Beyond Slavery

Freedom United’s 2026 For Freedom Awards Freedom United’s 2026 For Freedom Awards highlight exceptional work mobilizing communities, raising awareness and driving change.

Help us win an award! Beyond Trafficking and Slavery has just been nominated for Freedom United's annual awards in the Storytelling for Freedom category. It's people's choice-style, so cast your votes and tell your friends. Thank you! www.freedomunited.org/2026-for-fre...

Farewell, from Beyond Trafficking and Slavery After 11 years of publishing, the team at Beyond Trafficking and Slavery is moving on to new projects. Thank you for joining us!

Our final editorial: THANK YOU to everyone who helped us make BTS a success over the past 11 years. We will forever be in your debt, and we will miss you! Take care.
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Is Trump 2.0 killing off US anti-trafficking work? The White House is dangerously close to making anti-trafficking what the critics always said it was: flash and fluff

We wondered how the US govt has evolved internally on anti-trafficking, so we asked Luis Cdebaca – one of the people who helped set it all up

The time workers’ rights teamed up with Palestine solidarity When dairy workers made common cause with Palestine solidarity activists, the result was radical love in the public square

When dairy workers made common cause with Palestine solidarity activists, the result was radical love in the public square
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...

A bizarre new alliance is coming after sexual freedoms Radical feminists and religious groups teamed up against sex work. Now they’re going after broader reproductive freedoms

Radical feminists and religious groups got into bed together once. Now they're broadening the affair, says @gaatw.bsky.social www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...

Solidarity beyond silos is our best bet to end exploitation Far-right bullies are on the rise, and exploitation will likely rise with them. Cross-movement organising is the only way out

Our final feature is rolling out! We wanted to end on a positive note, so asked a bunch of amazing people to write about their experiences with cross-movement solidarity and organising. We're very excited to share it with you. Enjoy! www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...

Solidarity beyond silos is our best bet to end exploitation Far-right bullies are on the rise, and exploitation will likely rise with them. Cross-movement organising is the only way out

Anti-trafficking killjoys struggle to get beyond trafficking and slavery. The only way to truly get beyond anti-trafficking is to stop making it the main character.

Our final @beyondslavery.bsky.social feature on solidarities beyond silos

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Solidarity beyond silos is our best bet to end exploitation Far-right bullies are on the rise, and exploitation will likely rise with them. Cross-movement organising is the only way out

Our last ever series on openDemocracy’s Beyond Trafficking & Slavery launched today.

It’s all about solidarity and we’ve got an amazing line up.

Feels good to leave on a more positive and hopeful note. Enjoy!

@beyondslavery.bsky.social @opendemocracy.net

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How Wages for Housework sparked an international movement The 1970s movement paved the way for queer, Black, trans and sex working feminist organising across the world today

Next out in our final @beyondslavery.bsky.social feature is this brilliant piece by Jake Hall about Wages for Housework.

An important historical lens on solidarities beyond silos on the global stage, and the legacies of this trailblazing movement.

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Next up in our solidarities feature, this vital piece on blindspots and tensions around trade union organising to support seasonal workers.

By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social

Even shots on Britons won’t stop UK’s border expansion It seems that shootings at sea are just par for the course in Starmer’s longstanding strategy to outsource borders

It seems that shootings at sea are just par for the course in Starmer’s longstanding strategy to outsource borders. Read the story ⤵️

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‘No way out’: the closing spaces for Rohingya livelihoods Rohingya refugees in Myanmar and Bangladesh find work where they can, but their rights are increasingly restricted

"Even if we want to start a business, there are no customers. Most people already fled."

The closing spaces for Rohingya livelihoods in Myanmar and Bangladesh ⤵️

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Not student or worker: how Rohingya youth rebuild in exile Denied a status, Rohingya refugees in Malaysia carve out informal spaces for work and study, hoping for a future

Denied the status of student or worker, Rohingya refugees in Malaysia carve out informal spaces for themselves, hoping for a future.

Read the latest in our series on refugee labour in the global economy ⤵️

www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...

