Modern slavery on the rise amid ‘unfit’ Western laws: Expert

LONDON, UK - MAY 1: Modern slavery happens in nearly every country in the world, regardless of ethnicity, culture, or religion. In fact, more than half (52%) of all forced labor and a quarter of all forced marriages can be found in upper-middle income or high-income countries, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). In the last few years especially, the number of people in modern slavery has risen significantly. In 2021, 10 million more people were in modern slavery compared to 2016 global estimates, according to the organization. In that same year, 50 million people were living in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labor and 22 million in forced marriages, said the ILO. The ILO reported that most cases of forced labor (86%) are found in the private sector. Forced labor in sectors other than commercial sexual exploitation accounts for 63% of all forced labor, it said, while forced commercial sexual exploitation represents 23% of all forced labor, with nearly four out of five of those in forced commercial sexual exploitation being women or girls. State-imposed forced labor accounts for 14% of people in forced labor, said the ILO. ​​​​​​​ Nearly one in eight of all those in forced labor are children (3.3 million), with more than half estimated to be victims of commercial sexual exploitation, it said. Aidan McQuade, one of the leading antislavery voices and the author of the book Ethical Leadership: Moral Decision-making Under Pressure, told Anadolu that the increase is due to the political economy, outdated laws, customs, and “the policies which facilitate this.” Several factors played a significant part in creating an environment in which people can be exploited and enslaved, said McQuade, adding that tight visas make migrant workers particularly vulnerable to their employers being exploited. (Footage by Leila Nezirevic/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)