L A N O I T A N R INTE

PUBLISHED BY THE WEST MIDLANDS INTERNATIONAL FORUM SPRING 2013

Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, President of Venezuela, died on March 5th after a long and hard battle against cancer. He was 58 years old. He led the

sovereignty, justice and a better life as fully empowered citizens, for people all around the world. He showed that a better world could be constructed. Our hearts go to his family, friends, comrades, the people of Venezuela, and the people of Latin America. Nicholas Maduro has been appointed interim President until elections which take plale on April 14th.

Polls (including opposition polls) show Maduro progressive transformation of Venezuela by has a clear lead over the opposition candidate. lifting millions of its citizens from poverty In recent days, President Nicolas Maduro standing against social has warned of US-inspired destabilisation exclusion, marginalisation and institutional plans seeking to take advantage of the deparrepression thereby restoring to them a ture of President Hugo Chavez to topple the long-overdue dignity. government or, more likely, to create the Under President Chavezs leadership, his conditions so as not to have to recognise the governments policies improved the life of results of the coming presidential election. ordinary Venezuelans as no other governThe US Government , has since the election of ment had ever done in the history of that Chavez , frequently (working with the right) South American nation. sought to bring down the Government. Chavez also played a leading role in the Now more than ever British supporters of the transformation of Latin America into a proBolivarian revolution need to respond to the gressive continent, which in the 21st cenlies and calumnies of the right wing opponents tury is collectively affirming the soverof the Government . eignty of the nation states that make it up, As a practical mark of respect the regional and where, in different ways and through interational have made a donation of 200 to nationally-specific routes, they have been the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign who attempting to build a better world. Hugo Chavez will continue to symbolise, for promote the truth about the Bolivarian decades to come, the aspirations of dignity, Revolution.

Women in Swaziland face horrendous levels of discrimination because they are women.
Poverty, high levels of gender based violence, traditional laws that classify women as minors and the failure to implement laws that in theory guarantee rights and equality all contribute to an appalling level of discrimination. Women in Swaziland are treated as second class citizens, as objects and denied the opportunity or resources to advocate for their rights. ACTSA is working with the Foundation for Socio Economic Justice and the Swaziland Rural Womens Assembly on a four year project to Improve Womens Rights in Swaziland. The project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. Thousands of women in rural areas will benefit from a national peer education programme to develop their understanding of their rights and empower them to organise and advocate for their rights on a family, community and national level. A special programme will be run to improve womens rights in the textile industry, notorious for discrimination and the denial of rights. The project will bring women together to meet and discuss their rights and what they need to do to improve them at a series of national and local events. Women will develop a charter of womens rights which they can use to lobby national politicians and community leaders to support these rights and reform unjust laws that discriminate against women. The project will tackle discrimination against women in the media by monitoring the portrayal of women and working with journalists to improve this and highlight the challenges women face. It will help develop womens groups throughout the country into strong, democratic organisations and develop the leadership skills of women to stand for election in their communities and civil society organisations. Improving womens rights in Swaziland will make a fundamental difference to the lives of Swazi women. The project has been developed in consultation with womens leaders from all areas of Swaziland. To support this campaign or ACTSAs work in general goto http://www.actsa.org/index.php

Mark Beacon ACTSA

MANSOUR OSANLOO

CODIR (Committee for the defence of Iranian peoples rights) was established in 1981 by a group of British labour and trade union activists in collaboration with Iranian democrats living in exile in the UK. The main aim of the organisation since its inception has been to provide truthful and unbiased information and analysis about the reality of life in Iran. CODIR campaigned against the eight year fratricidal Iran-Iraq war. It has also worked hard against the brutal suppression of human rights and other abuses committed by the regime in Iran. CODIR campaigns have won the support of many progressive MPs, MEPs, trade unions and Trades Councils. CODIR enjoys the widest support amongst trade unions in the UK with UNISON, FBU, Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, USDAW, BECTU, the Scottish TUC, TGWU London region, Scottish TGWU and Scottish UNISON being on the list of its affiliates for many years. The Iranian Government of President Ahmedinejad Has for many years oppressed The ITUC annual report on violations of trade union rights reported, that in Iran Scores of arrests and detentions took place throughout the year. Many workers were arrested for supporting the right to organise. Torture is routinely used to extract confessions, and political prisoners are systematically denied medical care. The government relies on security laws to suppress any public expression of dissent. Many activists have been convicted of propaganda against the state and jeopardising national security by the Revolutionary Courts without any respect for international or Iranian fair-trial standards.

