A new guide to help the health services sector manage modern slavery risks has been released by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
In a statement, the Commission said the Guide, Modern Slavery in the Health Services Sector: Practical responses for managing risks to people, was the third in a suite of sector-specific guides which aimed to help Australian businesses understand and manage their modern slavery risks and respond effectively to the Modern Slavery Act 2018.
“The recent spotlight on health sector organisations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic elevated scrutiny from around the world and brought into sharp relief the need for a people-centred response, including during public health emergencies where human rights protections regarding slavery and servitude continue to apply,” the AHRC said.
“The Guide showcases examples of current good practice in the sector and provides tips on how to manage key risk areas,” it said.
“The complex interplay of public and private relationships and ownership structures means many organisations within the health services sector need practical advice on how to respond to their modern slavery risks.”
The AHRC said modern slavery referred to a range of serious human rights violations, including trafficking in persons; slavery; servitude; forced marriage; forced labour; debt bondage; the worst forms of child labour; and deceptive recruiting for labour or services.
The Commission said the Global Slavery Index, which provided a country-by-country ranking of the number of people in modern slavery, estimated that more than 40 million people around the world were living in modern slavery conditions and up to 15,000 victims were living in Australia.
President of the AHRC, Rosalind Croucher said the recent spotlight on health sector organisations had also highlighted the sector’s modern slavery risks, especially in relation to the procurement of medical goods.
“Taking a rights-based approach to addressing modern slavery will assist health sector organisations to meet the increasing expectations of investors, Governments, clients, consumers, business peers and civil society around business respect for human rights,” Emeritus Professor Croucher said.
The AHRC’s 55-page Guide can be downloaded at this PS News link.
