The Reality of Human Trafficking: Reports Show 50 Million Enslaved Globally in 2021

New staggering figures reveal the shocking scale of global human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation.

Recent data from a collaborative study by the International Labor Organization, the U.N. International Organization for Migration, and Walk Free Foundation reveals an unsettling reality: in 2021 alone, a staggering 27.6 million individuals were subjected to forced labor. These figures also expose the devastating impact on children, with roughly 3.3 million minors forced into labor, half of whom suffered sexual exploitation.

The Global Slavery Index, assembled by the Walk Free Foundation, further details the grim picture. In 2021, they estimate that 50 million individuals, or 1 in every 150 people, lived under conditions of modern slavery. Forced labor and marriages, particularly prevalent in Arab states, were the chief contributors.

These numbers, however, bring with them debates on definitions, as “modern slavery” lacks legal definition under both U.S. and international law.

North Korea tops the list of countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery, followed by Eritrea and Mauritania. The G20 countries are home to over half of all modern slavery victims, led by India and China.

In response, the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report evaluates countries based on their efforts to combat trafficking. The worst performers, classified as Tier 3, include Afghanistan, Algeria, Belarus, and China among others.

Tackling this global crisis calls for a collective effort across governments, businesses, and civil societies, creating a global coalition that can challenge this exploitation.

Pray for the end of human trafficking!

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