Blockchain Plays an Unlikely Role in the Global Battle for Human Rights

In the United Kingdom, for example, IBM is working with a nonprofit organization named STOP THE TRAFFIK to put an end to human trafficking and modern slavery through the usage of "Intelligence analysis software" that tracks the identities and locations of potential victims, and, ultimately, aims to disrupt trafficking processes at their source.

The most obvious example of worker abuse, Blick pointed out, is the charging of expensive recruitment fees by unethical agencies.

In many cases, these vulnerable workers must take out high-interest loans, which are issued by the agencies, in order to pay off the fees.

"Thank-you" fees are often an expected gift: A migrant worker may be obligated to pay cash to recruiters as an act of gratitude for the securing of their role.

Diginex is working in Hong Kong, as it is a popular migrant worker destination but is also working with agencies in countries of origin, from which the workers are migrating.

Migrant workers benefit from the competition, finding companies that wish to hire through safe and ethical processes.

Workers can easily see who to trust and what agencies offer the best practices.

"A migrant worker in their home country can find work through these ethical agencies and then travel to a place of work, say, a factory in another country," Blick said.

Workers could avoid exorbitant fees or unanticipated changes to working conditions or pay by choosing reputable recruitment agencies, he explained.

The platform deployed last year is enabled by blockchain technology and tracks the journeys of workers with all participating recruitment agencies digitally recording documentation.