[SENATE] Anti-Slavery Act

[Smyg]

As you have seen elsewhere, we are dedicated to the eradication of slavery. We cannot accept the slave trade that causes most women currently working as prostitutes in Brazil to live in a state of forced bondage, imposed on them by pimps who have often lured them to Brazil via violence or false promises. Let us take measures against this, for the liberty of all women to live as they please.

Anti-Slavery Act

Whereas the slave trade, or the trafficking of human beings for purposes such as forced labour, is utterly abominable, yet often difficult to regulate on a purely domestic level, requiring international cooperation,

Whereas there is a long and proven history of the trafficking of women into Brazil, by traffickers using coercion and false promises, from countries such as Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Romania, Austria, Albania, Italy and France, among others,

Whereas numerous anti-trafficking and anti-slavery treaties have been agreed by the international community in recent years, setting forward frameworks for the prevention of the slave trade, of which Brazil has ratified the 1910 International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic (defined here, page 35) and the 1921 International Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women and Children (defined here), yet has not ratified the most recent and most crucial such agreement,

• Section 1. The Republic of the United States of Brazil shall accede to the 1926 Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery, as defined by the League of Nations here.

• Section 2. The Republic of the United States of Brazil shall apply for permanent membership of the Advisory Committee on the Traffic of Women and Children, established by the League of Nations in 1922, which currently includes nine countries and several non-governmental organisations, to provide a Latin American perspective.

• Section 3. This assembly calls upon the Most Excellent Mr. President of the Republic and the Honourable Government of the Republic of the United States of Brazil to speedily take measures to ensure that the Republic deposits its instrument of ratification and that the provisions of the aforementioned 1926 Slavery Convention enters into national law.

• Section 4. This bill shall go into effect immediately after passage.

[Flamelord]

This Act has our approval.

[Smyg]

This Act has our approval.

Thank you.

[acecipher]

We support all measures that stand against such principles. We find it only fitting that when the world comes together to seek an end to such abominations, Brasil stands with the World.

[Flaming Bolshevik]

Our only real concern is what will happen to these slaves upon being freed? We believe that there is nothing in this act that would ensure that each slave is found suitable work and board as to prevent them from going back to life as prostitutes or what have you. Besides this we support this motion.

[acecipher]

I do believe that our recent initiative of Social Democracy in Action can be a guiding light in this time: it has helped thousands find good, stable jobs and improve their lot in life. We would be happy to provide our own documents to help set up a relief agency to find these victims of cruel injustice a better life.

[Smyg]

As the aim in this particular bill is largely to prevent international human trafficking, via international cooperation, hopefully it will mean that less people end up exploited here in Brazil, and can remain peacefully in their home countries. But indeed, there are many actions - as our Social Democratic colleagues say - that can decrease both unemployment for the victims specifically, and for the general unemployed populace.

[Smyg]

Perhaps this should enter voting, since it appears to have extensive bipartisan support.

[acecipher]

We second the motion to bring this bill to voting.

[Luc]

Sebastião do Rego Barros, President of the Chamber of Deputies

We will accept the motion, we will now entertain a vote on this bill.

[Flamelord]

The Federal Union Party (93) votes Yes on this bill

[Snacks]

The Workers and Peasants Bloc(2) votes yes as well.

[Smyg]

The Communist Party of Brazil (4) naturally votes in favour.

[Flaming Bolshevik]

The AIB (3) will vote yes.

[Luc]

The Democratic Party (42) votes IN FAVOUR of this bill.

The Socialist Revolutionary Party (3) votes IN FAVOUR of this bill.