefore set to amplify the work of grass root organisations within the modern slavery and human trafficking sector.
On 4 May 2022, in partnership with Migrants At Work, BASNET is organising a major event to explore the potential labour exploitation of migrant workers coming to the UK as part of the government’s long haul visa scheme. Registration details available at . https://bme-labour-exploitation.eventbrite.co.uk
This event is held as part of activities to mark AFRUCA’s 21st anniversary.
Find out more at www.bmeantislavery.org
For further information and media enquiries, please contact Naeema Ahmed, Network Manager BASNET on email: naeema@afruca.org or telephone 0207 704 2261.
BASNET Statement On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2022
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Jul 30, 2021
Victims’ Voices Lead the way
As the world marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, it presents a unique opportunity for Governments, Civil societies and the international community, to reflect on approaches to finding solutions in curbing human trafficking and its crippling effects in recent times.
Recent data has revealed the ever changing tactics of perpetrators in trafficking their victims especially children and most importantly neurodiverse children. Here in the UK, this has resulted in the rise in County-lines trafficking and the growing number of black and other ethnic children going missing from their homes.
We at BASNET believe trafficking in person to be a heinous crime and serious violation of human rights.
The theme for this year – ‘Victims’ Voices Lead the Way’ sheds light on the dire importance of listening to, involving and learning from survivors in our approach to ending human trafficking. Victims and Survivors’ lived experiences present a template for learning and understanding the failed gaps in practice and policy; intersectional ties of culture, religion, gender and sexuality within communities and the lack of ‘know how’ in understanding victims of human trafficking.
Recent data from the Rights Lab (2021) reveals that the top 20 sources of modern slavery into the UK are from foreign countries and 6 out of these countries are African Countries (Somalia, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Nigeria) representing both west and the horn of Africa – geographically. Antislavery governance framework in place in these countries demonstrate various shortcomings in effectively preventing exploitation and trafficking, combatting offenders and protecting and supporting survivors.
With the launch of BASNET’s Racial Equality Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for the UK Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking sector, we aim to promote a more racially diverse sector which is more inclusive in approach of survivors and affected communities and equal in both policy and practice in safeguarding victims’ lives.
Listening, learning and involving survivors and their lived experiences will provide a more human-centered approach in ending this menace. We call on Government, Statutory Agencies, Charities and the international community to make conscious efforts in listening more and involving survivors in the approach to ending human trafficking.
#EndHumanTrafficking #BASNET
AFRUCA-BASNET Tackles Dearth Of Capacity To Address Modern Slavery In UK Black Communities: Holds Capacity Building Programme for Anti-Trafficking Innovators
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PRESS RELEASE
14TH NOVEMBER 2022
AFRUCA-BASNET TACKLE DEARTH OF CAPACITY TO ADDRESS MODERN SLAVERY IN UK BLACK COMMUNITIES: HOLDS CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR ANTI-TRAFFICKING INNOVATORS
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network will this week hold its inaugural residential capacity-building programme for UK Black and Ethnic anti-trafficking innovators in Manchester. The programme will take place from 16 to 18 November 2022 at the AFRUCA Centre for Black and Ethnic Children and Families.
BASNET is a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children, a UK charity addressing modern slavery and child trafficking in Black communities across the country.
Funded under the Churchill Fellowship's "Activate Fund", this programme by BASNET is aimed at strengthening the capacity of Black led community organisations to successfully address the myriad of modern slavery issues arising in their communities, through gaining a range of new and essential skills.
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Chair of BASNET and a Churchill Fellow who was awarded the Activate Fund to organise the programme said:
"Modern Slavery is a growing problem in many Black and ethnic communities with issues like county-lines trafficking at the top of the agenda. Unfortunately, many Black led charities and community interest companies are only able to minimally address these problems due to reduced financial and human capacity and organisational growth. I applied for the Activate grant to organise this capacity building programme to empower our communities to develop the requisite skills and capacity to tackle this intractable problem."
