“Modern Slavery”

Definition:
Modern slavery is the exploitation of individuals through coercion, deception, or
force for labor or commercial sex, depriving them of freedom and basic human rights. It
encompasses forced labor, human trafficking, debt bondage, and other forms of exploitation,
perpetuating cycles of abuse, vulnerability, and injustice worldwide. There are around 45.8 million
people living in modern slavery across 167 different countries.

Categories of Modern Slavery:

Modern slavery can be categorized into several broad categories:

1. Forced Labor: Individuals are compelled to work through coercion, deception, or threat of
violence. They may work in various industries, including agriculture, construction,
manufacturing, domestic service, and mining.

2. Human Trafficking: Involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or

receipt of persons through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This
can include sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced marriage, or organ harvesting.

3. Debt Bondage: People are forced to work to repay a debt, often with interest rates so high
that they cannot realistically ever repay it. They become trapped in a cycle of debt, unable
to escape exploitative working conditions.

4. Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Involves the exploitation of individuals through

prostitution, pornography, or other forms of sexual exploitation. Victims may be forced,
coerced, or deceived into engaging in sexual activities for the profit of others.
 5. Child Labor: Children are forced to work under exploitative conditions, depriving them of
their childhood, education, and opportunities for development. They may be engaged in
hazardous work or forced into prostitution or other forms of exploitation.

These categories often overlap, and individuals may experience multiple forms of exploitation
simultaneously.

Top 10 Countries with most Modern Slaves:

The top ten countries with the most modern slaves are:

1. India: 11,050,000 people

2. China: 5,771,000 people

3. North Korea: 2,696,000 people

4. Pakistan: 2,349,000 people

5. Russia: 1,899,000 people

6. Indonesia: 1,833,000 people

7. Nigeria: 1,611,000 people

8. Democratic Republic of the Congo: 1,009,000 people

9. Bangladesh: 1,162,000 people

10. Iran: 1,291,000 people

These numbers are based on the Global Slavery Index and the Walk Free Foundation's estimates.

Cause of Modern Slavery:

Modern slavery is rooted in several complex factors:

1. Vulnerability: People are susceptible because of poverty, social exclusion, and limited
opportunities
 2. Psychological coercion: Many victims are trapped through manipulation, fear, and deceit

3. Debt bondage: Individuals are forced to work without pay to repay fictional or inflated
debts

4. Criminal networks: Traffickers profit from selling humans for labor or sexual exploitation

5. Consumer demands: High expectations for cheap goods contribute to the growth of
modern slavery

6. Poor governance: Corrupt systems and weak rule of law create environments ripe for
exploitation

7. Conflict and displacement: War zones and refugee crises expose populations to higher
risks of slavery

8. Inequalities: Societal disparities amplify vulnerabilities and limit escape routes

9. Discrimination: Marginalized groups, such as immigrants and minority ethnic groups, are
targeted

10. Lack of education: Limited knowledge about rights and protections leaves people ill-
equipped to resist exploitation

These factors interact in complex ways, making it difficult to isolate specific causes of modern
slavery. However, addressing these underlying issues is crucial to combatting the scourge of
modern slavery

Ways to Fight Modern Slavery:

Here are ten ways to fight modern slavery:

 1. Educate yourself and spread awareness about modern slavery.

2. Shop fair trade and support companies that guarantee their employees a fair, living wage.

3. Take the slavery footprint quiz and learn how your purchases impact the marketplace.

4. Donate to advocacy groups that work toward bettering laws and rescuing, rehabilitating,
and reintegrating freed slaves across the globe.

5. Call your lawmakers and ask them to prioritize anti-slavery measures.

6. Mobilize your faith-based community to support abolition as a moral imperative.

7. Start a chapter of an anti-slavery group at your school or in your community.

8. Host an event to raise money and awareness for the cause.

9. Learn to recognize the signs of slavery near you and report any suspicious activity.

10. Support survivors of slavery and help them reintegrate into society.

These suggestions are based on recommendations from anti-slavery organizations such as Free the
Slaves and the Walk Free Foundation