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Ending Modern Slavery in India

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Ending Modern Slavery in India Feature India There is evidence that practices such as bonded labour are still prevalent in India. Photograph: iStock/Boonyachoat lived and some of their children were being forced to work alongside them to Ending modern help repay the families’ debts. The case provided a sharp reminder that modern slavery – where people are exploited and completely controlled by slavery in India others, without being able to leave – remains a significant problem in India. According to the Global Slavery Although India has made huge efforts in Index, on any given day in 2016 there recent years to end modern slavery, the were nearly eight million people living in modern slavery in India. The Index, which Global Slavery Index estimates that around is produced by the Walk Free Foundation, a global anti-slavery campaigning eight million people in India were in some organisation, says this means there form of modern slavery in 2016. The British are an estimated 6.1 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in India. Safety Council asked three global experts Modern slavery is an umbrella term that essentially refers to situations how India can eradicate all forms of slavery. where people are exploited and completely controlled by others, Gajal Gupta The newspapers (tinyurl.com/ without being able to leave. It includes British Safety Council y6bkcuax), reported that many of forced labour, debt bondage (or bonded labour), human trafficking, those rescued had been forced to In July 2019, newspapers forced and early marriage and the sale work as labourers for several years to across India featured a shocking and exploitation of children. repay money they had borrowed from photograph of ‘Kasi’, an elderly man Common examples include people begging at the feet of officials who the owner of the woodcutting units. being forced to work against their had come to rescue him and over 40 According to the news reports, the will under the threat of some form other adults and children from being adult labourers were forced to work of punishment, in settings such as allegedly trapped in bonded labour long hours, were rarely allowed to agriculture and domestic service; people at woodcutting units in Tamil Nadu. leave the woodcutting units where they being held in debt bondage (bonded 6 Safety Management August 2019 Feature India labour), where they borrow money and The Index also warns that women, ? How serious is the problem are then required to work to pay off the especially those from economically of modern slavery in India? debt; and women being forced to marry disadvantaged and marginalised How successful has India against their will and to provide labour communities, still face an increased been in eradicating all forms under the guise of ‘marriage’. risk of exploitation and abuse. of slavery compared to The Global Slavery Index estimates For example, it says that illegal other countries that in 2016, 40.3 million men, women Sumangali schemes – where poor Lenin: In its latest report, the Global and children globally were victims of families sent their young daughters Slavery Index 2018 estimates that on modern slavery – 24.9 million of whom to work in factories for several any given day in 2016 there were nearly were in forced or bonded labour. years in return for the promise of a eight million people living in ‘modern The Index found that 10 countries bulk payment that can be used as a slavery’ in India. However, this claim – India, China, Pakistan, North Korea, ‘marriage dowry’ to attract a husband has been strongly contested by the Nigeria, Iran, Indonesia, Democratic – “often result in trapping women and Indian government on the grounds that Republic of the Congo, Russia, and girls in situations of debt bondage”. the report’s parameters were poorly the Philippines – account for almost Safety Management asked three defined and too wide-ranging. 60 per cent of all the people trapped in experts on modern slavery for their In its report, the Global Slavery modern slavery around the world. views on how India can eradicate Index says that the most current In its 2018 analysis of the extent all forms of modern slavery. available data from India’s National of modern slavery in India, the Global We interviewed: Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicate Slavery Index says that, while India has • Elise Gordon, a research analyst that there were 8,132 reported cases of criminalised most forms of modern at the Walk Free Foundation, a human trafficking across India in 2016. slavery, research suggests that philanthropic organisation that In the same year, 15,379 people practices such as bonded labour are campaigns to end modern slavery were trafficked, of whom 9,034 victims still prevalent. It adds that research around the globe, and publishes the were under the age of 18. In addition, suggests that a lack of employment Global Slavery Index that seeks to 23,117 people were rescued from opportunities in the organised sector measure the extent of modern slavery trafficking situations, of whom 14,183 is continuing to drive people to seek • Terry FitzPatrick, communications people were under the age of 18. employment in the unorganised sector, and advocacy director at Free Most of the rescued victims “where withholding of wages, debt the Slaves, a non-governmental reported being trafficked for the bondage, and physical and sexual organisation that works to end all purpose of forced labour (10,509 abuse at the workplace are common”. forms of slavery globally victims), followed by sexual The Index adds that discrimination • Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, founder exploitation for prostitution (4,980 against scheduled castes, Dalits and and CEO of the People’s Vigilance victims) and other forms of sexual scheduled tribes is still a characteristic Committee on Human Rights, a exploitation (2,590 cases). of Indian society, and this increases non-governmental organisation — the vulnerability of these marginalised in India that fights for the rights ? What kind of measures groups to being exploited by of marginalised people in can the Indian government unscrupulous employers. North Indian states. take to eradicate cases of modern slavery Elise: The Indian government’s response to preventing and dealing with modern slavery was ranked seventh out of the 36 countries in the Asia and the Pacific region, according to the Global Slavery Index 2018. The Index also ranked the Indian government’s response to preventing and responding to modern slavery at 67 out of the 181 countries around the world that were assessed for the Index. The Indian government has drafted legislation intended to address human trafficking and provide mechanisms for the identification, protection and rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking. The legislation intends to provide a comprehensive law on all forms of trafficking and to establish stricter penalties for aggravated forms Modern slavery includes people being forced to work to pay debts. Photograph: iStock/AlxeyPnferov of trafficking. August 2019 Safety Management 7 Feature India In its current form, the legislation Lenin: India needs to introduce a Lenin: It is a known fact that certain has been heavily criticised for its Modern Slavery Act as the UK has (see sectors and occupations are more potentially counter-productive and tinyurl.com/y4kh3fyt). dangerous than others. Protecting even harmful consequences – for The Indian government needs to workers in hazardous conditions – example, punishment for activities not establish a Modern Slavery Innovation in what is often known as the ‘3D’, necessarily associated with human Fund to experiment with new ways dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs – is trafficking, stemming largely from its to stop this crime. The government a primary focus of the International vague provisions and setting the bar of India also needs to work with Labour Organisation (ILO). too high for immunity for victims from businesses to end trafficking which will Therefore, priority is given to criminal prosecution. create a safer and more prosperous helping workers in the most hazardous Despite these criticisms, there is world for us all. sectors and occupations – such as a need for the Indian government to As a nation, India also needs to agriculture, construction, mining, brick amend and pass human trafficking respond to modern slavery in its supply kilns or where working relationships or legislation to ensure that it adequately chains. India does not have one central conditions create particular risks. The protects vulnerable groups. legislative framework governing public priority is also on emerging risks, the Terry: All governments need to procurement. Although government informal economy and new forms of recognise that modern slavery must be ministries and departments must the economy. confronted on three fronts. comply with the requirements of various Work-related accidents and diseases Firstly, the rule of law must be guidelines, manuals and the procedures take a particularly heavy toll in India, strengthened throughout the world. available for public procurement, none of where large numbers of workers Police and judges in every country must these currently refer to modern slavery. are concentrated in the activities have the training and resources they — mentioned above. India often lacks need to enforce existing laws to turn ? How serious are the health adequate technical and economic human trafficking into a high-risk activity. and safety risks faced by capacities to maintain effective national Secondly, companies must people trapped
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