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Pakistan ranks sixth on Global Slavery Index
[TRIBUNE.PK] Pakistain ranks sixth highest on the second edition of the 2014 Global Slavery Index (GSI), compiled by Australia-based campaign Walk Free.According to the report released worldwide on Monday, Pakistain not only ranks sixth in terms of the prevalence of modern slavery, it is host to the third highest population of enslaved people in the world. Some 2 million Paks ‐ roughly 1.130% of the country's population ‐ especially children and bonded labourers, are thought to be enslaved, according to the report. The report defines modern slavery as involving "one person possessing or controlling another person in such 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." According to new methodology adopted by the organization to gauge modern slavery, some 35.8 million people are currently trapped in modern-day slavery, more than originally thought. "There is an assumption that slavery is an issue from a bygone era. Or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and poverty," said Andrew Forrest, chairman of the Australian-based Walk Free Foundation which produced the report. Situation in Pakistain Terming debt-bondage as the most prevalent form of modern slavery in Pakistain, the report identified Punjab and Sindh as hotspots of bonded labour, with brick making, agriculture, and carpet weaving industries leading destination for such 'slaves'. According to the report, Pakistain ranks sixth on index in terms of prevalence in the country with 1.130 per cent of total population trapped under modern slavery. The situation gets worse in when gauged in terms of number of enslaved in the country. With over 2 million people 'enslaved', Pakistain is ranked third on the index by number of people. By contrast, Pakistain is behind India which leads the index in terms of enslaved people with 14.286 million people trapped in modern slavery (1.141 per cent of population with a rank of seven on prevalence index). China is ranked second on index in terms of enslaved people with 3.241 million people trapped in modern slavery (0.239 per cent of the population with a rank of 109 on the prevalence index). Citing a recent media report, which estimated that the brick kiln industry in Pakistain employs around 4.5 million people across the country, the index said that the majority of brick kiln workers in Punjab are bonded labourers. The report further claims that although brick kilns now fall under provincial labour departments owing to the 18th amendment, half of the approximately 10,500 brick kilns in Punjab remain unregistered. Decrying provincial governments' lack of interest, despite the devolution of powers to the provinces, including responsibility for labour, child protection, and women's protection after the 18th amendment in the Constitution, the report said that there is no single national-level body exists to oversee a coordinated response to the modern slavery challenges that Pakistain faces. Posted by: Fred 2014-11-18 |
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