The residential programme will host 15 participating anti-trafficking innovators from across the UK. Over three days, they will work with a range of sector experts to undertake in-depth training in related subjects, including the essentials of grant fundraising and developing their organisation's theory of change. The programme will also cover impact evaluation, strategic planning, and communicating impact, among others.
Programme delegates have shared their reasons for attending:
Emertha Uwanyirigira CEO of End Slavery International, Wales:
’I am super excited to attend BASNET Residential Capacity Building programme for Anti-Trafficking Innovators. This is a great opportunity for me and my organisation to enhance our knowledge and skills as we continue to tackle Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery.’’
Musa Amedu, Founder and CEO Edo Diaspora UK CIC, Manchester said:
‘’ I am attending the BASNET residential Capacity Building programme because it will give us the needed knowledge to function as anti-trafficking innovators.’’
Magdalene Adenaike, Founder and CEO, Music Relief Foundation, London said:
‘’I am attending the BASNET Residential Capacity Building programme for networking, effective leadership support and information-gathering purpose’’.
Note to Editors
AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children promotes the well-being and protection of children and families in Black and Ethnic communities across the UK. The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET) is a project of AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children. BASNET is a membership-based network promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK modern slavery and human trafficking space. In 2021, BASNET produced an Action Plan on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to address racism and discrimination in the UK Modern Slavery sector.
BASNET continues to work with various partners to actualise the recommendations in the Action Plan, which include building capacity within various communities to help improve the prevention of modern slavery and human trafficking, and the provision of support for victims and survivors.
For further information about becoming a member of BASNET, the AFRUCA Activate Fund grant and the work of BASNET, please contact Naeema Ahmed, Network Manager, at naeema@afruca.org, telephone 0161 205 9274
BASNET Holds Second Residential Capacity Building Programme in Manchester To Empower Ethnic Anti-Trafficking Innovators
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20 May 2024
BASNET Holds Second Residential Capacity Building Programme in Manchester To Empower Ethnic Anti-Trafficking Innovators
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network will hold its second residential capacity-building programme for UK Black and Ethnic anti-trafficking innovators in Manchester from 21 to 23 May 2024 to equip 14 participants with essential organisational skills to effectively address modern slavery issues within their communities.
BASNET, a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children - a leading UK charity combating modern slavery and child trafficking in Black communities nationwide, is spearheading this programme with funding from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
The first BASNET residential capacity building programme was held in 2022 with funding from the Churchill Foundation Activate Fund and attracted 14 participants focusing on different aspects of modern slavery as part of their work drawn from across England. An independent evaluation of the programme concluded: “The marked increase in skills and confidence demonstrated by the participants both post-course and after 9 months indicates the areas where the training has been most effective and…has given them the tools and opportunity to portray the impact of their work and to become effective voices in representing the multitude of issues organisations face working in safeguarding and anti-trafficking.”
This year’s residential programme aims to replicate the achievements of the 2022 programme with 14 participants from across the UK and Nigeria. Over three days, participants will engage with sector experts to undergo comprehensive training on essential organisational skills, including grant fundraising essentials, theory of change development, impact evaluation, strategic planning, and communication strategies. The programme will also provide space and opportunities for reflection, networking and partnership building among participants. By extending participation to a BASNET Associate member in Nigeria, BASNET also aims 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.
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Chair of BASNET remarked, "I am really delighted we are able to deliver this second residential capacity building programme for BASNET members. This demonstrates our full commitment at AFRUCA-BASNET to ensure the effective tackling of modern slavery and human trafficking in our communities”.
Programme delegates expressed their enthusiasm and motivation for participating:
Mackenzie Lunga, Founder and CEO of Masheba CIC, Leeds: "I am eager to actively learn, engage, and contribute to the BASNET vision, working in collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders to support our marginalised communities."
Angela Nduka, Founder and CEO of The Economic Forum for Family Empowerment Scotland: "I am over excited to attend BASNET Residential Capacity Building programme for Anti-Trafficking Innovators. It’s going to be a very great opportunity for me to better understand what Modern slavery encompasses - sexual exploitation, forced labour, child slavery, forced criminality, domestic servitude, forced marriage, organ harvesting, and human trafficking and how to end Modern-day slavery."
