Forced labour resource page

Data and research

Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage - This report provides the latest global data on forced labour and forced marriage, offering insights into their prevalence, trends, and regional disparities. It also highlights the human rights violations and economic impacts of these practices.
Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour - This report examines the financial aspects of forced labour, analyzing how these exploitative practices generate billions in illegal profits while perpetuating poverty and inequality across the globe.
The Forced Labour Observatory (FLO) - This database provides comprehensive global and country information on forced labour, including on international and national legal and institutional frameworks; enforcement, prevention and protection measures.
Evidence Gap Map on Forced Labour - The aim of this tool is to indentify and display the knowledge gaps needed to inform policies on forced labour and human trafficking. It highlights where robust evidence exists, as well as the areas where evidence is limited or non-existent.
Research for Policy Guidance - This tool facilitates the use of research results in the design and targeting of policy action against child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking. It provides a quick overview of the effects of different policies and interventions on child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking.
Research agendas - The global and national research agendas identify five broad thematic areas and include a few research questions to encourage researchers to address evidence gaps.
Tackling forced labour in supply chains: The potential of trade and investment governance - This chapter of the report "The potential of trade and investment policies to address labour market issues in supply chains, vol.2" explores the potential of trade and investment governance instruments to address forced labour in supply chains. Following an overview of the root causes of forced labour in supply chains and relevant legal instruments, the authors examine two case studies, from Malaysia and Uzbekistan, to shed light on the extent to which trade and investment governance instruments can contribute to combating forced labour on the ground.

Guidelines

Hard to See, Harder to Count: A Handbook on Forced Labour Surveys - This handbook guides designing and conducting surveys to measure the prevalence of forced labour. It offers methodologies, best practices, and tools for collecting reliable data, crucial for policymakers and researchers working to combat forced labour.
Towards the Elimination of Forced Labour in Commercial Fishing - This handbook outlines practical steps for detecting and addressing forced labour in the commercial fishing industry. It includes guidelines on legal frameworks, monitoring practices, and worker protection mechanisms.
Ethical guidelines for research on forced labour - These guidelines provide guidance on how to conduct safe and ethical research on forced labour and human trafficking.
Toolkit on Developing National Action Plans on Forced Labour - This toolkit aims to support policy-makers, constituents and relevant stakeholders in the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) on forced labour. Building on existing national practices and examples, it provides details on the different steps of the process, from NAP formulation to implementation, as well as governance and evaluation.

Featured

Eradicating forced labour by partnering strategically - This brochure explores the ILO’s approach to eradicating forced labour through strategic partnerships, focusing on policies, programmes, and collaborative initiatives that have effectively tackled modern slavery.
ILO IPEC+ Global Flagship Programme Implementation - This brochure presents the vision and actions of the IPEC+ Programme, which aims to provide ILO leadership in global efforts to eradicate all forms of child labour by 2025 and all forms of contemporary slavery and human trafficking by 2030, in line with SDG Target 8.7. The programme also aims to ensure that all people are protected from, and can protect themselves against, these gross violations of human rights.
Through their eyes: Visions of forced labour - This brochure showcases a collection of powerful cartoons on forced labour, gathered from an international competition organized by the ILO and Human Resources Without Borders, with support from Cartooning for Peace. The artwork offers a unique and impactful perspective on the realities of forced labour, using visual storytelling to raise awareness and provoke thought on this critical issue.

Videos

Our Days Of Struggle As Bonded Labourers Are Gone - Dipu Dholi, a formerly bonded Haliya community in Nepal, transformed her life through a skills training program under the ILO Bridge project. Despite facing discrimination and limited opportunities, the training empowered her to become financially independent, allowing her to support her family and send her children to school.
Shanti Danuk, From Bonded Labourers to Mason - Shanti Danuk, from Kanchanpur, Nepal, and her husband were trapped in bonded labour, working for a landowner in exchange for shelter. Struggling to meet basic needs, Shanti joined the ILO Bridge Project's vocational training in masonry, a field traditionally dominated by men. Her determination to succeed inspired other women to follow her lead. The training significantly improved her family's financial situation, demonstrating the impact of empowering women through skill development.
Working Conditions Are Improving in Ghana - This video explains how the 8.7 Accelerator Lab is supporting the Ghana Maritime Authority, sectoral trade unions, and employers' organizations to improve the working conditions in the fishing industry and reduce the risk of forced labour by implementing provisions of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention No. 188.
Cape Town: Training and Pilot Inspection on the Detention of Forced Labour in Fishing - This video highlights how the 8.7 Accelerator Lab is working with the Ghana Maritime Authority, trade unions, and employers' organizations to improve fishing industry conditions and reduce forced labour risks by applying the ILO Work in Fishing Convention No. 188.