Ep 103: Breaking the Chains: Challenging Modern Slavery in Global Supply Chains with Nusrat Uddin

Host Sarah Henry is joined by Partner Solicitor Nusrat Uddin, Head of the Public Law and Human Rights department at Wilsons Solicitors. In this episode, Nusrat shares insights into her work, with a focus on modern slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking. She discusses several groundbreaking cases she has worked on, as well as her involvement in Business and Human Rights cases, particularly those addressing forced labour within supply chains.

Nusrat Uddin specialises in public law and human rights, with a particular focus on modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking. She brings cases against central and local government bodies for failing their duties, as well as claims against those who have exploited their workers. In 2023 she was awarded Public Law Lawyer of the Year in the Legal Aid Lawyer of the year awards.

Nusrat also specialises in Business and Human Rights work. She has provided evidence for several US investigations into complaints against companies, from the fashion industry through to rubber gloves. US authorities have banned products from entering the US where indicators of forced labour in supply chains have been found. She believes the UK’s approach is far weaker and is critical of the Modern Slavery Act’s approach. Nusrat’s team have pioneered the first case against the UK authorities in relation to forced labour in their own supply chains, which settled with the government conceding and agreeing to improve their due diligence. The case was covered widely in the media and Nusrat was interviewed by Channel 4 News which can be seen here. She is currently building a second case in relation to the government’s due diligence of Uyghur made products in their supply chain.

Nusrat was instructed in the key Supreme Court case of Wong v Basfar 2022 dealing with diplomatic immunity in trafficking civil claims. The Supreme Court established for the first time worldwide, a current diplomat is not protected from claims of human trafficking. The judgment was groundbreaking with global political implications. Nusrat was presented with the 2022 Anti-Slavery Day Award for Outstanding Contribution to Reducing Vulnerabilities, in Parliament, for her work on this case.

Nusrat has a particular focus on improving state support for victims of trafficking and modern slavery. Last year she was instructed in the lead case, K and AM v SSHD [2018] EWHC 2951 (Admin), challenging the cuts by the Home Office to subsistence monies paid to support victims. The High Court found the cuts to be unlawful, resulting in victim support being reinstated to the full amount, and rebates being paid of around £1 million. She often advocates for safeguarding support and accommodation for victims who are facing homelessness and risks of further exploitation. Nusrat was profiled as Lawyer in the News in the Law Society Gazette for the successful case.

Nusrat was also awarded a Research Fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to compare the UK’s models of support to those in the US and Europe, for victims of trafficking and modern slavery who are involved with criminal prosecutions against their traffickers. She presented her research findings at the end of last year and made recommendations to improve the UK’s systems. The research has been shared widely, including by Anti-Slavery International and endorsed by Luis deBaca who was the US ambassador for trafficking. She also gave oral evidence in Parliament to the Home Affairs Select Committee for their Inquiry into Modern Slavery in 2019. She outlined key issues for victims in relation to support services, immigration and the criminal justice system; particularly highlighting problems of victims being wrongfully criminalised by the police and immigration systems, instead of being correctly identified and protected. Nusrat is also currently instructed in a significant challenge to police policies in relation to this issue. In recognition of her work in this field, Nusrat was shortlisted in the 2019 Anti-Slavery Day Awards, for Outstanding Contribution to the fight against Slavery, in the Enabling and Supporting Survivor Rights and Entitlements category.

Nusrat was Highly Commended in the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards for Human Rights Lawyer of the Year. Nusrat was also shortlisted as a finalist for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2019, in the Children’s Rights category, organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.

Nusrat has gained international experience having worked in the Human Rights and Legal Aid department of BRAC in Bangladesh, (formerly Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) one of the world’s largest NGOs. She also volunteered at Al-Haq, a Human Rights NGO based in Palestine, building potential cases against corporations operating in the West Bank. Nusrat is currently a Trustee of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights.