Many us think slavery is a thing the past. It isn't. A new report from the United Nations says there are 50 million people modern-day slavery. This includes being trapped forced labour or forced marriages. The International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency the UN. It created the report. The ILO said around one in 150 people in the world is enslaved some way. This figure has increased 20 per cent the past few years. It is still growing. This is because of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and the cost living crisis. These things have made many people poor or forced them debt. The only way they can survive is to work terrible conditions or be forced unwanted marriages.
The UN hoped to end modern slavery 2030. However, since creating this aim in 2016, the number of people forced labour or forced marriage shot up 10 million. The ILO said modern slavery happens when people "cannot refuse or cannot leave because threats, violence, deception, abuse of power or other forms [force]". The ILO said this problem existed in rich countries as well as poor nations. An ILO spokesperson said: "It would be a mistake to believe that forced labour is solely the problem poor countries." He added that more than half cases of forced labour and a quarter forced marriages are "upper-middle-income or high-income countries". Women and children are the most risk.
