The number of people living in conditions of modern slavery has increased by 25 per cent in the last five years to 50 million worldwide. Turkey has risen to the top five in the list of countries where modern slavery is most common.
In Walk Free’s report, the main reasons for the deterioration of conditions in Turkey were cited as forced labour and regressions in the field of human, women and LGBTI+ rights.
The Australia-based human rights organization Walk Free published its new Global Slavery Index report. The report indicates that, as of 2021, 49,6 million people live as “modern slaves,” and recalls that this number was 10 million in 2016.
Walk Free identifies “modern slavery” as a term that refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power.
According to the organization, modern slavery includes forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, other slavery and slavery-like practices, human trafficking, and the sale, trafficking, and exploitation of children.
According to the report by Walk Free, the countries estimated to have the highest prevalence of modern slavery tend to be conflict-affected, have state-imposed forced labor, and have weak governance.
Turkey comes fifth in the world and first in Europe
Besides having the highest prevalence of modern slavery in Europe and Central Asia, Turkey is also among the countries taking the least action to respond to modern slavery in the region.
Turkey has risen to the fifth rank in the world in the Global Slavery Index. In the last report the same organization prepared in 2018, Turkey ranked 48th globally. However, this year only North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, and Saudi Arabia are the countries with a higher prevalence of modern slavery than Turkey.
The 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates that on any given day in 2021, there were 1.3 million individuals living in modern slavery in Turkey.
With this figure, Turkey falls within the top ten globally.
The countries with the smallest number of modern slaves on the other hand are Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden according to the index.
Walk Free’s report explained the main reasons for the deterioration of conditions in Turkey as follows:
- The setback in women’s rights and protection of women due to political polarisation,
- Crackdown on human rights defenders and dissidents,
- Discrimination against minorities,
- The impact of conflicts, especially the war in Syria,
- Failure to develop adequate tools to identify mistreated in the refugee and LGBTIQ+ community.
Recommendations
Survivors identified and supported
Strengthen resources and capacity for all first responders to screen and identify victims of modern slavery among vulnerable populations, including the LGBTQI+ community, migrants, refugees, and children, to ensure that all victims are identified and supported, and none are detained or deported.
Criminal justice mechanisms
Criminalise all forms of modern slavery in line with international standards, including slavery, commercial sexual exploitation of children, and use of children in armed conflict. Ensure that the right of survivors to not be treated as criminals for conduct that occurred while under the control of traffickers is enshrined in legislation.
Remove all legal loopholes that allow marriage under the age of 18 to occur, criminalise forced marriage in line with international standards, and provide civil protections that allow survivors to choose which solution best suits their needs.
National and regional level coordination
Update the 2009 national action plan against human trafficking and ensure all activities within the plan are fully funded and implemented.
Risk factors are addressed
Increase access to education for girls and refugee children, and extend social assistance and benefits to refugees without conditions to help minimise risks of modern slavery. Such assistance may include facilitating accreditation of licenses for refugees, expanding employment opportunities, and providing free or subsidised childcare and free language classes to increase employability, foster integration, and reduce risks.
Improve access to formal work by removing barriers to work permits for Syrians under temporary protection, including by raising awareness among employers and Syrians, and addressing pay disparities in the workforce.
Cease forcible repatriation of refugees to countries where they face persecution.
Regularly conduct labour inspections to identify modern slavery, including in high-risk sectors such as garments, agriculture, and construction.
Address underlying discriminatory and xenophobic attitudes towards marginalised groups including migrants, refugees, women and girls, and the LGBTQI+ community that increase their vulnerability to modern slavery, and ensure that state policies serve to further integrate rather than target these communities.
Government and business supply chains
Introduce legislation requiring the government and businesses to take steps to identify and address modern slavery in their supply chains, including mandatory human rights due diligence.
You can read the whole Country Study on Turkey on the Walk Free website.