Global slavery Index 2016 - Estimated 18.35 million people are trapped in slavery in India
New Delhi, 31 May 2016 — An estimated 45.8 million men, women and children around the world are today trapped in modern slavery - 28% more than previously estimated. They are enslaved through human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced or servile marriage or commercial sexual exploitation. This is revealed in the 2016 Global Slavery Index, the flagship research report published today by the Walk Free Foundation.
In terms of absolute numbers, India remains the highest with an estimated 18.35 million enslaved people, followed by China (3.39m), Pakistan (2.13m), Bangladesh (1.53m) and Uzbekistan (1.23m). Combined, these five countries account for almost 58% of the world’s enslaved, or 26.6 million people.
The 2016 Global Slavery Index estimates that 28% more people are enslaved than reported in the 2014 edition. This significant increase is due to enhanced data collection and research methodology. Survey research for the 2016 Global Slavery Index included over 42,000 interviews conducted in 53 languages across 25 countries, including 15 state-level surveys in India. These representative surveys cover 44% of the global population.
Government response
The Global Slavery Index also tracks government actions and responses to modern slavery. Of the 161 assessed[2], 124 countries have criminalised human trafficking in line with the UN Trafficking Protocol and 96 have developed national action plans to coordinate government response.
While India remains the country with the highest number of enslaved people in absolute terms, it has made significant progress in introducing measures to tackle the problem. It has criminalised trafficking, child prostitution and forced marriage. The Indian government is massively reforming, consolidating and modernising its legislation against all forms of human trafficking which will also now include forced labour. The Indian government is also expanding the number of anti-trafficking units across the country and taking steps to create a central national investigation agency. The government is also working hard to improve its existing victim protection and recovery support.
Call to action
Mr Andrew Forrest, Chairman and Founder of Walk Free Foundation, said eradicating slavery makes sense, morally, politically, logically and economically, and called on the governments of the world’s leading economies to provide an example to others by enacting and implementing robust anti-slavery measures.
“We call on governments of the top 10 economies of the world to enact laws, at least as strong as the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, with a budget and capability to ensure organisations are held to account for modern slavery in their supply chains, and to empower independent oversight. Leaders of the world’s major economies must bring the power of business to this issue, by requiring a focus on supply chain transparency.”
“I believe in the critical role of leaders in government, business and civil society,” Mr Forrest said. “Through our responsible use of power, strength of conviction, determination and collective will, we all can lead the world to end slavery.”
Mr Forrest emphasised the key role that business needs to play in eradicating slavery: “Businesses that don’t actively look for forced labour within their supply chains are standing on a burning platform. Business leaders who refuse to look into the realities of their own supply chains are misguided and irresponsible.”
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Notes to Editors
Slavery exists in each of the 167 countries included in the Index
Highest prevalence:
Absolute numbers: 1. India (18.35m); 2. China (3.39m); 3. Pakistan (2.13m); 4. Bangladesh (1.53m); 5. Uzbekistan (1.23m).
Prevalence: 1. North Korea (4.37%); 2. Uzbekistan (3.97%); 3. Cambodia (1.65%); India (1.40%) Qatar (1.36%).
Lowest prevalence: 52. (All with 0.02% prevalence): Luxembourg; New Zealand; Ireland; Norway; Denmark; Switzerland; Austria; Sweden; Belgium; Australia; Canada; Spain; United Kingdom; France; Germany; US.
Strongest action: 1. Netherlands; 2. US; 3. UK; 4. Sweden; 5. Australia.
Weakest action: 161. North Korea; 160. Iran; 159. Eritrea; 158. Equatorial Guinea; 157. Hong Kong SAR, China.
India study:
Index rank
|
4
|
Estimated number of people in modern slavery
|
18.35 million
|
Vulnerability to modern slavery
|
51.53
|
Population
|
1,311,051,000
|
GDP (PPP) per capita (Int$)
|
US$5,700
|
· Industries implicated in the survey data include the domestic sector, the construction and sex industries, agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, manual labour, and forced begging.
· UP is a source, transit and destination state for modern slavery. UP’s 619 km stretch of open borders with Nepal, proximity to Bangladesh and New Delhi, and home to tourist destinations of Varanasi and Agra, facilitate the flow of vulnerable people and impede the ability of law enforcement to detect human traffickers.
· UP has the highest proportion of child marriages in India, with more than 2.8 million children married in the 10–19 years category.
· The 2011 Census showed that net migration out of Bihar stood at 1.7 million people, making it the second-highest state in India for out-migration.
· Bihar’s proximity to Bangladesh and its 800 km stretch of open borders with Nepal, facilitate the ease with which traffickers cross internationally without identification. Major transport hubs in these border areas have become hotspots for trafficking, as well as sites of commercial sexual exploitation.
· Debt bondage is reported to be widespread in Maharashtra, particularly in unregulated industries such as construction, agriculture, mining and brick manufacturing. For example, borrowing money for marriages, festivals and funerals is a common practice among some tribal groups in the State, which can result in debt bondage.
· The government of Maharashtra has made efforts to implement legal mechanisms to protect vulnerable populations from modern slavery. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have prepared a state action plan for the elimination of child labour.
About the Index:
The Global Slavery Index gives the most accurate and comprehensive measure of the extent and risk of modern slavery available today. It is the only global report of its kind, providing a country-by-country estimate of the number of people living in modern slavery today, an analysis of its prevalence in terms of the percentage of a national population and the total number of people enslaved in 167 countries. The Global Slavery Index also measures government responses and actions to combat modern slavery.
The prevalence estimates in the Index draw on over 42,000 face to face interviews conducted in 53 languages, covering 44% of global population. Where surveying could not be done, these results were extrapolated to countries with an equivalent risk profile. We develop that risk profile by looking at 24 variables, covering key indicators such as risk of corruption, conflict, discrimination and violence in the population.
We have tested our 2014 extrapolated results against later survey results - and they are within 1% of each other, when taken as a percentage of population which is what the Index measures. We use an internationally recognised company Gallup. All work is guided by an Expert Working Group of imminent statisticians and subject matter experts, and also has been subjected to external review. We have published our methodology in various peer reviewed journals.
The Global Slavery Index is a critical tool for governments, citizens, NGOs and businesses to end slavery. The methodology for the Index was developed through extensive consultations with an international and independent Expert Advisory Group.
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