Some 35.8 million people are currently trapped in modern-day slavery, forced to pick cotton, grow cannabis and prostitute themselves among other things, a new report says.
The 2014 Global Slavery Index (GSI), in its second annual report, said new methods showed some 20 percent more people were enslaved across the world than originally thought.
The foundation's definition of modern slavery includes slavery-like practices such as debt bondage, forced marriage and the sale or exploitation of children, as well as human trafficking and forced labor.
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The report, which covers 167 countries, said modern slavery contributed to the production of at least 122 goods from 58 countries.
The biggest offender, with the highest proportion of its population enslaved, remains the West African nation Mauritania. Mauritania has anti-slavery legislation but it is rarely enforced and a special tribunal set up in March has yet to prosecute any cases, the report said.
Uzbekistan is the second offender on the list because every autumn, the government forces over one million people, including children, to harvest cotton.
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Countries like Qatar in the Middle East were a major destination for men and women from Africa and Asia who are lured with promises of well-paid jobs only to find themselves exploited as domestic workers or in the construction industry.
The highest numbers of modern slaves were found in India with an estimated 14.29 million enslaved.
Find out more about modern slavery @ PAGE 3
Source: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/11/18/modern-slavery-millionstrappedtoday.html
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