Modern slavery, forced marriages and child labor threaten the ability of countries to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This was the primary finding of a report released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The report stated that some 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery; 15.4 million people were living in a forced marriage; and 152 million children are forced into child labor.
“The message the ILO is sending today—together with our partners in Alliance 8.7—is very clear: The world won’t be in a position to achieve the SDGs unless we dramatically increase our efforts to fight these scourges,” ILO Director General Guy Rider said in a news statement.
The new estimates also showed that women and girls are disproportionately affected by modern slavery, accounting for almost 29 million, or 71 percent of the overall total.
Women represent 99 percent of the victims of forced labor in the commercial sex industry and 84 percent of forced marriages.
The research reveals that, among the 40 million victims of modern slavery, about 25 million were in forced labor and 15 million were in forced marriage.
Child labor remains concentrated primarily in agriculture (70.9 percent). Almost one in five child laborers work in the services sector (17.1 percent), while 11.9 percent of child laborers work in industry.
The highest number of children aged 5 to 17 engaged in child labor were to be found in Africa (72.1 million), followed by Asia and the Pacific (62 million), the Americas (10.7 million), Europe and Central Asia (5.5 million) and the Arab States (1.2 million).
Approximately one third of children aged 5 to 14 engaged in child labor are outside the education system. Thirty-eight percent of children in hazardous work aged 5 to 14 and almost two-thirds of those aged 15 to 17 work more than 43 hours
per week.
“This speaks to the deep seated discrimination and inequalities in our world today, coupled with a shocking tolerance of exploitation. This has to stop. We all have a role to play in changing this reality—business, government, civil society, every one of us,” Andrew Forrest AO, chairman and founder of the Walk Free Foundation said.
The new global estimates are a collective effort from members of Alliance 8.7, the global partnership to end forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labor.
It brings together key partners representing governments, UN organizations, the private sector, workers’ and employers’ organizations and civil society in order to achieve SDG Target 8.7.
The SDGs, or Global Goals, are set of 17 socioeconomic goals that 193 United Nations member- countries, like the Philippines, committed to meet by 2030. The goals are composed of around 169 targets and over 300 global indicators. The SDGs were adopted in September 2015.
The Global Goals aim to end poverty and hunger, promote universal health, education for all and lifelong learning, achieve gender equality, sustainable water management, ensure sustainable energy for all, decent work for all, resilient infrastructure and reduce income inequality between and among countries.
The goals also include create sustainable cities; ensure sustainable consumption and production; take action against climate change; conserve and sustainably use oceans and marine resources; reduce biodiversity loss; achieve peaceful and inclusive societies; and revitalize global partnership for development.