Context
According to a research paper, titled ‘Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour’, released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), forced labor earns illegal earnings of $36 billion each year.
About International Labour Organization (ILO)
- About: It was established in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles that concluded World War I, to reflect the notion that universal and enduring peace can only be achieved through social justice.
- Goal: To promote social justice and internationally recognised human and labor rights, based on its basic goal that labor peace is critical to prosperity.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
- Member States: The ILO has 187 state members.
- Status of India in ILO: India was a founding member of the International Labour Organisation and has served as a permanent member of its Governing Body since 1922.
- Flagship reports:
- Global Wage Report
- World of Work Report
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About Bonded Labour
- Definition: A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labor is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan.
- The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay.
- Constitutional Provisions: Bonded labour is prohibited in India by law vide Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution.
- Laws Governing Bonded Labour: Bonded labour is a type of contemporary slavery that has been prohibited in India since 1976, when the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act was enacted.
- Data on Bonded Labour in India: According to Union government figures, 315,302 persons were released from bonded work between 1978 and January 2023, with 94% of them rehabilitated.
Key Findings of the Research
- Earning Estimates of Traffickers: Traffickers and criminals earn close to $10,000 per victim, up from $8,269 (adjusted for inflation) a decade earlier.
- Contribution of Forced Commercial Sexual Exploitation: The survey also said that forced commercial sexual exploitation contributes for more than two-thirds (73%) of overall illicit profits, despite accounting for only 27% of all victims in privately imposed work.
- Data on Forced Labour: There were 27.6 million individuals involved in forced labor on any given day in 2021, which equates to 3.5 people for every 1,000 people worldwide.
- Increased Investments in Enforcement Measures: The report also emphasizes the critical need for increased investment in enforcement measures to halt unlawful profit flows and hold criminals accountable.
Recommendation
- Strengthening of Legal Frameworks: It has advocated for stronger legal frameworks, training for enforcement officers, expanding labor inspection into high-risk areas, and improving coordination between labor and criminal law enforcement.
- Enforcement actions: Enforcement actions must be part of a comprehensive approach that prioritizes addressing root causes and safeguarding victims.
- Promoting Worker Freedom and Collective Bargaining: Ensuring the freedom of workers to associate and to bargain collectively is also essential to building resilience to the risks of forced labor.
Also Read: ILO World Employment And Social Outlook Report
21 Mar 2024
