Kenyan Religious Leaders Join Alliance to Fight Modern-Day Slavery

Nairobi — Faith leaders in Kenya on Tuesday joined their counterparts in the DRC, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Ghana in signing a declaration to end acts of modern-day slavery such as human trafficking, child labour, and forced marriage

The commitment represents a pan-African coalition of ethical leaders to fight an injustice that affects more than 40 million people globally.

The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) Chairman Reverend Father Joseph Mutie said the faith leaders condemn various forms of modern slavery and will use all the resources available to them to ensure this practice comes to an end.

“The problem we are dealing with, is a critical challenge because one person in slavery is one too many, but 188,000 currently leaving under slavery in our country one world like to ask, why is that so, is it because of religion through radicalization, is it because of sexual exploitation? Is it because we are getting into the election period and we are hearing people are being displaced in conflict-prone places,” he said.

IRCK Executive Director Abdirahman Ismael said that modern slavery often involved cheap or abusive labour.

“As faith leaders, the society holds us to account given the unique position that has been bestowed on us. We will use our connections and resources to address the root causes of this vice and ensure that it is completely eradicated from our society and perpetrators brought to book,” Ismael stated.

Global Freedom Network Director Franca Pellegrini said faith leaders were in a unique position to see into the hearts of their communities.

The signing event coincided with the launch of the Faith For Freedom smartphone app, which was developed in collaboration with faith leaders to help guide them to tackle modern slavery in their communities and congregations.

Global Freedom Network, the faith arm of international human rights group Walk Free, which is dedicated to accelerating the end of modern slavery, hosted the declaration signing.

It is the ninth signing since 2014, when Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Taqi al-Modarresi joined other faith leaders from many of the world’s great religions in declaring that modern slavery must be eradicated.