Moyo Opeyibi, Founder and CEO of Noble Arise CIC, Manchester: "I am looking forward to being a part of BASNET Residential Capacity Building Programme because it will better position me and my organisation to develop our skills and expertise in this area of work and also be able to connect with like-minded people."
Note to Editors: AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children advocates for the well-being and protection of children and families in Black and Ethnic communities across the UK. The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET) operates under AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children and champions race equality, diversity, and inclusion in the UK modern slavery and human trafficking sector. The BASNET Residential Capacity Building Programme is funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
For further information about BASNET's work, please contact:
Name: Naeema Ahmed,
Position: Network Development Manager
Email: naeema@afruca.org
Telephone: 0161 205 9274
Website: www.bmeantislavery.org
“The Safe House Is Not Safe”: BASNET Report Exposes Systemic Racism and Intersectional Discrimination in Some UK Government Funded Safe Houses for Survivors of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
BASNET Releases Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan For The UK Modern Slavery Sector; Urges Collaboration To Make Sector More Inclusive
Black Lives Matter and the UK Anti - Trafficking Sector
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Founder Of AFRUCA/BASNET, Awarded ‘ACTIVATE FUND’ Grant To Develop Residential Capacity-Building Programme For BME Anti-Trafficking Innovators
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PRESS RELEASE
4th August,2022
AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children has received a major grant from the Churchill Fellowship to design and implement a three-day residential capacity-building programme for Black and Minority Ethnic Anti-Trafficking Innovators who are members of the UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET).
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Founder and CEO of AFRUCA and Founder and Chair of the UK BME Anti-Slavery Network(BASNET), was awarded the grant as a follow-up to her 2019 Churchill Fellowship research project on “Community Safety Net in Child Trafficking”, with the funds channelled through AFRUCA.
The almost £20,000 grant will enable AFRUCA to work with 15 Anti-Trafficking Innovators to strengthen their skills and build capacity to expand their anti-trafficking and anti-slavery work in various communities through access to essential learning and development programmes. In appreciation of the Churchill Fellowship, Debbie Ariyo OBE said:
“I am really pleased to have received this grant which will go a long way to support anti-trafficking practitioners in Black and Ethnic communities to strengthen their organisational capacity and improve safety and safeguarding for victims and survivors”.
The three-day residential programme will enable participants to gain valuable skills in various subjects, including fundraising and writing theory of change, evaluating impact, strategic planning, and communicating to achieve impact, among others. The residential programme will take place in Manchester in November 2022.
If you have something to share about modern slavery and human trafficking– we want to hear from you!
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If you have something to share about modern slavery and human trafficking– we want to hear from you! To support you with your blog writing please find our guidance below. You may contact us at basnet@afruca.org if you have any questions. Thank you for considering a blog submission to BASNET!
Blog Theme
BASNET blogs must be connected to human trafficking and modern slavery in the BME community. This is a broad theme with many viable options and angles. We welcome a diversity of views around this topic.
Express Yourself
We welcome diverse perspectives, views, and voices. Anyone interested in modern slavery and human trafficking in the BME community is welcome to submit including survivors of trafficking or modern slavery, students, community members, professionals, and academics in different disciplines.
Please write your blog so that any audience can understand it. Please avoid or explain any anti-trafficking and modern slavery jargon and acronyms. Please clarify any other words readers may not understand, including street slang related to human trafficking, modern slavery, county lines trafficking, and other forms of abuse.
We want to be able to publish your blog with you as the author. If you prefer to be anonymous, please contact us before submission to discuss this.
The Theme and Content of Your Blog
At BASNET we are aware that the links between the BME anti-trafficking and modern slavery response, policy and politics can at times be complex. However, we work to proffer constructive and solutions-focused ideas in this space.
