An alarming report released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) reveals that illegal profits from forced labor have surged to a staggering $236 billion per year globally. This figure represents a 37% increase compared to the last estimate published a decade ago, with sexual exploitation accounting for three-fourths of the total profits.
The report highlights the devastating impact of forced labor, which not only deprives migrants of their hard-earned money but also displaces legal workers and enables criminals to evade taxes. The ILO emphasizes that this illicit industry perpetuates cycles of poverty, exploitation, and corruption, ultimately undermining human dignity.
Forced labor, defined as work imposed against the will of the employee under threat of penalty, affects an estimated 27.6 million individuals worldwide. The Asia-Pacific region harbors over half of these victims, while Africa, the Americas, and Europe-Central Asia each account for 13-14%.
Of particular concern is the prevalence of sexual exploitation, which generates nearly three-quarters of the global profits from forced labor. The report reveals that 6.3 million people, predominantly girls and women, are subjected to forced commercial sexual exploitation, with children comprising over a quarter of the cases.
While the industrial sector ranks second in profits from forced labor at $35 billion, services, agriculture, and domestic work also contribute significantly to this illicit trade. The ILO stresses that no region or economic sector is immune to the scourge of forced labor.
Despite efforts by some countries, including the United States, to combat forced labor, the ILO warns that the world remains far from achieving the UN's goal of eradicating forced labor by 2030. The European Union is on the brink of implementing new regulations aimed at curbing forced labor, underscoring the urgent need for global cooperation to address this pressing issue.
In response to the report, Valdis Dombrovskis of the European Commission condemned forced labor as a violation of social justice, emphasizing that business should never come at the expense of workers' rights and dignity.
