According to the International Labour Organization, in 2016 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery, including 24.9 million in forced labor and 15.4 million in forced marriage. This is the largest number of people enslaved at any time in history. A crime that disproportionately affects women and girls, forced labor is deeply embedded in many companies’ supply chains, often (but not always) without their knowledge. (Many consumer products are produced with some forced labor. http://slaveryfootprint.org/) This UN report published in 2018, provides a comprehensive overview of the global problem.
