This briefing aims to inform the development of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s (IASC) first Strategic Plan.
The briefing has been prepared by the Modern Slavery PEC’s lived experience engagement, policy impact, research and partnerships teams. It is based on evidence generated by Modern Slavery PEC-funded and other research, the Modern Slavery PEC Policy Briefs and Explainers, and the Centre’s firsthand experience of working to influence modern slavery policy and engage lived experience experts.
The recommendations are grounded in our assessment that influencing, convening, collaborating and scrutinising are the four main levers available to the Commissioner to deliver her statutory functions under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
We recommend:
- Meaningful inclusion of people with lived experience of modern slavery: ensure that the Commissioner’s own objectives and activities are informed by meaningful, ethical and equitable engagement with lived experience experts, and advocate for increased involvement of lived experience experts across the modern slavery sector.
- Supporting research and better use of data: ensure all Commissioner’s activity is informed by robust evidence and support the further building of the evidence base on modern slavery, by partnering with and influencing data owners and evidence producers.
- Prevention: encourage greater prioritisation of prevention in the UK’s strategic response to modern slavery.
- Survivor identification and support: encourage greater prioritisation of early identification and protection in the UK’s response to modern slavery and encourage participation of people with lived experience of modern slavery in the design, development and evaluation of policies and interventions that affect them.
- Domestic and global supply chains: encourage strengthening of the UK’s policy response to forced labour in domestic and global supply chains and promote best practice across businesses.
- Law enforcement and criminal justice: advocate for measures that strengthen modern slavery survivors’ engagement in the criminal justice system.
- International: share best practice internationally about the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s role with other similar anti-slavery Commissioner roles.
This briefing was shared with the Commissioner in March 2024.
