Forced Labor
Forced labor takes different forms, including debt bondage, trafficking and other forms of modern slavery. The victims are often the most vulnerable – women and girls forced into prostitution, migrants trapped in debt bondage, and sweatshop or farm workers kept there by illegal means and paid little or nothing.
Facts and Figures:
- Almost 21 million people are victims of forced labour – 11.4 million women and girls and 9.5 million men and boys.
- Almost 19 million victims are exploited by private individuals or enterprises and over 2 millionby the state or rebel groups.
- Of those exploited by individuals or enterprises, 4.5 million are victims of forced sexual exploitation.
- Those who exact forced labour generate vast illegal profits.
- Domestic work, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and entertainment are among the sectors most concerned.
- Migrant workers and indigenous people are particularly vulnerable to forced labour.
WHERE IS THE PROBLEM?
Forced labour is a global problem, although some regions have larger numbers of people affected than others. The regional distribution of forced labour is:
Forced labour is a global problem, although some regions have larger numbers of people affected than others. The regional distribution of forced labour is:
- Asia and Pacific: 11.7 million (56%)
- Africa: 3.7 million (18%)
- Latin America and the Caribbean: 1.8 million (9%)
- The Developed Economies (US, Canada, Australia, European Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Japan): 1.5 million (7%)
- Central, Southeast and Eastern Europe (non EU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CSEE): 1.6 million (7%)
- Middle East: 600,000 (3%)