The purpose of the blog space is to share views, educate each other and develop solutions. Understandably, some blogs will be uncomfortable to read but, we will not accept blogs that are political, aggressive, derogatory, or defamatory in tone. Based on our principles, will also reject blogs that are discriminatory or prejudiced against any people group, as well as blogs that encourage stereotypes.
Personal Information and Confidentiality
Writing based on lived experiences can be an effective way to share thoughts and ideas. Discretion is advised when doing so. Tell your story from your perspective. Avoid telling other people’s stories, views, and experiences.
Do not include personal details of people in your story. This information allows readers to trace the place and time of the events in the story. If you are waiting to speak to the authorities, this includes immigration, legal or a court case that could put you at risk, do not write about it. Try to limit details that may be traumatic to readers. We may suggest a revision if your story includes any of the abuse. Choose photographs carefully according to the guidelines listed
Word Count for Your Blog
A word count of 500-700 is advised to make your blog easy to read.
Approval of Your Blog
BASNET Blog Team has the right to accept, reject or suggest changes to your blog or remove a posted blog. We also hold the right to modify blog guidelines at any stage. We will keep you informed about your blog.
If you want your published blog taken down from our website, you can contact us, however we are not responsible for any other websites it may have been shared to.
Considering that not all perceptions are in line with the personal views of all BASNET members. Your blog will be published under your name, as a personal view and not as a view of BASNET as an organisation.
Got Questions?
If you have any further questions, please contact us at basnet@afruca.org.
Thank you for writing for BASNET!
“Survivor Well-being and Protection in Government Safe Houses is Not a One-Size-Fits-All”
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Press Release
15th October 2024“Survivor Wellbeing and Protection in Government Safe Houses is Not a One-Size-Fits-All” – BASNET Conference
“The Home Office should redesign the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract to take account of the holistic needs of survivors of modern slavery and enhance availability of cultural and human rights provisions that meets their needs because one size does not fit all”. This was the key outcome of the BASNET - UK BME anti-Slavery Network 5th anniversary conference held on October 10 2024, at St Mary’s University in Twickenham London.
Co-produced with BASNET’s Lived Experience Experts on modern slavery and human trafficking, the conference was co-chaired by Kehinde Ojo, a Lived Experience Expert, and Debbie Ariyo OBE, Founder and Chair of BASNET. The event brought together 65 key voices in the sector to explore the wellbeing and protection of survivors, with particular focus on challenges within government-funded safe houses.
Under the theme “Uniting for Equality: Exploring the Wellbeing and Protection of Survivors in the UK Modern Slavery Sector”, the conference illuminated the ongoing racial disparities and systemic barriers preventing survivors, particularly those from Black and Ethnic Minority communities, from receiving adequate care and protection. Discussions drew upon findings from BASNET’s “Safe House is Not Safe” report, which underscored the alarming number of survivors who, due to inadequate support, are at risk of being re-trafficked and re-traumatised.
A participant on the conference Panel of Survivors remarked: “One size does not fit all. Most people in safe houses do not reach their potential because they are not provided with the right support—you are protected from the outside but not the inside.”
Another survivor said: “There is no national response to modern slavery. The service you get as a victim depends on what part of the country you are based in and who is providing the service. This has to change.”
Robin Brierley, Executive Director of the West Midlands Anti-Slavery Network who participated on the Conference Panel of CEOs said: “Victim care and support must consistently meet a high standard across the UK, irrespective of nationality, faith, religion, ethnicity, or culture. This standard should also apply uniformly, whether the support is provided by statutory, non-statutory, or private sector organisations.”
Rumbidzai Bvunzawabaya, CEO of Tulia CIC who was on the Conference’ BME Leaders’ panel highlighted the need for reform, stating: “The NRM victim care contract must mandate contractors to include co-production with culturally knowledgeable BME organisations in service contracts and delivery. This is to ensure inclusion and that services meet the cultural and diverse needs of survivors.”
James Clarry, CEO of Justice and Care and conference Panel of CEOs member said: “The BASNET Conference made space for something sadly missing from the national narrative on tackling modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK: survivor-informed, trauma-informed, intersectional, and evidence-based systems thinking. Justice & Care are proud associate members of BASNET and delighted to join forces with their members.”
