Over the past five years, the number of people in modern slavery has increased by a quarter.
Currently, about 28 million people are forced to work, and another 22 million were married against their will. 50 million people in the world are in modern slavery. This is evidenced by a joint report of the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the human rights group Walk Free, the UN reports.
Over the past five years, the number of people who are in “modern slavery » increased by a quarter.
“It is shocking that the situation is not improving. There is simply no justification for such a violation of fundamental human rights,” said ILO Director General Guy Ryder.
It is noted that compared to 2016 estimates, in 2021 there will be 10 million more people in modern slavery, and the most difficult — women and children.
According to the report, 86% of cases of forced labor occur in the private sector, and 23% of these are “forced commercial sexual exploitation.”
Forced labor “imposed by the state” accounts for 14 percent, and in every eighth case children are forced to work.
Modern slavery is found almost everywhere. According to the report, the facts of violent exploitation are registered in almost all countries of the world. In particular, representatives of any nations risk becoming victims.
“And more than half of all cases of forced labor and a quarter of all forced marriages occur in countries with a higher than average income level. “Migrants become slaves three times more often than other adult workers,” the report says.
The UN believes that labor migration is a positive phenomenon if it is properly organized and laws are followed. People can find work in another country, and the economy of the host country receives labor.
“But illegal or poorly managed migration, as well as violations of employment rules and ethics, make migrants particularly vulnerable to modern slave owners,” the UN emphasized.
“The report emphasizes the urgent need to make all migration safe, orderly and regular. Reducing the vulnerability of migrants to forced labor and human trafficking depends primarily on national policies and legal frameworks that respect, protect and implement the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all,” said IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino.
The UN also were reminded that forced marriage is also slavery. Last year, 22 million people were in forced marriage. This is 6.6 million more than five years ago.
“But the actual number of such forced marriages, especially involving children under the age of 16, is probably much higher. Marriages with minors are considered forced if only because the child cannot legally consent to the marriage,” explained the UN.
Most often, such marriages are associated with specific patriarchal views and traditions.
According to the report, more than 85 percent of the forced marriages entered the marriage under pressure from relatives. 65 percent of such marriages occur in the Asia-Pacific region. Also, according to the report, forced marriages are widespread in Arab countries.
The report also describes steps by which modern slavery can be stopped.
In particular, according to the authors of the report, it is important to improvement of the legislative framework, as well as the development of law enforcement mechanisms, including regular labor inspections and the termination of state-imposed forced labor.
The report also calls for strengthening social protection and expanding legal support for workers. In addition, it is important to raise the legal age of marriage to 18.
“Other measures include addressing the increased risk of trafficking and forced labor for migrant workers, promoting fair and ethical recruitment and providing broad support to women and girls, as well as representatives of other vulnerable groups,” the UN reports.
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