Modern day slavery is real. How responsive are governments?

According to the Global Slavery Index 2014 report, 35.8 million people are in modern slavery world-wide. Of those living in modern slavery 61% are in five countries - India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

The map above shows the prevalence of modern day slavery across the world. The larger the circle, the greater is the prevalence of modern day slavery in a country. It also captures each government's responsiveness to the modern day slavery crisis. The red circles represent a lower government responsiveness while the green circles represent high government responsiveness to the issue. 

The Global Slavery Index 2014 Report defines Modern Day Slavery as follows: Modern slavery involves one person possessing or controlling another person in such as a way as to significantly deprive that person of their individual liberty, with the intention of exploiting that person through their use, management, profit, transfer or disposal.

Further the report states that it includes slavery-like practices: debt bondage, forced or servile marriage, sale or exploitation of children (including in armed conflict) and descent-based slavery.

The Index includes an analysis of government responses based on five objectives that every single country should seek to accomplish in order to eradicate modern slavery. These objectives are as follows: 

>> Survivors of modern slavery are supported to exit slavery and empowered to break the cycle of vulnerability.

>> Effective criminal justice responses are in place in every jurisdiction.

>> Effective and measurable national action plans are implemented and fully funded.

>> Laws, policies and programmes address attitudes, social systems and institutions that create vulnerability and enable slavery.

>> Governments stop sourcing goods or services linked to modern slavery.

>> Prevalence, as reported by the Index, is the percentage of a country's population living in modern slavery.

Please tell us in comments below what, according to you, could be the reason for the prevalence of slavery in today's day and age.

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