Call for Sectoral Action
BASNET’s conference issued a clear call to policymakers, service providers, and stakeholders to address racial disparities in survivor care and safe house provisions. Key actions include:
Implementing cultural competency training for safe house staff to ensure that all survivors receive equitable and respectful care.
Strengthening collaborations between BME-led organisations and mainstream service providers to build a more inclusive and responsive system of care.
Reforming policies to ensure that survivor voices, particularly those from ethnic minority communities, are central to future service design and delivery.
Government contractors who are major providers of housing and support services for asylum seekers in the UK, including secure detention, accommodation, and integration services, have a heightened duty of care to ensure the wellbeing and protection of all residents, especially victims and survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. It is essential that these contractors deliver trauma-informed and culturally sensitive services, prioritising the safety, well-being, dignity, and recovery of those who have experienced exploitation and slavery, irrespective of their race, sexuality, gender or ethnicity.
Looking Ahead
This conference serves as a springboard for future action, reaffirming BASNET’s commitment to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable anti-slavery sector. BASNET will shortly release a comprehensive report summarising the key outcomes of the event and outlining urgent reforms needed to improve survivor care and protection.
Additionally, BASNET is working to secure legal, housing, and mental health support for several survivors who attended the conference and who had experienced challenges in accessing support to have these needs addressed. Partnerships with stakeholders are already underway to ensure these immediate needs are met.
Note to Editors
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network was established to promote race equality, diversity, and inclusion within the UK’s anti-slavery and anti-trafficking sector. Over the past five years, BASNET has been at the forefront of efforts to build capacity among ethnic minority-led organisations and to champion survivor-centric solutions that prioritise wellbeing and protection.
BASNET operates under AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children, a leading organisation advocating for the wellbeing and protection of children and families within Black and Ethnic communities across the UK.
For further information about BASNET’s work, please contact:
Name: Naeema Ahmed
Position: Network Manager
Email:naeema@afruca.org
Telephone: 0161 205 9274
Website:www.bmeantislavery.org
“Stop Using Gift Vouchers to Compensate Lived Experience Experts and Community Leaders In Research Projects” - BASNET
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Press Release
1 October 2024
“Stop Using Gift Vouchers to Compensate Lived Experience Experts and Community Leaders In Research Projects” - BASNET
Participants at the recent BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network residential research programme which held in Manchester from 25 to 26 September 2024 have called on research and academic institutions to stop the practice of using gift vouchers to compensate lived experience experts and community organisations for their contributions to research projects.
The BASNET residential programme was targeted at Black and Ethnic community and survivor leaders in the modern slavery and human trafficking space. The aim was bridging the skills gap in knowledge creation and evidence based community research amongst participants.
Participants on the programme explored the challenges of engagement and the “infantilisation” of survivor and community leaders in academic research projects. A key concern was the prevalent practice of offering tokenistic compensation to community practitioners and survivor leaders for their contributions in the form of vouchers. Participants agreed offering vouchers in exchange for their time, knowledge, experience, skills and expertise is “degrading” and “exploitative”.
A Survivor Leader on the programme commented: ““We have been exploited before. Being offered a voucher to share my story and experience feels like it is happening all over again. We need to be valued and respected, and being fairly compensated for my time and knowledge is part of that.”
Naeema Ahmed, BASNET Network Manager said: “Survivor leaders and community organisations offer crucial lived experience and insight into the complexities of modern slavery and human trafficking. However, tokenistic payments undermine the ethical integrity of research by failing to recognise their expertise as fundamental to the process.”
Ehinor Otaigbe-Amedu MBE, CEO of Wonderfully Made Woman, another programme participant said: "Offering vouchers trivialises the invaluable contributions of survivors and grassroots organisations. Lived experience is a vital form of expertise, and the voices of survivor and community leaders are essential in shaping research that can lead to meaningful change. Offering gift vouchers instead of fair remuneration is not only disrespectful but also perpetuates the exploitation that research should seek to address."
