December 2nd is a date that it should celebrate freedom and human dignity. Yet in 2024, World Anti-Slavery Day reminds us with stark reality that millions of people around the world are still trapped in modern forms of enslavement.
“Human trafficking. Forced labor. Sexual exploitation. Forced marriage. These scandalous abuses make no sense in the 21st century,” he denounces Antonio GuterresSecretary General of the United Nations.
An appeal that echoes in a world still marked by profound inequalities and injustices. According to data fromInternational Labor Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundationaround 50 million people are victims of modern slavery. Of these, 28 million are involved in forced labor and 22 million forced into forced marriages.
We are faced with a plague that knows no geographical, ethnic or religious boundaries. “Modern slavery occurs in almost every country in the world“, warns the UN, underlining that more than half of forced labor and a quarter of all forced marriages occur in high-income countries.
The new forms of slavery
If slavery was once associated with the image of people chained and sold as commodities, today its forms are often hidden. They nest in the folds of our economic system, fueled by globalization, poverty and discrimination.
The forced labor it is one of the most widespread events. Millions of people are forced to work in inhumane conditions, under the threat of violence and abuse, in sectors such as agriculture, construction, fishing and the textile industry. Often these are migrants, particularly women and children, who are deceived with false promises of work and then exploited mercilessly.
The sexual exploitation it is another dark face of modern slavery. Women and girls are forced into prostitution, often victims of human trafficking and violence. A lucrative business that fuels organized crime and leaves indelible wounds on the victims.
THE forced marriages they represent a form of slavery that especially affects women. Girls who are still children are forced to marry men much older than them, depriving them of the right to education, freedom and dignity. A practice that undermines fundamental rights and condemns victims to a life of suffering.
But modern slavery also hides in other forms, less obvious but equally devastating: domestic slaverythe debt bondageThe recruitment of child soldiers. All situations in which people are deprived of their freedom and dignity, reduced to mere objects in the hands of their exploiters.
A global phenomenon that requires global action
The fight against modern slavery is a complex challenge that requires concrete commitment from everyone: governments, international organizations, civil society and individuals.
“No one saves themselves and no one is free as long as someone is a slave,” writes Aldo Bonaiuto. A warning that reminds us that the fight against slavery is everyone’s battle, for a more just and supportive world.
Contemporary forms of slavery and the struggle for freedom
Modern slavery manifests itself in many forms, including:
- Forced labor: according to the ILO, in 2021 there were 27.6 million people victims of forced labor, of which 16.3 million were in the private sector and 11.3 million were exploited in economic activities imposed by the state or armed groups.
- Sexual exploitation: the ILO estimates that 4.8 million people are victims of forced sexual exploitation.
- Forced marriages: in 2021 there were 22 million people forced into forced marriages.
- Domestic slavery: an estimated 6.3 million people are victims of domestic slavery.
- Debt bondage: this form of slavery is particularly widespread in South Asia.
- Recruitment of child soldiers: UNICEF estimates that tens of thousands of children are used as soldiers in armed conflicts around the world.
To counter this phenomenon, the international community is taking several actions:
- The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes among its objectives the elimination of all forms of slavery and forced labor.
- The ILO has adopted several conventions for the protection of workers and the fight against forced labor.
- The UN has established a voluntary United Nations Trust Fund for victims of trafficking in persons, especially women and children.
- Various non-governmental organizations are engaged in the fight against modern slavery, through awareness-raising, prevention and assistance to victims.
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
World Anti-Slavery Day was established in 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly, following the approval of the Convention for the Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. Since then, every 2 December, the international community renews its commitment to fight this plague and promote the freedom and dignity of every human being.
The Day represents an important opportunity to reflect on the causes and consequences of modern slavery, to raise public awareness and to urge concrete actions from governments and institutions.
Pope Francis’ appeal: “No to slavery, yes to freedom”
Pope Francis also raised his voice against modern slavery, in a message sent on the occasion of World Anti-Slavery Day. “Slavery is not a fact of the past, but a tragic and shameful reality of our time,” stated the Pontiff.
Pope Francis invited us not to remain indifferent to this plague, to “”, but to “denounce and fight every form of exploitation and violence”.
“Freedom is a gift from God,” the Pope recalled, “and every person has the right to live it fully.”
