Global Slavery Index 2023 & Modern Slavery

Source-G20 countries including India are fuelling modern slavery

Q. Context:

·      Walk Free Foundation released the Global Slavery Index 2023, an assessment of modern slavery conditions in 160 countries.

·   The Global Slavery Index 2023 shows the world’s 20 richest countries account for more than half the estimated 50 million people living in ‘modern slavery’

Q. What is Modern Slavery?

·    While there is no singular internationally recognised definition of modern slavery, it includes practices of forced labour, forced marriage, debt bondage, commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, and the sale and exploitation of children — any situation where threats, violence, coercion and deception prevent a person from refusing or leaving.

Q. Important Highlights of the index:

·       50 million people are living in conditions of modern slavery — a 25% rise over the last five years.

·     The Group of 20 nations are contributing to this increase, as their trade operations and global supply chains allow for human rights abuses.

·       Among the G20 nations, India tops the list with 11 million people working as forced labourers, followed by China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey and the U.S.

·       The increase of 10 million people is due to compounding crises — “more complex armed conflicts, widespread environmental degradation, assaults on democracy in many countries, a global rollback of women’s rights and the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic”. Forced labour exists in all countries and is “deeply connected to demand from higher-income countries”.

·     The index uses data released by the International LabourOrganisation (ILO), Walk Free, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) last year to illustrate how “modern slavery is hidden in plain sight”. The data gains significance as India holds the G20 presidency this year, with a focus on sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

Q. Example/Case Study:

·     The textiles industry, where reports describe conditions of forced and unpaid work, health and safety risks, poor wages, lack of benefits (such as maternity leave) and debt bondage. The “Sumangali” scheme in Tamil Nadu, for instance, was previously criticised for trapping women and girls from marginalised locations into working in exploitative conditions in spinning mills. “Today G20 countries are collectively importing $148 billion worth of apparel goods and $13 billion worth of textiles at risk of being produced by forced labour every year,” the report notes.

·     Similarly, “at risk” products include gold, electronics, palm oil and solar panel — where the motivation to reduce costs and meet global demand creates conditions of “forced labour, trafficking, and the worst forms of child labour”.

Q. India’s stance on modern slavery?

·    India passed the Bonded Labour Abolition Act of 1976 that prohibits the practice of bonded and forced labour, and identifies responsibilities of State Governments to form vigilance committees. The Act was amended in 1985 to include contract and migrant workers. India also has a Central scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour, one part of which includes providing financial assistance to the rescued individual (the 2016 amendment increased the amount of funds).

·      The Supreme Court has previously ruled that non-payment of minimum wages amounts to “forced labour” under Article 23 of the Constitution.

Q. What is the issue ?

·   However, activists have noted problems with implementation of laws due to corruption, apathy, legal loopholes and lack of political will. The 1976 Act, for instance, is used to criminalise offenders but is “neither the best way to address exploitation nor to achieve SDG 8.7 [ending forced labour and modern slavery] as it often ends up hurting the very poor and vulnerable sections of society that it is meant to protect.

Q. What is the solution?

·      To fight modern slavery practices, we need south-south cooperation which can end the race to the bottom of labour rights for attracting foreign investments.”

·  This involves more transparency in value chains, social security for workers at all stages, and holding corporations accountable in multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements.

·    The Walk Free report recommends implementing stronger measures and legislations that prevent governments and business from sourcing goods and services linked to modern slavery. Other suggestions include embedding anti-slavery measures in climate change sustainability plans, providing primary and secondary education to children and tightening regulations around forced and child marriage.

·     There is also a need to property identify and ennumerate people stuck in modern slavery conditions. States like Tamil Nadu have initiated plans to conduct a survey; India’s last national survey of bonded labour was done in mid-90s

·   The road to preventing forced labour goes through “rights of access to public goods which include food, shelter, education and health and the right to access to global commons and decent work”.