Facts about International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

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When do people celebrate International Day for the abolition of Slavery?

People observe the international day for the abolition of slavery every year on December 2, all over the world since 1986.

What is the history of International Day for the Abolition of Slavery?

December 2, marks the date of the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) of 2 December 1949).

What is the objective of celebrating this day?

The focus of this day is to raise awareness about slavery and put an end to all kinds of slavery existing in the present-day world such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

The main objective of this day is to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

Till now the world has made massive progress still there are a large number of people who are victims of slavery. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. And more than 150 million children are subject to child labour, accounting for almost one in ten children around the world.

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery refers to the systematic removal of a person’s freedom. Here, in this case, one person exploits another. Or maybe a company exploits them for personal or financial gain. This includes forced labour, forced marriage, human trafficking and debt bondage.

On any given day in 2016, 40.3 million people were living in the modern version of it. That Is one in every 200 people on Earth. This is not a thing of the past; many of the industries with histories of exploitation – cotton, tobacco, sugar – are still exploiting people today.

How does it impact women?

Modern slavery is an issue that the United Nation bases on gender. Approximately, 71 per cent of people of modern slavery are women and girls.

According to the UN, women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour. This accounts for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.

COVID-19 is only worsening the odds for girls. This means that not a minute can be spared in getting governments to act on this critical human rights issue.

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