International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade And Abolition

Every year 23rd August is observed as an International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition .  According to United Nations Cultural ,Educational and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) the main aim of observing the day is to to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. 

The day should be observed to remind people “to continue to analyse and criticise such practices that may transform into modern forms of slavery and exploitation”.

International slave trade was abolished on 25th March 1807.

Background of the day:

Slave trade was a common practice during the colonial regimes of European nations. People from Africa and Asia were traded under this practice as slaves and transported to colonial settlements such as Haiti, Caribbean, and other parts of the world.

On the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Saint Domingue, Republic of Haiti, saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. In the 18th century, Saint Domingue was a colonial settlement of France.

To mark this day  the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is commemorated on 23 August each year.

The UNESCO in its general conference held in Paris, France in 1997 decided to observe 23 August as an International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

The first International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was observed in 1998.

Abolition of Slavery in India:

During British time the Charter act of 1833 provided for abolition of slavery in parts of India ruled by the East India Company. The British parliament passed the Indian Slavery act 1843 which declared slavery illegal in India . Lord Ellenborough was the Governor General of India .

Provision in Constitution of India:

The Indian laws prohibit slavery and any act which harms the dignity and freedom of a person.

Clause 1 of Article 23 prohibits the trafficking of human beings, begar and similar forms of forced labour. It also states that any contravention of this provision is punishable by the law.

Human Trafficking refers to the sale and purchase of human beings mostly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced prostitution or forced labour.

Begar is a form of forced labour which refers to forcing a person to work for no remuneration.