New global index exposes 'modern slavery' worldwide

[Dillinger]

New global index exposes 'modern slavery' worldwide



Nearly 30 million people around the world are living as slaves, according to a new index ranking 162 countries.

The Global Slavery Index 2013 says India has the highest number of people living in conditions of slavery at 14 million.

But Mauritania has the highest proportional figure with about 4% of its population enslaved.

The report's authors hope it will help governments tackle what they call a "hidden crime".



Estimated number of "slaves"

India - 13,956,010
China - 2,949,243
Pakistan - 2,127,132
Nigeria - 701,032
Ethiopia - 651,110
Russia - 516,217
Thailand - 472,811
DR Congo - 462,327
Burma - 384,037
Bangladesh - 343,192

The index was compiled by Australian-based rights organisation Walk Free Foundation using a definition of modern slavery that includes debt bondage, forced marriage and human trafficking.

"A lot of governments won't like hearing what we have to say," WFF chief executive Nick Grono told the French news agency Agence France-Presse.

"Those governments that want to engage with us, we will be very open to engaging and looking at ways in which we can better measure the issue of modern slavery."

The organisation's estimate of 29.8 million slaves worldwide is higher than other attempts to quantify modern slavery. The International Labour Organisation estimates that almost 21 million people are victims of forced labour.

India, China, Pakistan and Nigeria have the highest numbers of people enslaved, the charity said.


Proportional ranking

Mauritania
Haiti
Pakistan
India
Nepal
Moldova
Benin
Ivory Coast
The Gambia
Gabon

Together with five other countries, they account for three-quarters of the total estimated number of people in modern slavery worldwide.

The report said India's ranking was mostly due to the exploitation of Indians citizens within the country itself.

While the highest proportion of slaves is in Mauritania, with many people inheriting slave status from their ancestors, Haiti is second in the index and Pakistan is third.

The new survey has the backing of world figures including former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mrs Clinton said that although the index was not perfect, it provided a starting point, according to the Associated Press.

"I urge leaders around the world to view this index as a call to action, and to stay focused on the work of responding to this crime."

BBC News - New global index exposes 'modern slavery' worldwide

While the title is admittedly alarming if one does not know the meaning of "modern slavery" and the index itself is described as not being the paragon of accuracy it is still a sobering revelation.

Modern slavery refers to-

1) Forced or indentured labor.

2) Trafficking, particularly of women for sexual exploitation and/or forced marriages leading to various types of exploitation of women.

3) Labor for less than adequate consideration- under duress or coercion.


REASONS FOR PREVALENCE IN INDIA, IN MY OPINION:-

1) Existence of a large populace which has been rendered ripe for such exploitation through hundreds of years of caste based discrimination. Which has left them devoid of any accumulated resources, educated base and ergo easy to exploit particularly in rural areas where discriminatory practices are still prevalent in the society.

2) Absolute intransigence on the part of the government (all which have held power till date) for any labor reforms with good coverage, any reforms are limited to the organised and unionized sectors whereas a large swath of the workforce is left without coverage.

3) High income and wealth disparity along with a pusillanimous populace which can be easily co-opted or distracted.

 

[Ayush]

i agree. have seen many such slaves in india

 

[Gautam]

So India is #4 in per capita?


I dont think those Chinese are included in this survey who are forced to surf the internet and post non stop on forums. If they include that online army, it would be a different picture.

 

[Dillinger]

So India is #4 in per capita?


I dont think those Chinese are included in this survey who are forced to surf the internet and post non stop on forums. If they include that online army, it would be a different picture.

How about we stick to our problems and leave the much maligned 50 cent army alone? Why should we care what the Chinese or the Martians are up to? The only reason they have found mention in this thread is because the news article mentions them- other than that its not really our business. Lets talk about our issues, leave others to theirs' if they are interested.

 

[Gibbs]

Not trying to white wash them of their crimes against humanity.. But people are equally quick to point fingers at modern western democracies for their racism, slavery and colonialism.. Maybe it's time to stop blaming our social ills on them.. I mean given that most of these countries mentioned are governed by their own people for a good side of half a century

 

[Gautam]

How about we stick to our problems and leave the much maligned 50 cent army alone? Why should we care what the Chinese or the Martians are up to? The only reason they have found mention in this thread is because the news article mentions them- other than that its not really our business. Lets talk about our issues, leave others to theirs' if they are interested.

Ghussa kyu ho rha hai bhai
.. me to mazaak kar rha tha

 

[Not Sure]

3) Labor for less than adequate consideration- under duress or coercion.

Oh... My... God!!! Per that criterion alone, over 90% of the world population must be going through slavery

 

[Dillinger]

Oh... My... God!!! Per that criterion alone, over 90% of the world population must be going through slavery

I am sure that you understand what the sentence actually means and posits.

 

[Not Sure]

I am sure that you understand what the sentence actually means and posits.

No sir, I do not. Could you please elaborate on it?

 

[Kompromat]

@Dillinger

Its our collective shame.

 

[Dillinger]

@Dillinger

Its our collective shame.

That maybe so but I think the least that can be done is that the people here from the mentioned nations discuss the issue, specially as it pertains to them. At least let us acknowledge it.

No sir, I do not. Could you please elaborate on it?

Yaara, there are laborers who work for very little compensation which would violate any norm of fair consideration or compensation which is established or recognized, hell in our country there are "sectors" where there are no such norms. Ergo a man might end up toiling for a pittance or for "anaaj" without any real pay- for many reasons- for eg. paying back a loan shark or under duress if he is underage.

 

[AUz]

Pakistan only has two million? What about haaris in Sindh? Whole agricultural sector of Pakistan, controlled by feudals, is running on slavery.

Pretty bad.

 

[Imran Khan]

and some 1bn people are slaves of their wives

 

[nair]

and some 1bn people are slaves of their wives

Lagtha hein IK shaadi karne valohmese nahin hein....

 

[Hafizzz]

India tops Global Slavery Index

LONDON: An estimated 30 million people worldwide are living in modern-day slavery, according to the inaugural Global Slavery Index published yesterday.

The index, compiled by the Walk Free Foundation (WFF), said that while India by far had the largest number of enslaved people, the problem was most prevalent in the west African nation of Mauritania, where four percent of the population was deemed to be held in slavery.

The WFF hopes the index will help governments to monitor and tackle what it calls a “hidden crime”. “A lot of governments won’t like hearing what we have to say,” Chief Executive Nick Grono said.

Established in May last year, the WFF is a 20-strong team based in Perth, founded by philanthropists Andrew Forrest — the chairman of Fortescue Metals Group — and his wife Nicola. It has the backing of former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Britain’s ex-prime minister Tony Blair, current Australian PM Tony Abbott and philanthropists Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Mo Ibrahim.

The foundation’s definition of modern slavery includes slavery itself, plus slavery-like practices — such as debt bondage, forced marriage and the sale or exploitation of children — human trafficking and forced labour.

The countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery were Mauritania, Haiti, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Moldova, Benin, Ivory Coast, Gambia and Gabon. Moldova was the only European nation in the top 10.

The index describes Mauritania as a nation with “deeply entrenched hereditary slavery”, while “people in slavery may be bought and sold, rented out and given away as gifts”. Russia came 49th, China 84th, United States 134th, France 139th and Britain joint bottom on 160.

In terms of total numbers, the countries with the most people in modern slavery were estimated to be India (13.95 million), followed by China (2.95 million) and Pakistan (2.1 million). The report estimated that 72 percent of people in modern slavery live in Asia.

In India, “by far the largest proportion of this problem is the exploitation of Indian citizens within India itself, particularly through debt bondage and bonded labour”, the report said.

Among the top 10, the WFF said Moldova and Ivory Coast were working hard to address the issue, but efforts in the top three — Mauritania, Haiti and Pakistan — are “token at best and non-existent at worst”, the report said.