20 of the world’s richest economies, including the U.S., are fueling forced labor

A new report reveals that 20 of the world’s wealthiest economies, including the U.S., are contributing to forced labor.

Key findings: The report by Walk Free, an international human rights group, found that the Group of 20 major economies accounted for up to half of those living in “modern slavery”.
* The G-20 countries imported $468 billion worth of products potentially made by forced labor, with the U.S. accounting for nearly $170 billion of that.
* Products most considered “at risk” of being affected by modern slavery include electronics, clothing, palm oil, solar panels, and textiles.

Worst offenders: The 10 countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery are North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.
* These countries have limited human and civil rights protections, political instability, or authoritarianism, according to Walk Free.

Growing problem: The number of people enslaved around the world is now estimated at 50 million, partly attributed to climate change causing migration and vulnerability to exploitation.
* Walk Free calls for governments to take urgent action to end modern slavery in their countries and supply chains.

View original article on NPR

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