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Beginning of Slavery

The first slaves in Saint-Domingue were Taíno Indians; however, they began dying of abuse and disease. Spanish settlers did not want to work in neither sugarcane nor tobacco fields, for they were both labor-intensive crops; consequently, an alternative workforce was needed. The first solution proposed by the settlers included importation of indentured servants, redemptioners, or convicted criminals to work the fields. This did not work, so colonists found another solution through Bartolomé de las Casas' suggestion. He said Africans were a good fit for the Caribbean climate, were capable of hard labor, and did not become ill as easily as Taínos. Africans had not been used in Saint-Domingue until the early 16th century, when they were brought to work on sugar plantations and gold mines. In the seventeenth century, large-scale production of sugar, indigo, rice, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, and cotton was introduced by Europeans. This large-scale agricultural production increased the need for labor; subsequently: slave trade increased. Approximately 1.3 million slaves brought to Saint-Domingue, modern day Haiti, in 17th century and 6 million in the 18th century.

Who benefited from slavery in the past ?

The people who would benefit from the slavery were the plantation owners. They would benefit through the plantations. The slaves worked in the sugar plantations, then the master would sell the sugar at a high price, and earn huge sums of profit. Slavery was very profitable because the masters would receive free work; consequently, more profit were made, for workers were not payed. The government also benefited from slavery through the Triangular Trade. This system worked this way: whatever crop was produced in the colony ended up being sent back to Europe to be sold. The money made from the crops was used to buy slaves in Africa and then these slaves were sent to Saint-Domingue to work in the plantations. Slavery was highly profitable and that is the reason to why is prevailed for so long.

Modern day slavery

Slavery was banned a long time ago in Haiti; however, children are still being condemned to slavery along side others nowadays. Girls from poor rural areas are sent to work as domestic servants called "restaveks" for richer families. There is an estimated 225,000 "restaveks" in urban areas. This number is likely to have increased since 2010 earthquake, when thousands of families were left without a house. Slavery is strictly illegal in Haiti, but it is still a national problem.

Living Conditions

Enslaved children are exposed to pesticides, sharp tools, harsh conditions and long work hours from working on farms. Children are given almost the same work conditions as slaves centuries ago as they have to endure long work hours in the sun with little to no food. "Restaveks" as young as age 4 or 5 are exploited and are physically, psychologically, and sexually abused. These children suffer prolonged exposure to sun, pain, and injury from carrying heavy loads.

What is being done about it?

The Haitian Government has attempted to end slavery, yet failed in many ways. Haiti’s Labor Code states the minimum age for work in industrial, agricultural and commercial enterprises is 15; however, according to the United States Department of Labor, there is "no minimum age restriction for domestic servants and legal penalties for employing child domestic workers unless the nature or condition of the work harms their health, safety or morals”. Children ages 15 to 18 need work authorization to be employed and are prohibited from nighttime work in industrial jobs and potentially harmful work. Furthermore, the Act on the Prohibition and Elimination of All Forms of Abuse, Violence, Ill Treatment or Inhuman Treatment Against Children of 2003 prohibits servitude, forced or compulsory labor and use of children in criminal activities or armed conflict. It also criminalizes child trafficking and sexual exploitation (pornography), yet fails again to enforce the act. There are "no penalties assessed for breaking the law by committing abuse and violence against children through any of the crimes discussed". The Haitian Government and USDOS have also invested $4.75 million into anti-trafficking projects in 2010 and in the same year, the 2010 Government Action Plan looked to establish 4,000 temporary facilities while more permanent schools are built to replace the ones damaged by the earthquake.

What can be done to end modern slavery?

