Slavery in our modern world · Issue 838

200 years after the abolition of slavery Samantha Shillabeer looks at the issues of slavery that still prevail in the 21st century

When the words ‘Slave Trade’ are mentioned you may think of the American Civil War or of the shipment of slaves from Africa to other parts of the British Empire.

Whatever your associations, it is seen very much as part of our history and, as the abolition of the Slave Trade celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, you would be forgiven for thinking that the problem has been left in the past. But the reality is that slavery is still very much alive today and for millions of people around the world it is a harsh fact of life.

According to the Anti-Slavery Society, “Although there is no longer any state which legally recognizes, or which will enforce, a claim by a person to a right of property over another, the abolition of slavery does not mean that it ceased to exist.

There are millions of people throughout the world – mainly children – in conditions of slavery, as well as in various forms of servitude which are in many respects similar to slavery.”

In fact, the slave trade is not just still in existence, but there are reports that it is actually on the rise. It is estimated that there are currently over 27 million people held as slaves today – a higher number than at the moment the abolition bill was passed.

The resurgence of the modern-day slave trade can be explained by rapid population growth and changes in the world’s economy over the past 50 years.

In the 18th Century, slaves were notoriously expensive to purchase, with the average slave in America costing $40,000. Today that figure is just $90.

This, along with the ease of transporting slaves, has left millions of economically and socially vulnerable people in danger of becoming part of this trade.

But what exactly is slavery? There is often confusion between low-wage workers in inhumane conditions and actual slavery. However, what distinguishes slaves from other poorly treated workers is their complete inability to escape; they are brought and sold as a commodity and held in actual physical bondage.

Slavery can affect people irrespective of age, sex or nationality, and at this very moment it is in existence in almost every country in the world.

The African Slave Trade was legally abolished in the early 1880s, but forced labour continues to be practised in West and Central Africa today. UNICEF estimates that 200,000 children from this region are sold into slavery each year.

Many of these are from the continent’s poorest countries like Benin and Togo, and are sold into the domestic, agricultural, and sex industries of wealthier neighbouring countries such as Nigeria and Gabon.

Reports from India have also found that between 200,000 and 300,000 children as young as five years old are kidnapped from their villages and held captive in locked rooms, forced to weave on looms for food.

Despite the illegality of the slave trade, the ‘business’ is often coordinated by national governments in order to meet the economic needs of the country.

In the Dominican Republic, the government collects cane-cutters for the busy harvest season. When the number of workers does not meet the harvest’s demand, the Dominican army is set into action. The army’s captives are forced to work at gunpoint and beaten if they try to escape.

These examples illustrate the horrors that slaves today have to endure. But perhaps the most astonishing fact is that slavery is not just happening in third world countries; it is widely practised in nations of world dominance too.

Human trafficking, the act of smuggling a person across a national border in order to force him or her into slavery is on the rise in countries such as the USA.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency estimates that 50,000 people a year are trafficked into or transited through America to be sold as sex, domestic, garment, and agricultural slaves.

These people are subject to the same horrific conditions and lack of freedom as slaves in the third world. The examples only illustrate a fraction of the problem.

Slavery is happening all over the world, despite that fact that it is not legal anywhere. So what action, if any, is being taken? And is it enough?

A quick search of Google provides hundreds of websites for organizations designed to promote awareness of the current slave trade.

Free the Slaves, an American non-profit organisation, states that: “We believe that ending slavery worldwide is an ambitious – and realizable – goal that requires a solid commitment.”

But in order to achieve commitment, people need to actually be aware of what is happening.

Why is the modern-day slave trade given such little publicity considering its extent? Non-profit organizations are doing their bit, but until the government and the public take a stand, like they did 200 years ago, the problem will just spiral further and further out of control.

This weekend celebrates the anniversary of the abolition of slavery, but for millions of people around the world being held against their will, so much more action still needs to be taken.