A Global Alliance Against Forced Labour

An illuminating account of contemporary patterns of forced labour, this ground-breaking report provides, for the first time by an international organization, global estimates of the numbers of people in forced labour, broken down by geographical region and by form of forced labour.

Armed with these new global estimates and data, the report uncovers the gravity of the problem of today's forced labour where "ugly new faces" such as human trafficking, especially among migrant women, have appeared alongside the older forms. To move forward effectively, however- in terms of law, policy or practical action- the report recognizes that its is essential to understand the salient features of much of slavery and slavery-like practices. For this reason, a critical assessment of legal frameworks against forced labour is provided, as well as a review of measures taken for its eradication around the world.

A dynamic picture emerges, as the report examines in greater depth he three major categories of forced labour: that imposed by the State itself for economic, political or other purposes that linked to poverty and discrimination; and finally the forced labour linked to migration and trafficking of vulnerable workers across the world.