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Founder and Chair of BASNET said: “If we acknowledge that good quality research will not be possible without the input of community partners and lived experience experts, then we must agree that proper remuneration is not just about financial fairness. It is ensuring that survivor and community leaders can contribute in a way that is sustainable, empowering, and meaningful because they are professionals in their own rights. Academia and research funding bodies should make allowance for proper remuneration of those contributing their knowledge and expertise to inform research. At BASNET, we have advised our members to consider not participating in research where there is no fair payment using at the very least the NIHR benchmark.”
A Call to Action for UK Academics
BASNET is urging academic researchers, institutions, and funding bodies across the UK to lead by example and adopt more ethical remuneration practices. It is vital that researchers offer fair and transparent compensation to survivors and grassroots organisations, ensuring their voices are not just heard but valued.
Key Recommendations from BASNET:
Fair Pay for All Contributors: Participants, including survivors and community organisations, should receive appropriate compensation that reflects the value of their time, expertise, and emotional labour.
End the Practice of Gift Vouchers: Tokenistic vouchers must be replaced with proper payment structures to ensure participants are recognised for their contributions.
Ethical Research Guidelines: Universities and research institutions should revise their ethical guidelines to mandate fair pay for all partners and participants, particularly marginalised and vulnerable communities.
Sustainable Partnerships: By remunerating participants fairly, researchers can build long-term, impactful partnerships with survivor leaders and community organisations, ensuring that research contributes to systemic change.
BASNET's message is clear: tokenistic vouchers are degrading. Researchers and academic institutions must adopt fair and ethical compensation practices, treating survivors of modern slavery and community organisations as equal partners in the research process. By doing so, academics can help ensure that research leads to meaningful change, while empowering marginalised communities.
Note to Editors:
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network operates under AFRUCA Safeguarding Children and is committed to promoting racial equality, diversity, and inclusion in the UK’s modern slavery and human trafficking sector. The BASNET Residential Research Programme is funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and AB Charitable Trust. AFRUCA is a leading organisation advocating for the well-being and protection of children and families within Black and Ethnic communities across the UK.
For further information about BASNET’s work, please contact:
Name: Naeema Ahmed
Position: Network Manager
Email:naeema@afruca.org
Telephone: 0161 205 9274
Website:www.bmeantislavery.org
BASNET’s Inaugural Residential Research Programme Empowers Black and Ethnic Leaders and Lived Experience Experts in the Anti-Slavery Sector To “Tell Their Stories”.
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Press Release
23 September 2024BASNET’s Inaugural Residential Research Programme Empowers Black and Ethnic Leaders and Lived Experience Experts in the Anti-Slavery Sector To “Tell Their Stories”
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network, a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children, is proud to hold its first Residential Research Programme, from 25 to 26 September 2024 in Manchester. This important initiative is targeted at Black and Ethnic community leaders and survivor-leaders in the modern slavery and human trafficking space.
The BASNET Residential Research Programme will help to bridge the skills gap in knowledge creation and evidence based community research amongst participants. The programme will offer practical guidance on conducting peer and community-based research, as well as strategies for securing research funding. Participants will also gain valuable insights into sector trends, with a special emphasis on the role of race and ethnicity data in modern slavery research.
We expect participants to gain the essential skills to articulate their stories, and shape policy using data-driven insights. By the end of the training programme, we hope participants will be able to leverage their lived experiences to foster meaningful change within their communities.
We are delighted that key experts in the anti-slavery and human trafficking fields will contribute to this programme, including Professor Alex Balch from The UK Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre, Lucrezia Bosio fromStop The Traffik, Dr Elizabeth Such fromthe University of Nottingham School of Health Sciences, and Professor Neena Samota from St Mary’s University Bakhita Centre for Research on Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse.
Debbie Ariyo OBE, Founder and Chair of BASNET said: “We are delighted to launch the inaugural BASNET Residential Research Programme for our members and survivor-leaders. Our aim is to equip participants with the necessary skills to conduct their own research and effectively share their stories. We are also pleased to collaborate with esteemed academics in delivering this programme, and we eagerly anticipate the insights and learning that will emerge from this initiative.”