Unlike the past, violent revolutions will not end modern day slavery. Child slavery needs to be addressed diplomatically, for violence will only aggravate the problem. The first aspect that needs to be addressed are the laws passed by the government. The government does a great job in establishing laws to prohibit child labor, but needs to do a better job on enforcing the laws. Transgressions need to be dealt with more severely through fines and most importantly, imprisonment. If a person is found illegally employing children, they need to be put in jail. Currently, according to the United States Department of Labor, there is "no minimum age restriction for domestic servants and legal penalties for employing child domestic workers unless the nature or condition of the work harms their health, safety or morals". This law needs to be changed to once and for all, ban child labor. No person below legal age of 18 years should be allowed to work without written authorization by the government. The second problem that needs to be addressed is education. Children in Haiti are required to attend school only until age 11; consequently, other children between ages 12 through 14 are especially vulnerable to child labor. The Haitian Government needs to make it a requirement to attend school every day until they graduate so that children become less vulnerable to enslavement. Schools in Haiti are limited and many are still run by NGOs, which require fees to be paid. The government needs to establish more public schools to encourage families to enroll their children. About 200,000 additional students were enrolled during the 2012 school year and that number needs to be surpassed by 2015. These are the major problems that need to be addressed quickly so that slavery in Haiti can once and for all, be terminated.

Image Works Cited

"Child Slavery." Restavek Problem. Restavek Freedom. Web. 23 May 2014. <http://restavekfreedom.org/image/the-issue/Haiti-Final-Edit-122.jpg>.

"Child Slavery." Save the Children. Restavek Freedom. Web. 23 May 2014. <http://restavekfreedom.org/image/the-issue/the-issue-restavek.jpg>.

"Isolation." Restavek Problem. Restavek Freedom. Web. 24 May 2014. <http://restavekfreedom.org/image/the-issue/isolated.jpg>.

"Labor." Restavek Problem. Restavek Freedom. Web. 25 May 2014. <http://www.restavekfreedom.org/image/the-issue/labor-1.jpg>.

"Toussaint Louveture." Toussaint Louveture. Web. 23 May 2014. <http://www.restavekfreedom.org/image/the-issue/haiti-history.jpg>.

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Blackburn, Robin. The Making of New World Slavery: From the Baroque to the Modern 1492-1800. London: Verso, 1997. Print.

Corbett, Bob. "Haiti: The Revolution of 1791-1803." Haiti: The Revolution of 1791-1803. Webster. Web. 19 May 2014.

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Encyclopedia of Latin America. "Slavery in Latin America." African-American History Online. Facts On File News Services, 2010. Web. 15 May 2014.

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<http://www2.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/history/revolution/revolution1.htm>

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Who benefits from slavery nowadays?

The people who would benefit from slavery nowadays are the richer families from Haiti. These families have another person to help out around the house and to help them to do many chores such as getting water from the well and cleaning up clothes. Criminal groups that continue to rule parts of Haiti also benefit from slavery. Many children work for these criminal groups and kids as young as age 10 serve as messengers and carry weapons or drugs. Unlike the past, today's government does NOT benefit from slavery.

Past & Modern Slavery in Haiti

What ended slavery ?

The Haitian Revolution ended slavery in Saint-Domingue (modern day Haiti). This revolution was led by black slaves in an attempt to earn their liberty, equality, and right to fraternity. This revolution was successful because of their determined leader, Toussaint L'Ouverture. With their victory over the whites, Toussaint created a constitution in 1805 that abolished slavery in the island.

Living Conditions

The conditions for slavery in the past were very bad. The French began to plant coffee around 1734, so profits greatly increased. This boost increased the need for slave labor. There was a high mortality rate amongst slave population because of harsh working conditions and a regular slave had an average life span of about seven years. Slaves went to the plantations, literally worked to their death, and when they did die, new slaves were bought. Slavery in Haiti was considered the worst in all of the western hemisphere.

Who was condemned to slavery?

The average Saint-Domingue sugar estate had about 200 slaves and area of 750 acres of which 230 were planted with sugar cane. Africans, regardless of gender and age, were sold into slavery. Although men worked in the fields because they were considered stronger, women were also enslaved and usually worked in the master's house. Children were also affected by slavery. Boys would work in a house until they became old enough to work in the fields. The proportion of children under age 15 that worked was higher on indigo plantations than on sugar estates. In the 1720 south coast census, children constituted 21 percent of indigo workforces and 14 percent of sugar workforces. In the north region of the Hispaniola, children made up 30 percent of indigo workforces and 22 percent of sugar workforces.

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