Skip to main content
Home

Main menu

  • Home
  • Who we are
    • Who we are
      • ETI's origins
    • Our members
      • Public reporting performance
    • Governance
    • Our team
      • ETI Board members
  • What we do
    • What we do
    • Membership
    • ETI initiatives
    • Events
    • Training
      • All courses
      • Human rights essentials
      • E-learning module: Access to remedy principles
      • Bespoke training
  • Join ETI
  • ETI Base Code
    • ETI Base Code
    • 1. Employment is freely chosen
    • 2. Freedom of association
    • 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
    • 4. Child labour shall not be used
    • 5. Living wages are paid
    • 6. Working hours are not excessive
    • 7. No discrimination is practiced
    • 8. Regular employment is provided
    • 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
  • Insights
    • Insights
    • Blog
      • Blog series: Protecting workers in high-risk areas
      • Blog series: Advancing living wages
      • Blog series: Gender equity across supply chains
    • Resources
      • Case studies
    • Issues
      • Human rights due diligence
      • Gender equity
        • Violence and harrassment
        • Gender data initiative
        • Gender equality - international standards
        • Gender equality - resources
      • Supply chain transparency
      • Grievance mechanisms & remedy
      • Union rights at work
      • Migrant workers
      • Child labour
      • A living wage for workers
        • Living wage initiatives
        • Living wage resources
        • Living wage standards
        • Wages and purchasing theories
      • COVID-19
      • Company purchasing practices
      • Modern slavery
        • Modern slavery and transparency standards
        • Modern slavery evaluation framework
        • Modern slavery initiatives
        • Modern slavery resources

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. insights
  3. blog

71% of modern day slaves are women: new statistics launched at UN General Assembly

  • Jane Moyo
  • 19 September 2017

It’s a shocking statistic: on any given day in 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery, of whom 71% were women.

This week sees the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations.

In addition to all the hoopla that inevitably surrounds such meetings, there will be important discussions on business and human rights – and on addressing modern slavery.

That’s why our Executive Director, Peter McAllister and Head of Knowledge and Learning, Cindy Berman are in New York. They’ll be contributing to the debate and discussing solutions.

Addressing and defining modern slavery

Today sees the launch of the ILO’s new global estimates of people in modern slavery – including forced labour and child labour.

Not only has the ILO estimated that 40.3 million people are working in forms of slavery, they have also broken that figure down by region, sector and gender.

71% of modern day slaves are women.

What’s also important is that the ILO has defined modern slavery.

Modern slavery is an umbrella term, covering the various forms of coercion prohibited in international instruments on human rights and labour standards.

That means slavery, and institutions and practices similar to slavery including forced labour and trafficking.

Read the detailed statistics and explanations at Alliance87.org.

New statistics a product of collaboration

As Cindy Berman makes clear, these new statistics are the product of an ILO collaboration with the Walk Free Foundation, which compiles the Global Slavery Index, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Cindy says: “It will end the confusion about which statistics to quote – Global Slavery Index or ILO.

“I hope it will also help with definitional clarity about what we mean by modern slavery, forced, child labour, sexual exploitation and trafficking.”

Follow the links to download our free business guides on addressing modern slavery and child labour.

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the latest from ETI via the following channels:
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Blog RSS

Related content

  • EU Forced Labour Regulation: Legislation factsheet
  • Base Code Guidance: Child labour
  • Human rights due diligence framework
  • Base Code Guidance: Modern slavery
  • Human rights due diligence in challenging contexts: Joint ETIs report
  • The dark side of the tomato trade – ETI responds to BBC documentary

Get the latest

Subscribe to our email newsletters and stay up to speed on ethical trade.
Subscribe

ETI elsewhere

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer

  • ETI Community
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Jobs at ETI
  • Press resources
  • Security & privacy
Other ETIs: Bangladesh, Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127