Modern Slavery

According to Walk Free Foundation, there are an estimated 45.8 million people enslaved around the world. The countries with the highest numbers of enslaved people are India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. Taken together, these countries account for 58% of enslaved people around the world. 

Modern slavery takes many forms and is known by many names: slavery, forced labor or human trafficking. Whatever term is used, the significant characteristic of all forms of modern slavery is that it involves one person depriving another people of their freedom: their freedom to leave one job for another, their freedom to leave one workplace for another, their freedom to control their own body.

The Index presents a ranking of 167 countries based on the proportion of the population that is estimated to be in modern slavery. The Global Slavery Index is based on state-of-the-art research methodology that has been developed with the assistance of an independent Expert Working Group, comprised of world leading experts. The methodology has also been subjected to independent external review. This estimate is based on data from nationally representative, random sample surveys conducted in 25 countries.