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Some 50 million trapped in modern slavery: report

Forced labor constitutes around 27.6 mln cases of modern slavery, while forced marriage accounts for approximately 22 mln cases, equating to nearly one in every 150 people worldwide. 6.3 mln people are in forced commercial sexual exploitation, and 3.9 mln in state-imposed forced labor.

50 mln in modern slavery as crises exacerbate extreme poverty: UN

The number of people forced to work or in a marriage against their will has surged in recent years to around 50 million, the UN’s International…

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It posits that this surge in slavery can be attributed to various factors, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, prolonged conflicts, severe weather events, and soaring inflation. These findings are outlined in the Modern Slavery Index, a report produced by Walk Free. The global and regional estimates mentioned in the report were jointly prepared by Walk Free, International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“There are 10 mln more modern slaves. The situation has increased against assaults on democracy, a global rollback of women’s rights, and [consumer] demand from higher-income countries,” said Jacqueline Joudo Larsen, head of global research at Walk Free.

“Modern slavery permeates every aspect of our society. It is woven through our clothes, lights up our electronics, and seasons our food. At its core, modern slavery is a manifestation of extreme inequality,” said Grace Forrest, founding director of Walk Free.

The latest edition of the index reveals the top ten countries with the highest percentage of individuals suffering from modern slavery within their populations. These countries include North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.

Notably, six out of the ten countries with the largest estimated numbers of victims are G20 nations, namely India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the United States.

The report also highlights that the United Kingdom has taken the most robust action to combat modern slavery, followed by the Netherlands and Portugal, while Turkmenistan and Russia have taken the least.

Among its recommendations, it calls on governments to improve labor laws and inspections, end state-imposed forced labor, and raise the legal age of marriage to 18.

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