17 September 2009
DEBT BONDAGE – THE MOST COMMON BUT LEAST KNOWN FORM OF SLAVERY TODAY
An estimated minimum of 9.3 million people are in forced labour in the Asia-Pacific region, the majority of whom are in debt bondage.
Debt bondage (also known as bonded labour) is probably the most common, but least known contemporary form of slavery today. Debt bondage affects many millions of men, women and children across the world. It occurs in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, logging, construction, domestic work, brick kilns and the textile and garment industry.
A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan, often for a very small amount such as the cost of medicine for a sick child. Once in debt, the person loses all control over their conditions of work and is forced to work long hours, often for seven days a week, for very little or no pay.
The value of their work is invariably greater than the original sum of money borrowed. The debt becomes inflated through charges for food, transport and interest on loans, making it impossible to repay and trapping the worker in a cycle of debt. Entire families may be bonded, including children who work alongside their parents to help repay the debt. In some cases, the debt will be passed down through generations. Bonded labourers are often subjected to other forms of coercion including violence and restrictions on their freedom of movement.
Poverty, social exclusion, and the failure of governments to implement legislation lie at the heart of debt bondage. Bonded labourers are disproportionately members of groups which are discriminated against, including scheduled castes, religious and ethnic minorities, indigenous people, women and migrant workers.
A group of NGO’s including Franciscans International recently organised a side-event at United Nations to draw attention to this issue and to accompany a submission to the Human Rights Council as it considered the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery.
For more information about this issue, some case studies and suggestions for action visit the Anti-slavery international website.
Debt bondage (also known as bonded labour) is probably the most common, but least known contemporary form of slavery today. Debt bondage affects many millions of men, women and children across the world. It occurs in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, logging, construction, domestic work, brick kilns and the textile and garment industry.
A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan, often for a very small amount such as the cost of medicine for a sick child. Once in debt, the person loses all control over their conditions of work and is forced to work long hours, often for seven days a week, for very little or no pay.
The value of their work is invariably greater than the original sum of money borrowed. The debt becomes inflated through charges for food, transport and interest on loans, making it impossible to repay and trapping the worker in a cycle of debt. Entire families may be bonded, including children who work alongside their parents to help repay the debt. In some cases, the debt will be passed down through generations. Bonded labourers are often subjected to other forms of coercion including violence and restrictions on their freedom of movement.
Poverty, social exclusion, and the failure of governments to implement legislation lie at the heart of debt bondage. Bonded labourers are disproportionately members of groups which are discriminated against, including scheduled castes, religious and ethnic minorities, indigenous people, women and migrant workers.
A group of NGO’s including Franciscans International recently organised a side-event at United Nations to draw attention to this issue and to accompany a submission to the Human Rights Council as it considered the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery.
For more information about this issue, some case studies and suggestions for action visit the Anti-slavery international website.
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