This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, which takes place on 2 December 2018.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (195 KB , PDF)
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery marks the date of adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. This briefing sets out current data on the estimated scale of modern slavery across the world, and summarises current international and domestic efforts to tackle specific aspects of modern slavery.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (195 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
The US government has recently shifted its approach to Ukraine, engaging in direct negotiations with Russia regarding the conflict’s resolution, pursuing a minerals agreement with Ukraine, and temporarily halting military aid and intelligence sharing. During these developments, the UK government has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine through financial and military assistance, in addition to hosting a peace summit and committing further military aid.
