Human trafficking, forced marriage, and forced labor continue to be a seemingly unsolvable issue
Four years ago, the United Nations voted unanimously to eradicate the 40 million people estimated to be in forced labor, forced marriages or sex slavery and human trafficking. A noble goal – sure; but how are we doing?
The stats are horrifying
According to this report assembled by Thompson Reuters, the group Walk Free calculated that 10,000 people would have to be freed each day for the next ten years to accomplish the goal. Let that sink in.
10,000 people per day x 365 days per year = 3,650,000 per year
3,650,000 people per year x 10 years = 36,500,000
36.5 million people would fill Yankee Stadium 673 times
So, even if we released 10,000 people every day for the next 36,500 days, there would still be 3.5-million people in some type of bondage. And that assumes no new people joined the group during that time. That’s disgusting.
Who’s to blame
The simple answer is that everyone that doesn’t speak up and demand change, is to blame. If you see something and don’t say something, you’re to blame. If you don’t drop to your knees and pray, you’re not helping either.
The more complicated answer would blame the governments complicit in failing to help the victims. According to Walk Free’s research, the two worst offenders are North Korea and Eritrea. (Never heard of Eritrea? Me neither, but it’s here, next to Ethiopia and Sudan.)
More bad guys according to the report are:
It singled out Libya, Iran, Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Russia and Somalia for lack of action on ending slavery.
Wealthy countries that have taken little action were Qatar, Singapore, Kuwait, Brunei, Hong Kong and Russia, it said.
The report concludes that with a stroke of the pen, many of these countries could prevent hundreds of thousands by making it illegal in their countries.
You and I, on the other hand, might only be able to save one or two lives; but that would be my dream, to save at least one life. That would make all my efforts seem worthwhile.
Want to help? See some of the following articles…and continue to pray.
Want to get involved with ending human trafficking?
Saint Bakhita – patron saint of trafficking victims
Look beneath the surface – would you recognize someone being trafficked?
Make a friend – save someone from becoming a trafficking victim
