UNBiased Episode 20 with Nusrat Uddin

Joining me today is Nusrat Uddin.

Nusrat is a British human rights lawyer of Bangladeshi origin.

Nusrat joined Wilsons Public Law Department as a solicitor in 2014 and she is now a partner specialising in public law and human rights, with a particular focus on modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking bringing cases against central and local government bodies for failing their duties, as well as claims against those who have exploited their workers.

Nusrat is growing the firm’s Business and Human Rights work, specifically in relation to modern slavery in supply chains. She has provided evidence for several US investigations into complaints against companies, from the fashion industry through to rubber gloves. The US authorities have banned certain 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.

Since recording the podcast earlier this year Nusrat won a ground-breaking, and world-first case in the UK’s highest court which held that a diplomat is not immune from modern-slavery charges and will be subject to action for subjecting a domestic worker to modern slavery.

In recognition of her work in this field, Nusrat has been 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.

As well as going after employers and those who contravene anti-slavery legislation at scale, Nusrat also has an interest in improving state support for victims of modern slavery, by challenging the cuts to susbsistence monies paid to victims, and she has helped victims to earn back rebates of around 1 million pounds in aggregate for victim support payments.

Nusrat was Highly Commended at 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, organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.

Her passion and sense of purpose in this area is so evident in how she has spent her time in and around her work, through volunteering in the UK and internationally, including work with the Human Rights and Legal Aid department of on of the world’s largest NGO’s, BRAC in Bangladesh, (formerly Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee).