According to the Global Slavery Index 2016, compiled by Australia-based human rights group Walk Free Foundation, India is the country with the greatest number of people – 18.3 million – living in some form of modern slavery.
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India now has the dubious distinction of topping the global slavery index with 1.85 crore people of the almost 4.6 crore people enslaved globally, a survey has found. Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a person can not leave because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception. This research incorporates data from standardised nationally representative random sample surveys on modern slavery, including forced marriage, for 25 countries which represent about 44 percent of the world population. It was followed by Uzbekistan, Cambodia and India.
However, in the context of the absolute number of people trapped in modern slavery, Malaysia ranks 50th, far behind countries like Indonesia, with 736,100 people, and Myanmar, with 515,100 people.
The foundation says it used Gallup to conduct interviews with about 42,000 people in 25 countries….in 53 languages.
Published yesterday by the Walk Free Foundation – a charitable organisation set up by Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest and his wife Nicola – the index is the only one of its kind.
“By 2020 the global consciousness of the existence of slavery will be so high, and the abhorrence of it will be so high, and the tolerance of it by then so low, that the fatal march of slavery will be under way”, he said.
With a population of over 252 million, 0.3 percent of Indonesia’s population is trapped in modern slavery practices.
Modern slavery includes people who are forced to work as prostitutes or domestic servants, or who are enslaved in debt bondage and compelled to work in factories or on farms. India has the highest number of people in slavery total.
China (3.39 million), Pakistan (2.13 million), Bangladesh (1.53) and Uzbekistan (1.23 million) follow India.
Forrest said: “It is time to draw a line and say, no more”. The 2015 Modern Slavery Act toughened up laws and increased the sentence for the worst offenders to life imprisonment.
By contrast the governments taking most action were the Netherlands, the United States, Britain, Sweden and Australia.
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“Business and governments both have a role to play”, David said. “Through our responsible use of power, strength of conviction, determination and collective will, we all can lead the world to end slavery”. Fifty eight percent (58%) of those living in slavery globally are located in these countries.
