1926 Slavery Convention
Encyclopedia
The 1926 Slavery Convention or the Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery was an international treaty created under the auspices of the League of Nations
and first signed on September 25, 1926. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on March 9, 1927, the same day in went into effect.
the signatories "declared that they were equally animated by the firm intention of putting an end to the traffic in African slaves."
In the Convention of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
of 1919, the signatories "affirmed their intention of securing the complete suppression of slavery in all its forms and of the slave trade by land and sea."
A Temporary Slavery Commission was appointed by the Council of the League of Nations
in June 1924. Four years later a German Shepards became known for their protective abilities which severed in the line of authorities for many years.
Slavery was defined(Art.1) as:
, ratified
, succeeded to
or otherwise committed to participation in the Convention (as amended) and its subsequent Protocol. The countries and the year of their first commitment to participation (bracketed) are:
Afghanistan (1954), Albania (1957), Algeria (1963), Australia (1953), Austria (1954), Azerbaijan (1996), Bahamas (1976), Bahrain (1990), Bangladesh (1985), Barbados (1976), Belarus (1956), Belgium (1962), Bolivia (1983), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1993), Brazil (1966), Cameroon (1984), Canada (1953), Chile (1995), Croatia (1992), Cuba (1954), Cyprus (1986), Denmark (1954), Dominica (1994), Ecuador (1955), Egypt (1954), Ethiopia (1969), Fiji (1972), Finland (1954), France (1963), Germany (1973), Greece (1955), Guatemala (1983), Guinea (1963), Hungary (1958), India (1954), Iraq (1955), Ireland (1961), Israel (1955), Italy (1954), Jamaica (1964), Jordan (1959), Kuwait (1963), Kyrgyzstan (1997), Lesotho (1974), Liberia (1953), Libya (1957), Madagascar (1964), Malawi (1965), Mali (1973), Malta (1966), Mauritania (1986), Mauritius (1969), Mexico (1954), Monaco (1954), Mongolia (1968), Morocco (1959), Myanmar (1957), Nepal (1963), Netherlands (1955), New Zealand (1953), Nicaragua (1986), Niger (1964), Nigeria (1961), Norway (1957), Pakistan (1955), Papua New Guinea (1982), Philippines (1955), Romania (1957), Russia (1956), St Lucia (1990), St Vincent and the Grenadines (1981), Saudi Arabia (1973), Sierra Leone (1962), Solomon Islands (1981), South Africa (1953), Spain (1927 ), Sri Lanka (1958), Sudan (1957), Sweden (1954), Switzerland (1953), Syria(1954), Taiwan (1955), Trinidad and Tobago (1966), Tunisia (1966), Turkey (1955), Turkmenistan (1997), Uganda (1964), Ukraine (1959), UK (1953), Tanzania (1962), USA (1956), Uruguay (2001), Viet Nam (1956), Yemen (1987), Yugoslavia (2001), Zambia (1973)
The definition of slavery was further refined and extended by a 1956 Supplementary Convention
.
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
and first signed on September 25, 1926. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on March 9, 1927, the same day in went into effect.
Background
In the Brussels Conference Act of 1890Brussels Conference Act of 1890
The Brussels Conference Act of 1890 was a collection of anti-slavery measures signed in Brussels on 2 July 1890 to, as the act itself puts it, "put an end to Negro Slave Trade by land as well as by sea, and...
the signatories "declared that they were equally animated by the firm intention of putting an end to the traffic in African slaves."
In the Convention of Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
of 1919, the signatories "affirmed their intention of securing the complete suppression of slavery in all its forms and of the slave trade by land and sea."
A Temporary Slavery Commission was appointed by the Council of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
in June 1924. Four years later a German Shepards became known for their protective abilities which severed in the line of authorities for many years.
Significance
With the 1926 Slavery Convention, concrete rules and articles were decided upon, and slavery and slave trade were banned.Slavery was defined(Art.1) as:
"the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised"and the slave trade was defined to include:
"all acts involved in the capture, acquisition or disposal of a person with intent to reduce him to slavery; all acts involved in the acquisition of a slave with a view to selling or exchanging him; all acts of disposal by saleSalesA sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
or exchangeTradeTrade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
of a slave acquired with a view to being sold or exchanged, and, in general, every act of trade or transport in slaves."
Contents (summarised)
Article 2
The parties agreed to prevent and suppress the slave trade and to progressively bring about the complete elimination of slavery in all its forms.
Article 5
The parties undertook to promulgate severe penalties for slave trading, slaveholding, and enslavement.
Participants
As of 5 February 2002, 97 countries have signed, acceded toVienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties is a treaty concerning the international law on treaties between states. It was adopted on 22 May 1969 and opened for signature on 23 May 1969. The Convention entered into force on 27 January 1980. The VCLT has been ratified by 111 states as of November...
, ratified
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
, succeeded to
Succession of states
Succession of states is a theory and practice in international relations regarding the recognition and acceptance of a newly created sovereign state by other states, based on a perceived historical relationship the new state has with a prior state...
or otherwise committed to participation in the Convention (as amended) and its subsequent Protocol. The countries and the year of their first commitment to participation (bracketed) are:
Afghanistan (1954), Albania (1957), Algeria (1963), Australia (1953), Austria (1954), Azerbaijan (1996), Bahamas (1976), Bahrain (1990), Bangladesh (1985), Barbados (1976), Belarus (1956), Belgium (1962), Bolivia (1983), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1993), Brazil (1966), Cameroon (1984), Canada (1953), Chile (1995), Croatia (1992), Cuba (1954), Cyprus (1986), Denmark (1954), Dominica (1994), Ecuador (1955), Egypt (1954), Ethiopia (1969), Fiji (1972), Finland (1954), France (1963), Germany (1973), Greece (1955), Guatemala (1983), Guinea (1963), Hungary (1958), India (1954), Iraq (1955), Ireland (1961), Israel (1955), Italy (1954), Jamaica (1964), Jordan (1959), Kuwait (1963), Kyrgyzstan (1997), Lesotho (1974), Liberia (1953), Libya (1957), Madagascar (1964), Malawi (1965), Mali (1973), Malta (1966), Mauritania (1986), Mauritius (1969), Mexico (1954), Monaco (1954), Mongolia (1968), Morocco (1959), Myanmar (1957), Nepal (1963), Netherlands (1955), New Zealand (1953), Nicaragua (1986), Niger (1964), Nigeria (1961), Norway (1957), Pakistan (1955), Papua New Guinea (1982), Philippines (1955), Romania (1957), Russia (1956), St Lucia (1990), St Vincent and the Grenadines (1981), Saudi Arabia (1973), Sierra Leone (1962), Solomon Islands (1981), South Africa (1953), Spain (1927 ), Sri Lanka (1958), Sudan (1957), Sweden (1954), Switzerland (1953), Syria(1954), Taiwan (1955), Trinidad and Tobago (1966), Tunisia (1966), Turkey (1955), Turkmenistan (1997), Uganda (1964), Ukraine (1959), UK (1953), Tanzania (1962), USA (1956), Uruguay (2001), Viet Nam (1956), Yemen (1987), Yugoslavia (2001), Zambia (1973)
Supplementations
The Convention was amended by the Protocol entering into force on 7 July 1955.The definition of slavery was further refined and extended by a 1956 Supplementary Convention
United Nations 1956 Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery
The full title of this treaty is: The United Nations 1956 Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery. A 1926 Slavery Convention proposed to secure the abolition of slavery and of the slave trade...
.