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Description
Forced labour and slavery practices mainly affect foreigners in Poland, but this can also be experienced by Poles in their own country, in particular vulnerable persons experiencing crisis, with addictions, poorly educated, or mentally disabled. It is difficult to combat forced labour, because there is still a high level of public acceptance of this drastic form of violation of human rights. In addition, forced labour is not even a term defined in Polish law. The project includes measures to mobilise the public by organising a series of artistic events aimed at various social groups. The events will be held in a physical and virtual space, and will all be released publicly in the Online Gallery. The events will be promulgated as a tool available to all, for continued informational and awareness-raising measures in local communities. Prior to the measures taken in the program, polls will be conducted on public awareness of the issue of forced labour, and similar polls will be conducted upon completion. The project will bring about a change in the approach of Polish society to forced labour and build social capital for changes in the law with respect to this problem.
Summary of project results
The project addresses the problem of forced labour and slavery practices and the lack of public awareness of this problem. In Poland, it mainly affects foreigners working without permits and contracts, but also Poles, especially those most at risk of exclusion (in crisis of homelessness, addicts, with intellectual disabilities). Between 2009 and 2018, the government funded the activities of the National Intervention and Consultation Centre for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings, however funding was stopped a few years ago, which significantly reduced the availability of assistance. At the same time, there is still a high level of public acceptance of this form of human rights violation. Polish law lacks a definition of forced labour, and efforts to introduce it into the Criminal Code face many difficulties.
The Project Promoter prepared a series of activities to raise public awareness of the phenomenon of human trafficking and forced labour. A series of artistic events aimed at different social groups were carried out, including a happening or performative reading, and films, posters and a music video were also produced. The events took place in real and virtual spaces, and further events were made public in an online gallery. A seminar was also organised during the convention of the National Network of NGOs against Human Trafficking. The Project Promoter examined the state of public awareness of forced labour pre and post project.
The campaign carried out by the Project Promoter filled the gap left by the discontinuation of funding for the National Centre and the reduction of prevention and information activities. The action was aimed at the general public and raised awareness of what forced labour is, what its rationale is, who can be victims of human trafficking.