23 August: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
- There are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world
- An estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including 24.9 in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage.
- Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.
Slavery: the illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain
In Britain, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833 with the purpose of bringing an end to all forms of slavery.
Sadly, over 189 years later, as a result of poverty, armed conflict, and state-sponsored forced labour, it is estimated that over 9.2 million Africans still live as slaves. Today, slavery covers a wide range of abuse, exploitation (including sexual exploitation), domestic servitude, forced labour, criminal exploitation and organ harvesting. Despite these practices being widespread, slavery has remained a largely invisible issue, in part because it disproportionately affects the most marginalised members of society such as minorities, women, and children.
The main slave trade routes in Africa today are either by boat from The Gambia and Senegal to Europe, overland through Niger and Libya, or by flight from East Africa to the Middle East.
Partner Africa is committed to supporting the elimination of slavery and forced labour, especially in international supply chains, through both its audit and advisory programmes.
For more information on our work to end modern slavery, please get in touch.
