Nasreen Sheikh recalls seeing the suffering woven into the fabric she stitched as a child in a Nepalese sweatshop, experiences that continue to shape her work advocating for those trapped in modern slavery. This week, Sheikh participated in the launch of the Global Slavery Index in London, a report compiled by the non-profit Walk Free, highlighting a crisis the organization says is fueled by factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflict.
The latest report estimates that 50 million people are currently living in modern slavery globally, a figure that has risen by 10 million since the last edition of the index in 2018. This includes 28 million people subjected to forced labor and 22 million in forced marriages. Walk Free attributes the increase to a failure of governments and business leaders to adequately address the issue.
The Global Slavery Index identifies countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery, citing North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kuwait as the worst offenders. These nations are characterized by poor records on human rights, creating environments where exploitation can flourish.
Modern slavery takes many forms, extending beyond traditional notions of chains and shackles. According to Anti-Slavery International, debt bondage is a particularly prevalent form of exploitation in the Asia-Pacific region, where an estimated 11.7 million people are currently enslaved. Forced labor is commonly found in sectors such as domestic work, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and entertainment.
The issue is particularly acute in Southeast Asia, where digital slavery is emerging as a significant concern. Investigations, such as those conducted by Deduktif, have uncovered transnational criminal networks involved in online scams that trap victims in forced labor. While tens of thousands of young people are believed to be affected, the issue receives limited coverage in Indonesian media, and the government’s response has been described as passive.
Recent reports indicate a surge in cases involving Indonesian citizens lured to other countries under false pretenses, only to be subjected to exploitative conditions. Thousands of Indonesians are reportedly held captive by scam syndicates, highlighting the growing scale of the problem.
Walk Free, co-founded by Grace Forrest, continues to advocate for greater action to combat modern slavery. The organization’s work, alongside that of individuals like Nasreen Sheikh, aims to raise awareness and hold governments and businesses accountable for addressing the root causes of exploitation.
