b'While its hard to accept that such terrible human rights abuse is possible in the modern world, Modern slavery is very real and Australian Law firms need to hear what our three subject matter exerts are telling us about how to address it. Modern Slavery Modern slavery describes where an individual is exploited by others for personal or commercial gain.Its estimated that around 50 million people worldwide are living in modern slavery, of which 22 million are trapped in forced marriage while 28 million live in some form of forced labour.Modern slavery describes where an individual is exploited by others for personal or commercial gain.Its estimated that around 50 million people worldwide are living in modern slavery, of which 22 million are trapped in forced marriage while 28 million live in some form of forced labour.Modern slavery occurs in almost every country in the world, with women and children disproportionately vulnerable.A recent report estimates that some 41,000 Australians are living in modern slavery.Despite UN goals (SDGs) to end forced child labour by 2025 and abolish all slavery by 2030, it is estimated that levels of modern slavery are rising.This is linked to the numbers of people fleeing regions impacted by global challenges such as conflicts and climate change, with more people migrating now than at any point in the last five decades.Businesses are also linked to the issue of modern slavery.They need to ensure their own practices meet ethical standards, and have a responsibility to ensure ethical sourcing and procurement practices through due diligence in their supply chains.In 2018 the Modern Slavery Act was passed in Australia, requiring companies with annual revenues of over $100 million to report on their efforts to assess and address modern slavery in their supply chains.Companies must produce annual statements detailing the due diligence procedures, risk assessments and actions taken.The first review of the Act was undertaken in late 2022, with 30 recommendations to strengthen the Act released in early 2023.In addition to managing their own practices and reporting, law firms can play a critical role in broader efforts to eliminate modern slavery, including:supporting companies to understand and comply with the Modern Slavery Acts reporting requirementsadvocating for and supporting the strengthening of modern slavery laws and regulationsproviding legal representation for victims, including through pro-bono services26'