Why is it in the news?
- A study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) found that forced labour generates illegal profits worth $36 billion annually, a 37% increase since 2014.
More about the news
- Traffickers and criminals are estimated to generate close to $10,000 per victim, up from $8,269 a decade ago.
- Total annual illegal profits from forced labour are highest in Europe and Central Asia, followed by Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Arab States.
- Forced commercial sexual exploitation accounts for over two-thirds (73%) of total illegal profits, despite constituting only 27% of the total number of victims.
- Other sectors contributing to illegal profits from forced labour include industry, services, agriculture, and domestic work.
- The number of people engaged in forced labour increased by 2.7 million between 2016 and 2021, with 3.5 people for every 1,000 people in the world engaged in forced labour on any given day in 2021.
- The report stresses the need for investment in enforcement measures, strengthening legal frameworks, providing training for enforcement officials, extending labour inspection into high-risk sectors, and better coordination between labour and criminal law enforcement.
- Additionally, promoting fair recruitment processes and ensuring workers’ freedom to associate and bargain collectively are highlighted as essential measures to address the root causes of forced labour and safeguard victims.
