“There are more than 190 countries in the world, and virtually all of them enslave children, women and men within, or across,
their borders.” *
Last night I had the honor to attend a screening at Georgetown University in Washington DC of the film, Not My Life, which is to be released in June 2011, and is the first documentary to show the horrors of today’s global slave trade. The film, which took four years to make and was shot on five continents, gives a shocking look into the illicit multi-billion dollar global industry is as the film’s narration says, “…built on the backs and in the beds of our planet’s youth.”
Modern slavery consumes some 27 million from every corner of the globe, the majority of those victimized by these unthinkable acts are children. The film’s director, Oscar® nominee Robert Bilheimer, raises profound questions about the very nature of our civilization. “What kind of society cannibalizes its own children?” Bilheimer asks. “Can we do these sorts of things on such a large scale and still call ourselves human in any meaningful sense of the term?”
Not My Life truly casts a wide lens to capture the scope and depth of global modern slavery, while also seeing that voices of survivors are heard in the most inspiring and non-exploitative manner possible. The film shows both the extensive diversity of modern slavery and the similarities of victims from Cambodia to the streets of Washington, DC. The film gives an almost seamless overview of the exploitation, that spans the globe from forced labor in Africa; street begging and garbage picking in India; child soldiers; sex trafficking in the United States and Southeast Asia.
Following the screening a key panel of experts from the film spoke, including; Mark Lagon, Former US Ambassador‐at‐Large to Combat Trafficking in Persons; Susan Bissell, Associate Director/Chief, Child Protection, Programmes, UNICEF; Pablo Villeda Regional Director of Operations, Latin America, International Justice Mission, and the films Director, Robert Bilheimer. All of the panelists discussed the barriers which need to be addressed both at home and abroad. Lagon spoke of our need to address the fight both domestically and abroad, as well as the great strides the U.S. has made by now placing a grade on ourselves and not just that of other states. Villeda address questions on rule of law and that while we do have laws in most every country where slavery occurs, that the problem we need to address is the enforcement of the laws , which is due to a lack of social demand and at times also a lack of political will.
Most importantly Bissell stated that the biggest barrier to address in regards to violence against children is our failure to realizing how effective we can be at preventing these atrocities. A the film shows we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the injustices that continue to plague our children. As a global community we can no longer deny our children a future when we have the power to break this vicious cycle of violence through education, awareness, and enforcement. Bissell further commented on the issue of gender inequality and gender-based violence. Thus we must look at why society after society, developed or undeveloped, looks at and treats women and girls, and face how we have allowed them to become disposable commodities.
Slavery continues to grow and thrive, as we allow it to remain hidden in the heart of our own communities. Thus we must ask ourselves the question, “What can I do?” and take an active approach as individuals and communities to end this brutal practice of violence and enslavement. We cannot individually change the world, but we can have a profound impact, and with each individual as we unite as a global community we will then begin to see change. Thus we must send a unified, clear and strong message across the globe that no one is for sale and that we will not tolerate any exploitation of our children. Children are the future…our best hope for peace and prosperity and if we can no longer continue to exploit and abuse them and hope for a sustainable and peaceful global society.