Modern slavery on the rise globally, 50 mn trapped, says ILO

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 13

Modern slavery having components of forced labour and forced marriage rose significantly by five times from 2016-2021 in the world, pushing up the number of victims to 50 million globally, as per the latest estimates of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“The Global Estimates of Modern Slavery”, a report published by the ILO, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and human rights group Walk Free, says the Covid pandemic has led to an increased risk of forced marriages in countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Egypt.

It says 50 million people were living in modern slavery in 2021. Of these, 28 million were in forced labour and 22 million trapped in forced marriage.

According to it, 10 million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 as compared to 2016. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable. Modern slavery occurs in almost every country, and cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious lines.

The report says 52 per cent of all forced labour and a quarter of all forced marriages can be found in upper-middle income or high-income countries.

With regard to forced labour, the study says a major chunk (86 per cent) is found in the private sector. Also, forced labour in sectors other than commercial sexual exploitation accounts for 63 per cent of all forced labour, while forced commercial sexual exploitation represents 23 per cent of all forced labour.

The report reflects poorly on several governments across the world, which choose to dip their hands in the cookie jar of exploitation.

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