Human Rights, Positive Obligations, and Measures to Prevent Human Trafficking in the United Kingdom

Author: Turner, Ian

Abstract: Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights is freedom from slavery. A key feature of this right is the obligation it imposes on states such as the United Kingdom to prevent violations of the freedom, such as the trafficking in human beings, by third parties. This article finds that the United Kingdom’s response to its duties in preventing human trafficking is patchy but concludes that this will be much improved with its new Modern Slavery Bill 2014–15.

Keywords: freedom from slavery, human rights, human trafficking, positive obligations