Research Findings: Over 40 Million People Are Trapped in Slavery

According to a joint research by anti-slavery groups, over 40 million people were caught in slavery, forced labor, and forced marriage last year. This research, conducted jointly by the International Labour Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and a human rights advocacy group called Walk Free Foundation, states that over 40 million people are victims of modern slavery, and this estimate is considered 'very conservative.' According to Reuters, the assessment indicates that about 24.9 million people are trapped in construction work, factory jobs, agriculture, as domestic workers, or sex slaves, while approximately 15.4 million live under forced marriages. A part of the report published on Tuesday, September 19, states: 'Forced labor is part of the food we eat and the clothes we wear. They clean the buildings we work in.' The report's authors assert that these crimes are preventable in all countries. This is the first time that various organizations have collaborated to compile an international report on different forms of slavery. The report calls for stricter and more precise labor regulations, improved management of migrant situations, combating the forced debt of these individuals, and better identification of victims of these practices. Another section of the report notes: 'Given that a significant portion of modern slavery is linked to migration, improving the management of migrant situations in protecting victims and preventing forced labor can play an important role.' According to Houtan Homayounfar, a migration expert at the International Labour Organization, these organizations have previously used various methods to gather their data. He added: 'In past years, different statistics have been published. This year, all these organizations have finally reached a joint assessment that can serve as a basis.' Some of the statistics published this year, for example, estimate a lower number of people engaged in forced labor. However, Mr. Homayounfar emphasized that these differences compared to last year should not be interpreted as progress or failure in the fight against slavery. Reuters adds that the report states that more than one-third of the 15 million people who are victims of forced marriage are married under the age of 18, and nearly half of this number are under the age of fifteen. Almost all victims of forced marriage are girls. The International Labour Organization, in a separate report published today, announced that 152 million children are victims of child labor, which is roughly equivalent to one in ten children worldwide, and nearly half of them are engaged in hazardous work. More than two-thirds of these children work in farms or family businesses, and 71 percent are employed in agriculture. The concept of forced labor also includes work in the private economy, sexual slavery, and government-imposed forced labor.