Reasserting Agency: Procedural Justice, Victim-Centricity, and the Right to Remedy for Survivors of Slavery and Related Exploitation

One of the biggest failings of contemporary regimes governing human exploitation is their treatment of ‘victims’. This paper roots narratives of victimhood and agency in the legal frameworks through analysis of the right to effective remedy in human rights and international law. Dominant characterisations of ‘victimisation’ are problematised and an alternative formulation - the ‘victim-agent’ - proposed in order to recognise agency and its abrogation, advocate for participation consistent with the demands of procedural justice, and contribute to meaningful redress

Reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Historical Enslavement: Linking past atrocities with contemporary victim populations

The debate around reparations for the transatlantic slave trade has been discussed for centuries with no end in sight. This article does not intend to cover the historical or political aspects of this debate, but instead to shed more light on the legal options with regards to reparations. In particular this article examines the role of politically negotiated reparations in transitional societies and the limits of avenues of redress in international law. Key to such discussions is the identification of eligible victims and appropriate measures of redress from responsible actors. With the so-called ‘transatlantic slave trade’ the passage of time has strained legal principles of causation to identify those victimised by atrocities of the past. Instead this article argues that reparations beyond the international law construct can be politically negotiated to at least acknowledge the past and offer some symbolic measures of redress to victimised populations of transatlantic enslavement

Advancing a child rights informed approach to antislavery policy and practice: a systematic review of literature at the intersection of children’s rights and modern slavery

This study examines the intersections between children’s rights and modern slavery literature to identify gaps in theory and understanding between the two fields, how the two fields can inform each other, and what aspects of children’s rights practice are deemed crucial to countering modern slavery and child labour. The review shows that there is considerable value in meaningful interaction between the two fields of modern slavery and children’s rights research, yet this is not currently common practice in academic literature. It reveals tensions between the two fields, particularly in relation to children’s agency, as well as areas of agreement. It highlights the potential benefits of greater engagement between the two fields of research for both modern slavery and children’s rights legislation, policies, theory, and practices. The review provides an in-depth examination and synthesis of literature at the nexus of children’s rights and modern slavery

The Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill: a cost-benefit analysis

This report provides an analysis of the costs and benefits of extending support to adult conclusive victims of human trafficking in England and Wales for 12 months after exiting the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the UK’s identification and support system for victims of modern slavery. This extended support is proposed under S.48B of The Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill (the Bill). The Bill includes provision (S.48A) to guarantee in law the support that is already provided on a non-statutory basis

Transcriptional control by two leucine-responsive regulatory proteins in Halobacterium salinarum R1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Archaea combine bacterial-as well as eukaryotic-like features to regulate cellular processes. <it>Halobacterium salinarum </it>R1 encodes eight leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp)-homologues. The function of two of them, <it>Irp </it>(OE3923F) and <it>lrpA1 </it>(OE2621R), were analyzed by gene deletion and overexpression, including genome scale impacts using microarrays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>It was shown that Lrp affects the transcription of multiple target genes, including those encoding enzymes involved in amino acid synthesis, central metabolism, transport processes and other regulators of transcription. In contrast, LrpA1 regulates transcription in a more specific manner. The <it>aspB3 </it>gene, coding for an aspartate transaminase, was repressed by LrpA1 in the presence of L-aspartate. Analytical DNA-affinity chromatography was adapted to high salt, and demonstrated binding of LrpA1 to its own promoter, as well as L-aspartate dependent binding to the <it>aspB3 </it>promoter.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The gene expression profiles of two archaeal Lrp-homologues report in detail their role in <it>H. salinarum </it>R1. LrpA1 and Lrp show similar functions to those already described in bacteria, but in addition they play a key role in regulatory networks, such as controlling the transcription of other regulators. In a more detailed analysis ligand dependent binding of LrpA1 was demonstrated to its target gene <it>aspB3</it>.</p

Rights Lab, University of Nottingham, Response to the UK International Development White Paper: Call for Evidence (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Submission to the UK Government call for evidence (led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) International Development White Paper, September 2023. Response to questions submitted by the Rights Lab, University of Nottingham. Responses focus on questions related to innovation, partnerships and the role of the UK; varied sectoral support for the Sustainable Development Goals; and tackling climate change. The submission provides evidence associated to both a series of published and ongoing research being undertaken at the Rights Lab and by colleagues in the Schools of Geography, Law and Business