Sunday 20 October 2013

India among top ten countries where slavery is prevalent

30 million salves in the world

Slave labour has been officially outlawed worldwide for over a century in many countries and more recently in the last decade a number of western and African nations have made official apologies for their role in the salve trade.  However, it is estimated that close to 30 million people worldwide are still living under various forms of modern salve labour.

A recent article in The Indian Express ranks India in 4th category worldwide where salvery is still prevalent.  It is interesting to note that India is considered to have one of the best anti-slavery laws in the world, but due to poor enforcement of the laws, the practice prevails.  India has also the dubious record of the highest bondage-labour in the world, with half of the world's salve labour population being in India.  The salient points highlighted by the article are:

* With an estimated 13.9 million slaves, India is home to almost half the world's slave population.
* Almost all forms of slavery are prevalent, ranging from inter-generational bonded labor to sex trafficking, child labor and forced marriage.
* Experts say India has excellent anti-slavery laws but enforcement is sporadic and inconsistent. It remains one of the few nations not to have ratified the Worst Forms of Child Lab our Convention.