Communities Discriminatedon Work and Descent in Modern Slavery

This report is an important addition to the discussion around modern forms of slavery. Due to hierarchical and generational discrimination they have faced, communities discriminated on work and descent have been and continue to be subject to forced labour, bonded labour and other contemporary forms of slavery. However, the nexus between these communities and contemporary or modern slavery has rarely been explored. This report looks at the historical and global dimensions of modern slavery and discrimination based on work and descent and its varied forms. While looking at the genealogy of these categories through debates in international conventions and human rights law, the report also tries to give historical and geographical examples across continents and countries. Through a detailed discussion of many common features across the two categories, it argues in the process that modern slavery and discrimination based on work and descent need to create possibilities of a common platform based on common solidarities around oppression and exploitation.