[President Robinson was the first female President of Ireland, serving from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002.]

“Every day, in countries across the world, men, women and children are forced to labor against their will in modern day slavery. The United States, as evidenced by the seven prosecutions for slavery in the agricultural sector in Florida, has sadly proven to be no exception to this global scourge. Slavery persists when government leaders fail to take the necessary action to prevent it. Taking preventive action is a human rights obligation of local, state and national governments.

I join with many others who believe that the statement made recently by a representative of the Florida Department of Agriculture that “maybe a case a year” of slavery was not of serious concern represents a step backwards in respecting basic human rights and dignity. It also fails to recognize that slavery grows from degrading labor conditions and lack of protection for the right to decent work, and that the few cases publicly identified and prosecuted far too often represent only a fraction of ongoing abuses.

I support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and others in urging Governor Crist to take immediate steps to combat modern-day slavery in Florida agriculture.”

Mary Robinson,
President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative