Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Fides Service) - Asia has sad world record of over 12 million people reduced to slavery or forced labour. More than 75% of Asian workers live and work under subhuman conditions. This was denounced by the International Labour Organisation based in Geneva which has called for a new global plan and alliance among governments, international institutions and trade unions to abolish the system of labour in illegality and slavery.
ILO says that many countries have no legislation against violation of rights and discrimination to which men women and children are subject in the labour market.
ILO says Asia has over 9.5 million people living in slavery. This is followed by South America and the Caribbean with 1.3 million; Sub-Saharan Africa with 660,000; the Middle East and North Africa 260,000. However the phenomenon is widespread also in industrialised countries (360,000) e and those with economies in transition (260,000 new slaves). ILO says that 40%-50% of the victims of labour slavery are minors under 18.
According to ILO director general Juan Somavia “forced labour denies people their fundamental rights and dignity”. He said that “to build globalisation which respects the human person it is imperative to eradicate forced labour and first step is to update national laws and eliminate the structural roots of the phenomenon”. The latest ILO report “Global alliance against forced labour” illustrates cases, context and persons involved and the social-economic and cultural aspects of the phenomenon. Farming, manufacturing, textiles are the sectors in which forced labour is most widespread but also sexual exploitation which increases the scourge of human trafficking. Another 2.5 million people are forced to work by paramilitary groups or rebels involved in the many wars being fought all over the world .
(PA)(Agenzia Fides 12/5/2005 righe 26 parole 252)