Security and intelligence forces are often present at workplaces to intimidate workers, and democratic protest by students and others and reports of trade unionists mistreatment by prison waged a war against Trade unions in Iran, with authorities are common many leaders and activists imprisoned and tortured , most notably Mansour Osanloo (leader of the Tehran bus workers union) , who was released following a high profile international campaign. However many other trade union activists continue to be imprisoned. UNISON is calling on all branches and regions to affiliate to CODIR and a motion will shortly be going to Regional Council For more goto http://www.codir.net/index.html

Trafficking involves the transport and/or What is modern slavery? trade of people -Millions of men, women and children around the world women, children and are forced to lead lives as slaves. Although this exploi- men -- from one area tation is often not called slavery, the conditions are the to another for the purpose of forcing them into slavsame. People are sold like objects, forced to work for ery conditions. little or no pay and are at the mercy of their Worst forms of child labour affects an estimated 'employers'. 126 million** children around the world in work that Slavery exists today despite the fact that it is banned in is harmful to their health and welfare. most of the countries where it is practised. It is also Anti-Slavery International works at local, national prohibited by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human and international levels to eliminate all forms of Rights and the 1956 UN Supplementary Convention on slavery around the world the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and InstituAnti-Slavery International Today tions and Practices Similar to Slavery. Women from eastern Europe are bonded into prostitution, children Anti-Slavery International, founded in 1839, is the are trafficked between West African countries and men world's oldest international human rights organisaare forced to work as slaves on Brazilian agricultural tion and the only charity in the United Kingdom to estates. Contemporary slavery takes various forms and work exclusively against slavery. We work at local, affects people of all ages, sex and race. national and international levels to eliminate all Common characteristics distinguish slavery from other forms of slavery around the world by: Supporting research to assess the scale of slavery human rights violations. A slave is: in order to identify measures to end it; forced to work -- through mental or physical threat; Working with local organisations to raise public owned or controlled by an 'employer', usually through awareness of slavery; mental or physical abuse or threatened abuse; Educating the public about the realities of slavery dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and and campaigning for its end. sold as 'property'; Lobbying governments and intergovernmental physically constrained or has restrictions placed on agencies to make slavery a priority issue and to dehis/her freedom of movement. velop and implement plans to eliminate slavery; What types of slavery exist today? What You Can Do Bonded labour affects millions of people around the world. People become bonded labourers by taking or being tricked into taking a loan for as little as the cost of medicine for a sick child. To repay the debt, many are forced to work long hours, seven days a week, up to 365 days a year. They receive basic food and shelter as 'payment' for their work, but may never pay off the loan, which can be passed down for generations. Anti-Slavery International relies on the support of people like you. Without it we would not be able to continue our fight against slavery. There are many ways to help, from making a donation to joining our Campaigns Network Join as a member today your support makes a difference

Early and forced marriage affects women and girls who Your subscription will help us to: are married without choice and are forced into lives of expose current cases of slavery and campaign for servitude often accompanied by physical violence. their eradication Forced labour affects people who are illegally recruited support the initiatives of local organisations to reby individuals, governments or political parties and lease people forced to work -- usually under threat of violence or press for effective implementation of international other penalties. laws against slavery Slavery by descent is where people are either born into For details on affiliating your branch email a slave class or are from a 'group' that society views as supporter@slavery.org suited to being used as slave labour.