Latest estimates by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) show that forced labour and forced marriage have increased significantly in the last five years. 10 million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 compared to 2016 global estimates, bringing the total to 50 million worldwide. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable.
Although modern slavery is not defined in law, it is used as an umbrella term covering practices such as forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking. Essentially, it refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power.
Modern slavery occurs in almost every country in the world, and cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious lines. More than half (52 per cent) of all forced labour and a quarter of all forced marriages can be found in upper-middle income or high-income countries.
ILO has adopted a legally binding Protocol designed to strengthen global efforts to eliminate forced labour, which entered into force in November 2016.
The annual global profit generated from forced labour is estimated at US$236 billion. This amount represents wages effectively stolen from workers, particularly affecting those already struggling to support their families. For migrant workers, it means less money being sent back home. Additionally, governments lose tax revenue due to the illegal nature of these profits, which can also foster further exploitation, empower criminal networks, and undermine the rule of law.
The Profits and Poverty report aims to shed light on these illegal gains. It reveals that the profits are alarmingly high and have surged over the past decade, driven by an increase in forced labour and higher profits per victim.
According to the ILO, there were 27.6 million people in forced labour worldwide in 2021. From 2016 to 2021, the number increased by 2.7 million, mostly due to privately imposed forced labour.
No region is exempt from the problem, with Asia and the Pacific having the highest number (15.1 million), followed by Europe and Central Asia (4.1 million), Africa (3.8 million), the Americas (3.6 million) and the Arab States (0.9 million). However, in terms of prevalence, forced labour is most common in the Arab States (5.3 per thousand), followed by Europe and Central Asia (4.4), the Americas and Asia and the Pacific (both 3.5) and Africa (2.9).
Most forced labour takes place in the private sector, with 86% of cases imposed by private actors – 63% for labour exploitation and 23% for sexual exploitation. State-imposed forced labour accounts for the remaining 14%. The main sectors affected are industry, services, agriculture and domestic work, which together account for 89% of forced labour cases. There are also smaller sectors such as forced begging and involvement in illegal activities.
