In today’s society, people seldom remember the phenomenon of slavery. However, numerous studies has shown that the issue is relevant and requires scholarly reflection. Modern slavery tends to be felt with impunity in the least developed countries, whose governments cannot eliminate the problem on their own. Unfortunately, even in developed countries, the practice of creating state bodies to combat trafficking is the exception to the rule (Landman & Silverman, 2019). Slavery in underdeveloped countries, especially Africa, continues to be a pressing and contemporary problem. General awareness of the problem, with the implementation of legislative changes and joint work contribute to reducing the level of slavery in Afrika. International cooperation is the primary key to launching a significant struggle for equality and respect for human rights in specific region.
Modern slavery is a so-called umbrella term that includes such phenomena as slavery, forced or compulsory labor, and human trafficking, which, in turn, are defined by several international standards (Caruana et al., 2021). Underlying this diversity are the national, religious, and cultural contexts in which such forms of social interaction arise. Africa leads per capita in the number of forced marriages and the total number of victims of modern slavery (4.8 and 7.6 victims per thousand inhabitants, respectively (Tickler et al., 2018)). Vestiges of slavery are still influential in some African countries, leading to entire families being forced to work in the fields of landowners for food and shelter. Meanwhile, although Africa’s total income from illegal exploitation 9 is $13.1 billion per year, the per capita income per victim of forced labor is the lowest at $3,900 per year (Berquist, 2018). Although the problem of modern slavery is global, different forms of slavery predominate in other parts of the world, and the gender and age composition of the victims varies.
The primary responsibility is to expand social protection systems: public employment programs, maternity protection, disability benefits, things that could prevent the most vulnerable from being involved in abusive exploitation. Equally important is honest and effective migration management since nearly 25% of victims are exploited outside their home country (Berquist, 2018). Legislation must reflect the gender and age specifics of modern slavery and prevent people from falling into debt bondage, which is the cause of half the cases of forced labor in the private sector. Building the evidence base is the theoretical foundation on which measures against modern slavery must be made (Freeman, 2022). It is essential to understand that nation-states cannot eradicate the multifaceted phenomenon of modern slavery (Rosenthal, 2018). Coordinated international cooperation is needed to focus on this phenomenon’s root causes and consequences.
To summarize, it can be noted that the study’s hypothesis was confirmed, and the problem of slavery did not disappear after its formal abolition. This phenomenon has only faded into the shadows and acquired more sophisticated forms, adapting to legislation and public opinion changes. While local criminal groups engaged in the illegal exploitation of desperate people can be dealt with by individual states, the fight against the transnational syndicates that have put this disgusting activity on an assembly line requires the joint efforts of countries worldwide. People must realize that the scale of the problem is global and that a coordinated effort is necessary. Humanity faces a severe problem that, if not dealt with in time, could become a global crisis.
References
Berquist Soule, E. (2018). From Africa to the Ocean Sea: Atlantic slavery in the origins of the Spanish Empire. Atlantic Studies, 15(1), 16-39. Web.
Caruana, R., Crane, A., Gold, S., & LeBaron, G. (2021). Modern slavery in business: The sad and sorry state of a non-field. Business & Society, 60(2), 251-287. Web.
Freeman, M. (2022). Human rights. John Wiley & Sons.
Landman, T., & Silverman, B. W. (2019). Globalization and modern slavery. Politics and Governance, 7(4). Web.
Rosenthal, C. (2018). Accounting for slavery. In Accounting for Slavery. Harvard University Press.
Tickler, D., Meeuwig, J. J., Bryant, K., David, F., Forrest, J. A., Gordon, E., & Zeller, D. (2018). Modern slavery and the race to fish. Nature communications, 9(1), 1-9. Web.