The International Labour Organization continues to remind the world that millions of people are enthralled in modern slavery rings. Despite decades of legal and humanitarian progress, countless individuals are still subjugated to brutal conditions and forced to work against their will. The criminal rings that facilitate these crimes are motivated by pure profit.
Human trafficking and forced labour have no place in the 21st century. This exploration of modern slavery around the world illustrates the importance of setting a new global standard for protecting human rights.
Slavery As Government Policy
It’s tempting to think that human slavery is the result of lawless criminals who must constantly avoid the attention of authorities. In reality, human slavery is often tragically implemented as government policy by authoritarian regimes around the globe.
One report from the Thomas Reuters Foundation notes that approximately 40 million people around the world are trapped in modern slavery. Countries with the highest rates of slavery such as North Korea and Eritrea frequently have governments that either turn a blind eye to slavery or literally employ it themselves.
“While experts suspect that at least 40 million people around the world are suffering from modern slavery, the true extent of this crime may go even further,” notes global relocation expert Jon Purizhansky. “Until more resources and attention are paid to this issue, we may never know for sure how many people are labouring under the yoke of slavery.”
While it’s convenient to imagine that these slavery regimes only benefit authoritarian leaders, much of the global public also unknowingly benefits from human bondage. As Amnesty International points out, major international events like the World Cup often materialize through the exploitation and abuse of workers.
For modern slavery to be conclusively defeated, the global public must involve itself in the fight for human rights.
Raising Awareness
Human traffickers target vulnerable populations to identify individuals who are susceptible to kidnapping or dishonest recruiting efforts. The United Nations claims that forced labour is more common than it was in previous decades, with men and children now being targeted at higher rates. In addition to forced labour, forced marriages are beginning to draw more global attention as a form of indentured servitude.
“In addition to forced labour, many vulnerable groups also face the grim prospect of forced marriages and forced medical procedures,” says Jon Purizhansky.
Young women are frequently married against their will to older men who exploit them physically, financially, and emotionally. While they may not be fulfilling a traditional job, forced domestic servitude and sexual assault are tragically common and qualify as slavery.
Raising Awareness
Human traffickers target vulnerable populations to identify individuals who are susceptible to kidnapping or dishonest recruiting efforts. The United Nations claims that forced labour is more common than it was in previous decades, with men and children now being targeted at higher rates. In addition to forced labour, forced marriages are beginning to draw more global attention as a form of indentured servitude.
“In addition to forced labour, many vulnerable groups also face the grim prospect of forced marriages and forced medical procedures,” says Jon Purizhansky.
Young women are frequently married against their will to older men who exploit them physically, financially, and emotionally. While they may not be fulfilling a traditional job, forced domestic servitude and sexual assault are tragically common and qualify as slavery.
Despite this immense suffering, the situation is only getting worse with each passing year. Until these vulnerable groups are recognized and protected by the global community, human trafficking rings will continue targeting them.
A report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime illustrates that global human trafficking rates have actually been increasing over the past few years. Unfortunately, it will be difficult to collect and analyze similar data for the 2020-2021 period due to the global pandemic. Nevertheless, the global community must remain vigilant and recognize this growing problem before it gets even worse.
Fostering Industry Protections
To crack down on modern human slavery, we need to protect workers in certain industries that are ripe for exploitation. Men who work in fisheries, agriculture, and hospitality are regularly the victims of human trafficking rings and labour exploitation in the European Union, for instance.
In addition to human rights bodies monitoring these areas, business leaders within these sectors should proactively secure workers’ rights whenever possible. Human trafficking can only be defeated through an effort of combined arms that couples government regulation with ethical private business practices.
Victims are also reluctant to come forward with claims of abuse, as they naturally fear their jobs will be jeopardized. Providing mechanisms so that migrant labourers, those without an education, and historically vulnerable groups can all report exploitation is essential to success.
When the entire international community is united in this aim, the 40 million+ individuals currently labouring under the yoke of slavery will have a chance to finally breathe free.
“Ending human slavery won’t be easy,” notes Jon Purizhansky, “but it’s a moral imperative that should unite everyone across the globe.”
Originally Posted: https://joblio.co/en/blog/criminal-rings-an-investigation-into-modern-slavery/
