Question

1. Are there places in the world where slavery is more prevalent? What are the drivers of higher prevalence in different parts of the world? Is poverty a root cause of slavery? If so, would eliminating poverty eliminate slavery?v

Answer 1

As published by UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO), estimated 40.3 million people living in modern slavery. In this, women and girls consists of 71% and children make 25%.

According to abolitionist group, Anti-Slavery International, modern slavery means if any person is forced to work against their will, and have limited freedom, are dehumanised and treated or bought and sold like some commodity and owned by owner or "employer".

Globally, nearly 24.9 million people among these are in forced labour and 15.4 million are estimated to be living in forced marriages. According to Global Slavery Index, most of this modern slavery is prevalent in Africa, then Asia and then in the Pacific. More than 70% of 4.8 million who are sexually exploited are present in parts if Asia and Pacific.

According to the Global Slavery Index, the countries like China, Iran, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, North Korea, Philippines and Russia have 60% of all living in modern slavery today.

Modern slavery has root causes including poverty, cultural perspectives, lack of protective safeguards and legislation. Other factors are that people mostly pushed to slavery are vulnerable mostly socially or they come from communities which exclude them and the governments of these countries are also responsible. Government's failure to ensure proper standards of social and economic justice is also a reason for slavery.

Reducing poverty and creating awareness about modern slavery can be an effective way to reduce modern slavery. Other than poverty also, there are other reasons, like in marriage sometimes women are forced to stay due to prevailing patriarchy or another reason like a migrant stuck in a foreign country forced to do the work he is unwilling to do because of threat of deportation.

So by reducing poverty, majority of slavery can be removed, like child slavery. But there are other causes also which need to be controlled like the patriarchal society, women and children being kidnapped and involved in humna trafficking, making people feel vulnerable.

Proper awareness about modern slavery should be spread and people should know their rights against slavery.