"The 2021 Global Estimates indicate there are 50 million people in situations of modern slavery on any given day, either forced to work against their will or in a marriage that they were forced into. This number translates to nearly one of every 150 people in the world," the IOM said in the report, adding that "forced labour accounts for 27.6 million of those in modern slavery and forced marriage for 22 million."
According to the study, 86% of forced labor are found in the private sector. Forced labor not associated with sexual exploitation accounts for 63% of all forced labor, while forced commercial sexual exploitation represents 23% of the total figure. Moreover, almost four out of five of those subjected to sexual exploitation are women or girls, the report said. Meanwhile, state-imposed forced labor accounts for 14% of people.
The study also indicated an increase of 6.6 million in the number of those living in forced marriage since the 2016 global estimates. The overwhelming majority (85%) of forced marriages was driven by family pressure. Although 65% of cases took place in Asia and the Pacific, the prevalence is highest in the Arab States, with 4.8 people out of every 1,000 in the region in forced marriage, the IOM study showed.
According to the report, migrant employees are over three times more vulnerable to be in forced labor and human trafficking than non-migrant workers presumably due to irregular or poorly governed migration or "unfair and unethical recruitment practices."
Based on the study, the UN proposed a number of measures that, if taken comprehensively, would facilitate the process of eliminating modern slavery. These include reviewing and enforcing laws and labor inspections, ending state-imposed forced labor, applying stronger measures to combat forced labor and trafficking in business and supply chains, raising the legal age of marriage to 18 years as well as promoting fair and ethical recruitment, and providing greater support for women, girls and vulnerable individuals.