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ILO says forced labour generates annual profits of US$ 150 billion

21 May 2014 08:16 (UTC +04:00)

It’s about three times more than previously estimated, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), APA reported.

Two thirds of the estimated total of US$ 150 billion, or US$ 99 billion, came from commercial sexual exploitation.

Significantly, the new estimate indicates that more than half of the people in forced labour are women and girls, primarily in commercial sexual exploitation and domestic work, while men and boys were primarily in forced economic exploitation in agriculture, construction, and mining.

The report highlights income shocks and poverty as the main economic factors that push individuals into forced labour.

“If we want to make a significant change in the lives of the 21 million men, women and children in forced labour, we need to take concrete and immediate action,” the ILO Director-General said. “That means working with governments to strengthen law, policy and enforcement, with employers to strengthen their due diligence against forced labour, including in their supply chains, and with trade unions to represent and empower those at risk.”