November 17, 2014

35 million suffer as modern day slaves

located:	China, India, Russia
editor:	Vanessa Ellingham

More than 35 million people are trapped in some form of modern day slavery, with 61% of those coming from just five countries.

Human trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation, forced marriage and other forms of slavery still happen in the 167 countries surveyed for a new report published today by The Walk Free Foundation.

The highest concentration of enslaved people were in India, which accounted for more than 14 million. Next was China (3.24 million), Pakistan (2.06 million), Uzbekistan (1.2 million), and Russia with 1.05 million.

Four percent of Mauritania's population is enslaved, the highest proportion in the study which covered 167 countries.

Walk Free Foundation founder and chairman Andrew Forrest said: “There is an assumption that slavery is an issue from a bygone era. Or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and poverty.

“These findings show that modern slavery exists in every country. We are all responsible for the most appalling situations where modern slavery exists and the desperate misery it brings upon our fellow human beings.

“The first step in eradicating slavery is to measure it. And with that critical information, we must all come together – governments, businesses and civil society – to finally bring an end to the most severe form of exploitation.”

The Walk Free Foundation states its aim as eradicating slavery within a generation.