The religious leaders in a group photograph. Picture by: Nii Adjei Mensahfio
ABOUT FOURTEEN religious leaders across Africa have signed the ‘Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery’ – a commitment to end all forms of modern slavery on the continent.
The signing was hosted in Accra last Friday by the Global Freedom Network, the faith arm of international human rights group, Walk Free, which is dedicated to accelerating the end of modern slavery.
Modern slavery is an umbrella term which includes human trafficking, domestic servitude, the worst forms of child labour as well as forced labour and child marriage.
Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, spokesperson for Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Osman Sharubutu, noted that slavery is a phenomenon that goes against every religious doctrine.
“As faith leaders, you have a very special position in the Ghanaian society. You can see changes in people that would pass by many others and you understand what poverty and desperation can do to men, women and children. So you are uniquely placed to identify victims and help victims by putting them in touch with professionals who can help them and who can help deal with the perpetrators,” Sheikh Shaibu said.
Reverend Fr. Lazarus Anondee, Secretary General of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said, “Human trafficking is an especially heinous crime” because it involved the exploitation and abuse of human beings for profit.
Walk Free co-founder, Grace Forrest, on her part, said that faith leaders were pivotal in the fight against modern slavery as they are “uniquely positioned” to observe and tackle the phenomenon in their respective communities, especially in Africa where faith is embedded in communities and the prevalence of modern slavery is high.
“Faith leaders are able to influence where government and business cannot. They can work as community leaders creating systems change and legal reforms, as well as providing moral guidance and education to their congregations.
“We are deeply honoured to be in Ghana for this signing, and we acknowledge the history of slavery and the exploitation of the people of this country and other parts of Africa, the effects of which are still felt today and are undoubtedly connected to the prevalence of modern slavery in this region,” Ms. Forrest stated.
Walk Free, she assured, was committed to working alongside faith leaders to accelerate the end of modern slavery.
The signing event also coincided with the launch of the Faith For Freedom smart phone app, which was developed in collaboration with faith leaders to help guide them to tackle modern slavery in their communities and congregations.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio