About the Global Slavery Index
The Global Slavery Index (GSI) is published by the Walk Free Foundation (part of the Minderoo Foundation), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It provides country-by-country estimates of modern slavery prevalence, vulnerability, and government response. The most recent edition was published in 2023.
Methodology
The GSI defines “modern slavery” as including forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, and the sale and exploitation of children. The 2023 index uses a composite methodology:
- Prevalence estimates: Based on the 2021 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery (ILO/Walk Free/IOM), which used nationally representative surveys in 68 countries, covering 75% of the global population, combined with statistical modeling for countries without surveys.
- Vulnerability model: Assesses 23 risk factors across five dimensions: governance, lack of basic needs, inequality, disenfranchised groups, and effects of conflict.
- Government response: Evaluates 150+ indicators across five milestones: survivors identified and supported, criminal justice mechanisms, coordination and accountability, addressing risk factors, and supply chain transparency.
Data Limitations
Modern slavery is inherently hidden. All prevalence figures are estimates based on sampling and modeling. Actual numbers are likely higher than reported. Countries with better data collection systems may appear to have higher prevalence due to more accurate reporting, while the most repressive regimes may undercount dramatically.
Slavery Prevalence — Bubble Chart
Top 20 countries; bubble size = estimated victims, position = prevalence rate
Top 20 Countries by Prevalence (per 1,000 Population)
Prevalence rates measure the estimated number of people in modern slavery per 1,000 residents. Countries with the highest rates tend to have weak governance, ongoing conflict, or state-imposed forced labor.
| Rank | Country | Region | Prevalence (per 1,000) | Estimated Victims | Key Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Korea | East Asia | 104.6 | 2,696,000 | State-imposed forced labor; political prison camps; overseas labor export |
| 2 | Eritrea | Africa | 90.3 | 320,000 | Indefinite national service; forced labor in state projects |
| 3 | Mauritania | Africa | 32.0 | 149,000 | Hereditary slavery (Haratine); descent-based caste exploitation |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | Middle East | 21.3 | 740,000 | Kafala system; domestic worker abuse; construction sector |
| 5 | Türkiye | Europe | 15.6 | 1,340,000 | Syrian refugee exploitation; agriculture; child labor |
| 6 | Tajikistan | Central Asia | 14.0 | 136,000 | State-imposed cotton harvest; labor export vulnerability |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | Middle East | 13.5 | 132,000 | Kafala system; construction; domestic servitude |
| 8 | Russia | Europe | 13.0 | 1,899,000 | Migrant worker exploitation; North Korean labor; forced labor in occupied territories |
| 9 | Afghanistan | South Asia | 12.2 | 477,000 | Forced marriage; bacha bazi; child labor; conflict exploitation |
| 10 | Kuwait | Middle East | 11.8 | 50,000 | Kafala system; domestic worker abuse |
| 11 | Myanmar | East Asia | 11.4 | 609,000 | Military forced labor; child soldiers; Rohingya exploitation |
| 12 | Qatar | Middle East | 11.1 | 30,000 | Kafala system; construction (FIFA World Cup legacy); domestic servitude |
| 13 | Libya | Africa | 10.5 | 72,000 | Migrant exploitation; slave markets documented; armed group control |
| 14 | South Sudan | Africa | 10.4 | 116,000 | Child soldiers; abduction; forced marriage in conflict |
| 15 | Iraq | Middle East | 9.8 | 403,000 | ISIS legacy; displacement exploitation; Yazidi captives |
| 16 | Belarus | Europe | 9.7 | 92,000 | State-imposed forced labor; political prisoner exploitation |
| 17 | Burundi | Africa | 9.6 | 115,000 | Forced labor; child trafficking; political repression |
| 18 | Yemen | Middle East | 9.4 | 287,000 | Conflict-driven; child soldiers; forced marriage; Houthi recruitment |
| 19 | Oman | Middle East | 9.1 | 47,000 | Kafala system; domestic worker exploitation; fishing sector |
| 20 | Pakistan | South Asia | 8.6 | 1,910,000 | Bonded labor in brick kilns; agriculture; carpet weaving; forced begging |
Top 20 Countries by Absolute Numbers
When measured by total number of people in modern slavery, the largest countries dominate due to population size; even with lower per capita rates.
| Rank | Country | Region | Estimated Victims | Prevalence (per 1,000) | Primary Forms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | South Asia | 11,050,000 | 7.6 | Bonded labor; domestic servitude; forced marriage; brick kilns |
| 2 | China | East Asia | 5,771,000 | 4.0 | State-imposed forced labor (Xinjiang); forced marriage; labor exploitation |
| 3 | North Korea | East Asia | 2,696,000 | 104.6 | State-imposed forced labor; political prison camps |
| 4 | Pakistan | South Asia | 1,910,000 | 8.6 | Bonded labor; brick kilns; agriculture; carpet weaving |
| 5 | Russia | Europe | 1,899,000 | 13.0 | Migrant worker exploitation; forced labor |
| 6 | Indonesia | East Asia & Pacific | 1,833,000 | 6.6 | Palm oil; fishing; domestic servitude; sex trafficking |
| 7 | Nigeria | Africa | 1,611,000 | 7.6 | Sex trafficking networks; baby factories; forced labor |
| 8 | Türkiye | Europe | 1,340,000 | 15.6 | Syrian refugee exploitation; agriculture; garments |
| 9 | Bangladesh | South Asia | 1,253,000 | 7.4 | Garment sector; shrimp processing; domestic servitude |
| 10 | United States | North America | 1,091,000 | 3.3 | Labor trafficking; sex trafficking; agricultural exploitation |
| 11 | Ethiopia | Africa | 966,000 | 7.9 | Domestic servitude; Gulf state labor exploitation; conflict displacement |
| 12 | Philippines | East Asia & Pacific | 910,000 | 8.0 | Online sexual exploitation; overseas worker abuse; domestic servitude |
| 13 | Democratic Republic of Congo | Africa | 874,000 | 8.9 | Cobalt mining; child soldiers; armed group exploitation |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia | Middle East | 740,000 | 21.3 | Kafala system; domestic workers; construction |
| 15 | Mexico | North America | 699,000 | 5.3 | Cartel-controlled trafficking; forced labor; sex trafficking |
| 16 | Myanmar | East Asia | 609,000 | 11.4 | Military forced labor; conflict trafficking; Rohingya exploitation |
| 17 | Thailand | East Asia & Pacific | 565,000 | 8.1 | Fishing industry; migrant worker exploitation; sex trafficking |
| 18 | Egypt | North Africa | 519,000 | 4.9 | Street children exploitation; domestic servitude; Sinai trafficking |
| 19 | Ukraine | Europe | 487,000 | 11.1 | War-related exploitation; forced labor in occupied territories |
| 20 | Afghanistan | South Asia | 477,000 | 12.2 | Forced marriage; bacha bazi; child labor |
Government Response
The GSI also rates government response to modern slavery on a 0–100 scale. The top-performing governments include:
79
Netherlands. Best Overall Response
78
United States
77
United Kingdom
77
Australia
The lowest-scoring governments, including North Korea (0), Eritrea (0), Libya (2), Iran (3), and South Sudan (4), have virtually no anti-trafficking infrastructure, active state complicity, or ongoing conflict that prevents any meaningful response.
Key Trends (2018 vs. 2023)
- 10 million increase: Global estimates rose from 40.3 million (2018) to 49.6 million (2022/2023), driven by better data collection and rising vulnerability factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, and climate change.
- Forced marriage surge: Forced marriage estimates increased significantly, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
- State-imposed forced labor: Identified as a growing category, with North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and China as leading offenders.
- G20 countries: Collectively home to over half of all people in modern slavery. The G20 imports $468 billion in goods at risk of being produced by forced labor annually.
Modern Slavery Prevalence by Region
Estimated victims per 1,000 population (ILO / Walk Free, 2022)
Source: ILO, Walk Free Foundation, IOM. "Global Estimates of Modern Slavery," 2022. Figures represent combined forced labor, forced marriage, and human trafficking.
Sources
- [1] NGO REPORT Walk Free Foundation. "Global Slavery Index 2023." Minderoo Foundation, 2023.
- [2] INTL ORG ILO, Walk Free Foundation, IOM. "Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage." Geneva, 2022.
- [3] NGO REPORT Walk Free Foundation. "Global Slavery Index Methodology." Minderoo Foundation, 2023.
- [4] ACADEMIC Landman, Todd, and Bernard W. Silverman. "Globalization and Modern Slavery." Politics and Governance 7, no. 4 (2019): 275–290.