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Contemporary forms of slavery fact sheet no. 14

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Slavery was the first human rights issue to arouse wide international concern. Yet, in the face of universal condemnation, slavery-like practices remain a grave and persistent problem in the closing years of the twentieth century. The word "slavery" today covers a variety of human rights violations. In addition to traditional slavery and the slave trade, these abuses include the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography, the exploitation of child labour, the sexual mutilation of female children, the use of children in armed conflicts, debt bondage, the traffic in persons and in the sale of human organs, the exploitation of prostitution, and certain practices under apartheid and colonial régimes. Slavery-like practices may be clandestine. This makes it difficult to have a clear picture of the scale of contemporary slavery, let alone to uncover, punish or eliminate it. The problem is compounded by the fact that the victims of slavery-like abuses are generally from the poorest and most vulnerable social groups. Fear and the need to survive do not encourage them to speak out. There is enough evidence, however, to show that slavery-like practices are vast and widespread. Just one figure tells a grim story: 100 million children are exploited for their labour, according to a recent estimate by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). As a contribution to the campaign to raise public awareness of human rights issues, this Fact Sheet describes the modern forms of slavery, as well as the work done at the international level to halt and prevent it. There are also suggestions for private groups and individuals who can help by their action to build a universal human rights order in which slavery-like practices will no longer be tolerated.

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Availability

KP.1 000145

KP.1 INT c

My Library

Available

Detail Information

Series Title

World Campaign for Human Rights

Call Number

KP.1 INT c

Publisher

Jenewa : United Nations., 2006

Collation

15p. ; 21cm

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

10145667

Classification

KP.1

Content Type

-

Media Type

-

Carrier Type

-

Edition

-

Subject(s)

Hak asasi manusia
slavery

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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