The world’s 20 richest countries are fueling forced labor and account for over half the estimated 50 million people living in “modern slavery,” according to a report released yesterday [Macau time].
The report by the Walk Free foundation, a rights group that focuses on modern slavery, said six members of the Group of 20 nations have the largest number of people in modern slavery – either in forced labor or forced marriage. India tops the list with 11 million followed by China with 5.8 million, Russia with 1.9 million, Indonesia with 1.8 million, Turkey with 1.3 million and the United States with 1.1 million.
“Most of the countries with lowest prevalence of modern slavery — Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, and Finland — are also members of the G20,” the report said.
Last September, a report by the U.N.’s International Labor Organization and International Organization for Migration and Walk Free estimated that 50 million people were living in “modern slavery” – 28 million in forced labor and 22 million in forced marriage.
“Modern slavery permeates every aspect of our society,” Walk Free Founding Director Grace Forrest said in a statement.
