According to the heartbreaking new Global Slavery Index report, there are currently 30 million people around the world who live in slavery. Those enslaved globally include child soldiers, forced laborers, women who have been trafficked in brothels and even people who were born into mandatory servitude. Many are victims of kidnapping, exploitation, forced marriages and unfair debt bondages.
The report’s data shows that nearly half of the world’s slaves live in India, and that 75 percent of people trapped in slavery are found in just 10 countries: China (2.9 million), Pakistan (2.1 million), Nigeria (701,000), Ethiopia (651,000), Russia (516,000), Thailand (473,000), Democratic Republic of Congo (462,000), Myanmar (384,000) and Bangladesh (343,000). Nick Grono, CEO of the anti-slavery organization Walk Free, told Reuters that in order to enact meaningful change, it’s important that people be aware of the magnitude of the human rights issue. “This kind of data hasn’t been out there before. It’s a multi-year effort, and next year we’ll have a much better picture of where slavery is and what changes there are. If you can’t measure it, you can’t devise policy to address it” …
