Forced labor produces illegal profits of USD 150 billion a year, the United Nations' labor agency said today as it appealed for global eradication of the abuse.
The report by the International Labor Organization offered the agency's fullest picture yet of an underground economy built on the involuntary toil of an estimated 21 million workers.
It found that nearly two-thirds of the estimated profits, USD 99 billion, come from sexual exploitation, including prostitution and pornography.
Women were most commonly the victims of forced employment in sex-related trades and domestic chores, while men and boys were more commonly exploited in agricultural, mining and construction work, it found.
The director-general, Guy Ryder, said the report highlights the need "to eradicate this fundamentally evil but hugely profitable practice as soon as possible."
He said many governments, employers and labor unions all needed to do more to stamp out abusive employment practices, including outright slavery.
The report said the world's most developed countries, including the entire European Union, accounted for nearly a third of the illegal profits, USD 46.9 billion, while the rest of the Asia Pacific region generated USD 51.8 billion. Other regions had much lower totals.
It found that exploited workers generated much more money per head for their employers in the richest countries.
Estimated profits in developed countries reached USD 34,800 per worker, while Africa registered the lowest per-capita profit rate of USD 3,900.
Worldwide, it found sexually exploited workers produced by far the highest profits for their employers: USD 21,800 per worker, versus just USD 2,500 on average for each farm laborer, and USD 2,200 for each domestic worker.
Ryder said governments needed to improve welfare support "to prevent households from sliding into the poverty that pushes people into forced labor." he said.
