For day eleven of our 16 Days of Freedom blogs, another intern, Evan Link, has reflected on his time interning with The Freedom Hub.
By: Evan Link
When I came to Australia for my semester abroad, I knew I wanted to complete an internship where I could make a meaningful difference and give back to the country that I was calling home for a few months. Working at a non-profit has allowed me to explore many avenues and fully immerse myself in the fight against modern slavery.
My work with The Freedom Hub
Since arriving at the Freedom Hub, I have helped review procurement processes to assist with evaluating suppliers to ensure they share our values on responsible purchasing.
I also wrote a detailed research paper on modern slavery within the supply chains for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure. One of the most valuable things about interning here was learning the myriad things that are encompassed by the label of “modern slavery.” Outside of forced labour, forced marriage is also a major category that contributes to the disproportionate human rights impact on women and girls. When the Freedom Hub works with companies to improve their oversight of their supply chains, there is a major focus on the risks to particularly vulnerable people.
There is also an intersectionality to modern slavery, as migrants and First Nations people have an elevated risk level for exploitation and often lack safe, accessible, and effective methods of recourse when they are placed in dangerous and harmful situations. These dynamics of inequality place women from marginalised communities in particularly precarious circumstances and are more likely than men to be subjugated to physical and sexual violence (ILO, 2022).
I am proud to be volunteering for an organisation that gives the women who have gone through these horrors an opportunity to regain their confidence, feel dignity, and inspire those around them – including myself.
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