The world doesn’t care about Sudan. It’s up to us to rebuild A year and a half into the war, community support has been a lifeline – but it’s been stretched near to breaking

A year and a half into the war in Sudan, community support has been a lifeline – but it’s been stretched near to breaking ⤵️

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Sudanese in Uganda: ‘Life didn’t stop with the war’ Displacement is tough, but friendly policies and an adaptable mindset have helped Sudanese refugees to rebuild

Sudanese in Uganda: ‘Life didn’t stop with the war’

Sudanese in Uganda: ‘Life didn’t stop with the war’ Displacement is tough, but friendly policies and an adaptable mindset have helped Sudanese refugees to rebuild

"I am convinced that the Sudanese people are capable of making peace and shaping their future."

How Sudanese refugees have adapted to displacement in Uganda ⤵️

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Brazil's refugees: Collective resistance where policy fails Increasingly hostile policies mean that, more than ever, building solidarity needs creativity and strong alliances

Increasingly hostile migration policies in Brazil mean that, more than ever, building solidarity needs creativity and strong alliances.

Next up in our series on refugees in the global economy ⤵️

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Refugees in Brazil: marginalised despite legal protections Work in Brazil is precarious and exploitative for refugees – a situation long faced by marginalised citizens

Work in Brazil is precarious and exploitative for refugees – a situation long faced by marginalised citizens. Continuing our series on refugees in the global economy ⤵️

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Kurds increasingly deported after Japan closes ‘loophole’ Kurds working in demolition are plugging a much-needed labour gap. But lack of legal status makes them vulnerable

Kurds working in demolition are plugging a much-needed labour gap in Japan. But a lack of legal status makes them vulnerable – and they've been increasingly deported after a legal 'loophole' was closed in 2023.

Read the piece ⤵️

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What does global production sound like? Experience the sounds and sights of the Al-Hassan industrial zone in Jordan

Experience the sounds and sights of the Al-Hassan industrial zone in Jordan 🔊⤵️

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Refugees caught in Jordan’s campaign against informal work A campaign to end informal work in Jordan is making refugees’ already precarious lives more vulnerable

“It seems that this time they're serious about wanting all foreign workers out of the country.”

How refugees got caught in Jordan’s campaign against informal work ⤵️⤵️

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Excellent new series on refugees in the global economy. Really thoughtful pieces across a wide range of international contexts.

Exploitation embedded in business model of refugee support ‘Empowerment’ models let refugees into labour markets, but they also remove safety nets and invite exploitation

‘Empowerment’ models let refugees into labour markets, but they also remove safety nets and leave room for exploitation.

Read the next instalment in our series on refugees in the global economy ⤵️

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How Ukrainian refugees hit a glass ceiling working in Poland Poland was commended for welcoming over a million Ukrainians fleeing war – but long-term protection is lacking

Poland was commended for welcoming over a million Ukrainians fleeing war – but those refugees have since hit a glass ceiling ⤵️

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Online Safety: ‘Protect kids’ is pretext for rights erosions We all want accountability for Big Tech, but the OSA’s moralising aims are hurting LGBTQ+ people and sex workers

🚨 We all want accountability for Big Tech, but the Online Safety Act’s moralising aims are hurting LGBTQ+ people and sex workers ⤵️

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Migrating taught me that class has no borders Working as a migrant in Germany, I saw how elite migrants bypassed systems that kept the rest of us in precarity

Displacement from Venezuela taught me that class has no borders ⤵️

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Disposable yet indispensable: refugees in the global economy Labour markets and refugees are increasingly dependent on each other, but the markets always have the upper hand

Disposable yet indispensable: refugees in the global economy

Ten years on, Venezuelans still face precarity in Colombia Displaced Venezuelans found support and protection in Colombia. But more must be done to prevent their exploitation

Ten years on, Venezuelans still face precarity in Colombia

Ten years on, Venezuelans still face precarity in Colombia Displaced Venezuelans found support and protection in Colombia. But more must be done to prevent their exploitation

Displaced Venezuelans found support and protection in Colombia. Ten years on, more must be done to prevent their exploitation ⤵️

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The search for self-reliance: refugees and the working poor Refugees deserve work that matches their skills and ambitions – yet too often job programmes are merely an exit strategy for aid

Refugees deserve work that matches their skills and ambitions – yet too often job programmes are merely an exit strategy for aid. Next up in our series ⤵️

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