Modern-day slavery in rich countries is far higher than thought. The latest Global Slavery Index report found more than 40 million people across the world are living in slavery. The index, which is claimed to be the most comprehensive research project of its kind as it has been compiled after interviewing 71,000 people in 48 countries, claimed that citizens of United Kingdom have bought apparel items along with laptops and mobile phones worth billions of pounds last year, which may have been manufactured by using slave labour.
“The prevalence of modern slavery is driven through conflict and oppression, but it’s also derived in more developed countries by consumer demand,” reportedly maintained the Executive Director of research at Walk Free Fiona David, the organisation that produces the Global Slavery Index.
The Global Slavery Index claims that G20 countries annually import more than £ 272 bn of products from places with a high prevalence of modern slavery.
It may be mentioned here that there have been allegations of labour exploitation including forced labour is many textile and apparel manufacturing hubs across the globe. According to some reports forced labour and human trafficking for labour exploitation are believed to be extensive in countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, Lebanon, Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Sudan, Mauritius, etc.
Despite the G20 pledge to monitor human rights abuses in supply chains in 2017, 12 of the G20 countries have been found to have taken no action to stop businesses from sourcing goods made by slave labour.
“We must question why more is not being done to free the millions of people around the world that are trapped, abused and beaten down while being bought and sold to provide goods for businesses around the world,” reportedly said Kevin Hyland, the UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
