Of these people, it said 24.9 millions were in forced labour and 15.4 million were in forced marriage.
This was revealed in the ILO 2017 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery and Child Labour.
“On any given day in 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery. Of these people, 24.9 millions were in forced labour and 15.4 million were in forced marriage,” the ILO said.
According to the 2017 Global Estimates, there are more females with 71 per cent of the total figure, than the males with 29% in modern slavery.
However, there are more children suffering from modern slavery across the world than the old people with one in four victims of modern slavery children.
The ILO said the rate of modern slavery is highest in Africa, Nigeria inclusive, with 7.6 victims for every 1,000 people in the region.
At any given time, the organisation said some 16 million people around the world are victims of forced labour exploitation in the private sector. This it added excluded those in several exploitation.
The ILO said on the average, the slaves are held for about 20 months before escaping or being freed.11
It further stated that 4.8 million people are victims of forced sexual exploitation; adding, “on the average, they are held for 23.4 months in their situation before escaping or being freed.”
The ILO disclosed that vast majority of those in forced sexual exploitation are women and girls, with children representing more than 29 per cent of the victims.
Ironically, it stated that state authorities are involved, claiming that 4.1 million people around the world are victims of forced labour imposed by state authorities. Some work for years, while many work for only a few weeks.
On the issue of forced marriage, the world body stated that there were 15.4 million people living in a forced marriage.
However, while men and boys are among the victims, most are women and girls with 84 per cent.
It added: “An estimated 37 per cent of victims living in a forced marriage were children at the time of the marriage. Amongst the child victims, 44 per cent were forced to marry before the age of 15. The youngest victim in the sample was 9 when she was forced to marry.
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