Over forty-five million individuals ensnared in modern bondage, according to new findings
The 2016 Global Slavery Index, a research report by the Walk Free Foundation, has shed light on the alarming issue of modern slavery worldwide. The report, initiated by Australian billionaire mining magnate and philanthropist Andrew Forrest in 2012, compiled data from 167 countries, with 42,000 interviews conducted in 53 languages.
The report reveals that North Korea has the highest incidence of modern slavery, with 4.37% of its population trapped. This is followed by Asian countries, with India in first place (18.35 million), China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan rounding out the top five. North Korea is the only nation in the world that has not explicitly criminalized any form of modern slavery, and it also has the weakest government response to this issue.
Uzbekistan, despite making some progress since the last index in 2014, still has the second-highest percentage of its population trapped in slavery, behind North Korea. Other countries, such as Croatia, Brazil, and the Philippines, have taken positive steps in addressing modern slavery since the 2014 index.
The report highlights the United States, Australia, Britain, Portugal, and Norway as governments taking action against modern slavery. Forrest, who believes in the critical role of leaders in government, business, and civil society in ending slavery, calls for robust measures from the top 10 global economies, including enacting laws as strong as the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to the majority of these individuals, with 2/3 of the world's slaves residing in this region. Other countries, such as Cambodia, have 1.65% of their population trapped in slavery, trailing North Korea and Uzbekistan.
Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot leave due to threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power, or deception. The report suggests that there are 28% more slaves than estimated two years ago, with more than 45 million people trapped in modern slavery worldwide.
The report praises India for making significant progress in addressing modern slavery. Forrest, in his call to action, urges for continued efforts to combat this issue, particularly from the top 10 global economies. He emphasizes the importance of enacting strong laws and implementing organizational controls for modern slavery in supply chains.
However, specific information regarding the top 10 largest economies referenced by Forrest and their laws as strong as the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, or their organizational controls for modern slavery in supply chains, appears to be unavailable in the provided sources.
In conclusion, the 2016 Global Slavery Index serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of modern slavery worldwide. It underscores the need for concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and civil society to combat this issue and bring an end to modern slavery.
