Over 40 million people are victims of modern slavery

This day corresponds to the date of approval, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention on Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Prostitution of Others (December 3,17 <x0)> of December 2, 1949).

The focus of this day is on the disappearance of contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labor, forced marriage, and forced recruiting of children for use in armed conflicts.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery.

While modern slavery is not defined in law, it is used as an umbrella term covering such practices as forced labour, debt slavery, forced marriage, and human trafficking. Basically, it refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or withdraw because of threats, violence, tribulation, fraud, or abuse of power.

Moreover, over 150 million children are subject to child labor, making up almost one in ten children worldwide. Some 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including 24.9 in forced labor and 15.4 million in forced marriage. There are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world, while 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children.

Of the 24.9 million people performing forced labor, 16 million people have been exploited in private sectors such as domestic work, construction or agriculture; 4.8 million people in forced sexual exploitation; and 4 million people in forced labor imposed by state authorities.

Women and girls are disproportionally affected by forced labour, representing 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.

The ILO has adopted a new legally binding protocol designed to strengthen global efforts to eliminate forced labour that entered into force in November 2016.

The 50th End of Freedom> aims to persuade at least 50 countries to ratify the Labor Protocol imposed by the end of 2019.