According to a study, global crises such as the corona pandemic, climate change and military conflicts are driving more and more people worldwide into conditions similar to slavery.
According to a study, global crises such as the corona pandemic, climate change and military conflicts are driving more and more people worldwide into conditions similar to slavery. “50 million people worldwide live in modern slavery, that’s 10 million more than five years ago,” the human rights organization Walk Free said on Wednesday. The main reason for this development is that people are being driven out and forced into “unplanned migration”. This increases the risk of exploitation.
According to the organization, the ten countries with the highest rates of modern slavery are North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Afghanistan and Kuwait. However, the problem also affects richer countries and because of the global supply chains, European countries and especially the USA are making a significant contribution.
“The United States was by far the largest importer of risk products,” Walk Free said. According to the activists, among the goods identified, which are often produced in connection with forced labor, are primarily electronics and clothing, but also palm oil and solar cells.
“Modern slavery permeates every aspect of our society,” said Walk-Free CEO Grace Forrest. “It’s woven into our clothing, illuminates our electronics, and flavors our food.”
Climate change is a particular contributor to exploitation: “Increasingly severe weather events are driving communities out and increasing the risk of modern slavery,” the organization said. At the same time, it is often sectors with a high risk of forced labor, such as mining and logging, that also contribute to the deterioration of the climate.
Activists are calling for stronger regulatory intervention in supply chains to prevent exploitation. “In recent years, Australia, Canada, Germany and Norway have enacted legislation to hold companies and governments accountable for exploitation in global supply chains.” This is a step in the right direction, but is far from enough.