UNDERSTANDING
MODERN SLAVERY

WHAT IS
MODERN SLAVERY?
Modern slavery refers to situations ofexploitation that a person cannot refuseor leave because of threats, violence,coercion, deception, or abuse of power.
It is a hidden crime that affects every
country in the world. Modern slavery has
been found in many industries, including
garment manufacturing, mining, andagriculture, and in many contexts, fromprivate homes to settlements for internallydisplaced people and refugees. Modernslavery impacts on all of us, from the foodwe consume to the goods we purchase.
It is everybody’s responsibility to addressand eliminate this crime where it occurs.

Modern slavery is an umbrella term and includes:• human trafficking• slavery and slavery-like practices• forced labour• debt bondage• worst forms of child labour• forced marriage
The International Labour Organization and Walk
Free estimated that 40.3 million people werevictims of modern slavery in 2016.
24.9 million of these individuals
were in forced labour.
One in four victims were children.
Women and girls accounted for 71 per cent ofmodern slavery victims.
For further information visit,www.walkfree.org

Photo credit: John Salvino

DEFINITIONS OF
MODERN SLAVERY
Human trafficking:Defined by the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol
as involving recruitment, transportation, transfer,harbouring, or receipt of persons:• by means of threat or use of force or otherforms of coercion• with the intent of exploiting that person forsexual exploitation, forced labour, or slavery,
among others forms.
The recruitment, transportation, transfer,harbouring, or receipt of a child for the purposeof exploitation shall be considered “trafficking inpersons” even if this does not involve threat, use offorce or, coercion.

Slavery and slavery-like practices:
Defined in the 1926 Slavery Convention as thestatus or condition of a person over whom any or allof the powers attaching to the right of ownershipare exercised. In a later treaty, states agreed that
there are also certain “slavery-like practices”:
debt bondage, forced or servile marriage, saleor exploitation of children (including in armed
conflict), and descent-based slavery.

Forced labour:
All work or service that is conducted undermenace of penalty and for which the person has
not offered themselves voluntarily.

Debt bondage:
Status or condition where one person has pledged
their labour or services (or that of someone under
their control), in circumstances where the fairvalue of that labour or service is not reasonably
applied to reducing the debt or length of debt, or
the length and nature of the service is not limited
or defined.

Worst forms of child labour:
Drawing on the 1999 Convention on Worst Formsof Child Labour, it includes situations wherechildren are:• exploited through slavery or slavery-likepractices, including forced recruitment ofchildren for use in armed conflict• used, procured, or offered for prostitution• used, procured, or offered for illicit activities
including production and trafficking of drug
• engaged in hazardous work which may harm
their health, safety or morals

Forced marriage:
Any situation where persons, regardless of age,have been forced to marry without their consent.

LEARN MORE: WHERE DOES
FORCED LABOUR FIT?

Forced labour happens at the most extreme endof a spectrum that ranges from decent work toserious criminal exploitation.

Forced labour

Worker cannot refuse or cease work because of coercion, threats or deception
Worker may also be deprived of personal freedom

Dangerous orsub standard
working contitions

Worker can refuse or cease work but doing so may lead to detrimentWorker is not paid fairly and does not receive some or all entitlements
Worker may be required to work excessive hours
Workplace is unsafe

Decent work

Workers’ rights respected
Worker free to refuse or cease work
Worker paid fairly (at least minimum wage)
Workplace is safe

For more detail see:• Minderoo Foundation, Global Slavery Index 2018
• International Labour Organisation and Walk Free Foundation 2017,
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery.

WALKFREE.ORG