Modern slavery is unseen because it's convenient

Fifty million people were living in modern slavery in 2021, according to the latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery. Of these people, 28 million were in forced labour and 22 million were trapped in forced marriage. Almost one in eight of all those in forced labour are children and more than half of these are in commercial sexual exploitation.

The number of people in modern slavery has risen significantly in the last five years. 10 million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 compared to 2016 global estimates. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable. Modern slavery also occurs in almost every country in the world, and cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious lines.

So why is this, why is slavery still with us despite all the efforts that have gone into eradicating it? And what should we be doing about it?

Sophie Otiende, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, and Grace Forrest, Founding Director of Walk Free, join us to explore the many reasons for the continued existence of modern slavery and the role we can all play in finally putting an end to it.