10 shocking facts about global slavery in 2008
- Matador Network
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2008 witnesses the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in America. Amidst the celebrations, what many people fail to realize is that slavery persists today in the modern world on an enormous scale.
In spite of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948 stating that &slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms,& the figures accompanying the modern slave trade seem inconceivable in a global society that prides itself upon its modern-day values and emphasis on human rights.
1. There are more people in slavery now than at any other time in human history.
According to research carried out by the organization , more people are enslaved worldwide than ever before.
In its 400 years, the transatlantic slave trade is estimated to have shipped up to 12 million Africans to various colonies in the West. Free the Slaves estimates that the number of people in slavery today is at least 27 million.
suggests that three out of four slavery victims are women and that half of all modern-day slaves are children. &Countless other& people are in other forms of servitude which are not legally classified as slavery, according to the , described ambiguously by some as &unfree labour&.
2. The value of slaves has decreased.
A slave in 1850 in American South cost the equivalent of approximately $40,000. According to figures published by FST, the cost of a slave today averages around $90, depending on the work they are forced to carry out.
A young adult male laborer in Mali might only fetch $40, whereas an HIV-free female might attract a price of up to $1000.
Expert Kevin Bales says that because modern slavery is so cheap, it is worse than that of the Atlantic slave trade.
People have become disposable and their living conditions are worse than ever before as a result of their value.
3. Slavery still exists in the US.
Estimates by the US State Department suggest up to 17,500 slaves are brought into the US every year, with 50,000 of those working as prostitutes, farm workers or domestic servants.
According to the CIA, more than 1,000,000 people are enslaved in the US today. Thousands of cases go undetected each year and many are difficult to take to court as it can be difficult to prove force or legal coercion.
4.Slavery is hidden behind many other names, thus disguising it from society.
These names are chattel slavery (the traditional meaning of slavery), bonded labor, trafficking, forced labor, and forced marriage, amongst others.
5. The least known method of slavery is the most widely used.
Bonded Labor occurs when labor is demanded in order to repay a debt or loan and the cyclical nature of debt and work can enslave the person for the rest of their life. Some conditions are so controlled that slaves are surrounded by armed guards while they work, many of whom are slaves themselves. This has been found in Brazil. It is estimated that there are 20 million bonded labourers in the world.
6. Human trafficking has recently been described as &the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world.&
This shocking claim was made by former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. The UN estimates trafficked human cargo generates around $7 billion dollars a year.
7. To buy all bonded laborers out of slavery could cost as little as $40 per family.
The $40 figure was provided by the Center for Global Education, New York. Kevin Bales compares the total cost of ending all slavery with one&s week&s cost of the war on Iraq.
8. Free the Slaves believe it is possible to end all slavery within 25 years.
Ending slavery won&t be easy, but humanity is up to the challenge.
9. Many slave-produced goods might reach your home without you realizing their origin.
Industries where slave labor is often highly suspected include cocoa, cotton, steel, oriental rugs, diamonds and silk. Currently the only way to ensure the products you buy are slave-free is to buy Fair Trade certified goods.
10. Your actions affect global slavery.
By buying fair trade, learning more about modern slavery, spreading the word, and joining a movement such as Free the Slaves, Anti-Slavery International, or the American Anti-slavery group, you as an individual can help abolish slavery completely.
With the number of slaves rising due to increasing economic returns, a universal lack of awareness and anti-slavery laws not being enforced, the
believes &efforts to combat slavery will have only limited effectiveness& unless something is done on a larger scale.
The bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade would be better commemorated by every individual taking meaningful action to help end the exploitation of human labor once and for all.
Community Connection
Slavery is a sober matter, an issue humanity must confront immediately. We need to communicate, to organize at grass-roots level.Please consider joining the
today. Share your voice.
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Follow Matador9 Signs You Didn’t Land the Job
How to know when you won’t be getting a call-back after the job interview.&[]
You spent hours crafting your
and tweaking your resume for the job application. You pass the phone screen with flying colors and are invited to interview in-person with the team. You practice your , don your best interview outfit, and head out to the meeting. Then you leave the interview feeling … confused.
Did it go well? If you’re unsure where you stand after the interview is over, consider these telltale signs that you didn’t land the job. []
You met with fewer people.
You were supposed to meet with three different people in the department, but after the first interview, they sent you on your merry way. Unless the entire team suddenly came down with the flu, don’t expect to receive a call back from the company.
Your interview is cut short.
Perhaps your interview was expected to last an hour, but the interviewer wrapped things up in the first 15 minutes. If your interview experience went something like this, it’s not a good sign.
The interviewer keeps emphasizing a skill you don’t have.
If the interviewer continues to mention the importance of a skill you either don’t possess or have little experience in, then it could be an indication the employer is looking for a different kind of candidate.
The interviewer is ‘going through the motions.’
When the interviewer seems disinterested in what you have to say, is asking questions that sound a little too rehearsed, or is checking their email, texting, or staring at the clock while you’re talking to them, it’s not a good sign.
You didn’t learn more about the position.
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You hadn’t researched the company.
Employers want to know you took the initiative to learn more about their organization. With the ubiquity of , there’s no excuse for entering an interview unprepared.
You didn’t have any questions.
When you don’t have anything to ask your interviewers, it sends the signal you’re not really interested in the role. If you can’t think of at least one question to ask each interviewer, your candidacy could be called into question.
You asked about their vacation policy.
have nothing to do with the role and everything to do with the company’s perks, don’t expect a call back. Employers are looking for candidates with different priorities.
The next steps are vague.
If the recruiter can’t give you a sense of when they’ll follow up or continuously mentions that they’re ‘interviewing many other people’ for the role, this could be a sign that you’re not a top contender.
While these rules aren’t set in stone, if you experienced one or more of the following circumstances during your interview, it might be time to concentrate on other job opportunities.
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