Ehinor Otaigbe-Amedu MBE, Founder/CEO of Wonderfully Made Woman programme participant said: "I have always had a passion for research and have previously participated in community research (BRAG) at the University of Manchester. This programme will further enhance my knowledge and understanding, helping me to uncover new insights and improve my capacity to drive change."
Syed Rayhan Ahmed, Lived Experience Expert and programme participant said: "I am excited to actively learn, engage, and contribute to BASNET’s vision. By working collaboratively with other stakeholders, I aim to improve my skills as a survivor-leader so I can advocate for meaningful change."
Rev. Jide Macaulay, Founder/CEO of House of Rainbow programme participant said: "My motivation is to learn from others while raising awareness about the intersection of human trafficking and labour exploitation from an LGBT perspective. Through this programme, I hope to highlight the unique vulnerabilities faced by LGBT individuals and contribute to more inclusive solutions."
Note to Editors:
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network operates under AFRUCA Safeguarding Children and is committed to promoting racial equality, diversity, and inclusion in the UK’s modern slavery and human trafficking sector. The BASNET Residential Research Programme is funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and AB Charitable Trust. AFRUCA is a leading organisation advocating for the well-being and protection of children and families within Black and Ethnic communities across the UK.
For further information about BASNET’s work, please contact:
Name: Naeema Ahmed
Position: Network Manager
Email:naeema@afruca.org
Telephone: 0161 205 9274
Website:www.bmeantislavery.org
BASNET Condemns Ongoing Racist Attacks on Refugees and Asylum Seekers
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For Immediate Release
6 August 2024
BASNET Condemns Ongoing Racist Attacks on Refugees and Asylum Seekers
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network strongly condemns the ongoing wave of racist attacks on refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom are survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. The surge in far-right and anti-immigration riots is deeply troubling and stands in direct opposition to the values of compassion, equality, and justice that we uphold.
Condemnation of Violence and Hate
We find the violence and hate directed at some of the most vulnerable members of our society unacceptable. Refugees and asylum seekers, particularly those who have endured the horrors of modern slavery, have sought safety and a chance to rebuild their lives in the UK. The recent incidents of hostility and aggression only serve to re-traumatise these individuals and create a climate of fear and division.
Solidarity with Affected Communities
BASNET stands in solidarity with all refugees and asylum seekers affected by these racist attacks. We call on anti-trafficking organisations, charities and their leaders, to join us in explicitly denouncing these acts of racist violence. We ask for sector partnerships to support efforts to foster racial understanding and acceptance. We must remember that our diversity is our strength, and together, we can build a more inclusive and compassionate society.
Call for Action
We urge the national government and local authorities to take immediate and decisive action to:
Enhance Protection: Ensure the safety and protection of refugees and asylum seekers by increasing security measures in areas affected by far-right and anti-immigration attacks.
Promote Integration: Implement programmes and initiatives that promote the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into local communities, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
Combat Hate Speech: Actively combat hate speech and misinformation that fuel xenophobia and racism, through education and awareness campaigns.
Support and Resources
BASNET and our members are committed to our ongoing support for our service users who are survivors of modern slavery and asylum seekers during this difficult time. Our members offer a range of services, including legal assistance, mental health support, food banks and community integration programmes. Our goal is to ensure that survivors of modern slavery receive the care and support they need to lead their lives free from fear and persecution.
In these challenging times, it is crucial that we stand united against hate and violence. BASNET remains dedicated to advocating for the rights and dignity of survivors of modern slavery and affected communities. We call on everyone to join us in this mission, to speak out against injustice, and to support those who have come to our shores seeking refuge and hope.
Note To Editors
BASNET is the UK BME Anti-Slavery Network dedicated to promoting race equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK anti-slavery space and is a programme of AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children.
For more information, please contact:
Naeema Ahmed
Network Development Manager
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network