- By Aditi Priya Singh
- Tue, 02 Dec 2025 01:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Top 10 Countries With Highest Slavery Rate: On December 2nd each year, International Slavery Abolition Day is marked, reminding us that, despite old-style slavery being gone, millions of people are still stuck in various kinds of exploitation. The day highlights ongoing battles around human trafficking, forced labour, child exploitation, bonded labour, forced or other abuse- all robbing people’s basic right of freedom.
Modern slavery shows up practically everywhere, whether in poor nations or wealthier ones. Many people end up working under threat, without compensation and with deceptive promises. Women, immigrants and people from low-income households are more vulnerable. At least 50 million people worldwide are living in conditions of modern slavery today, as per the report by the Global Slavery Index 2023 by the Walk Free organisation. The condition shows that it's a significant human rights concern today.
International Slavery Abolition Day 2025 reminds us that slavery is still practised today, as evidenced by the fact that it still exists. So, knowing where the majority of people suffer allows us to raise awareness, strengthen regulations and encourage international cooperation.
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What Is Modern Slavery?
Modern slavery means being trapped in a job you can't walk away from or refuse because of threats, violence, lies or abuse of power. This covers things like human trafficking, forced marriages, bonded labour, sex exploitation and child pulled into labour. Victims lose control over their freedom, pay, and movement, making it a significant human rights violation.
Difference Between the Highest Prevalence & the Estimated Number of Slavery
The highest prevalence shows which nation has the largest proportion of its population living in modern slavery. Meanwhile, the estimated number reveals the overall impact, even if the percentage is smaller. A country with a huge population might face more cases in numbers, yet report fewer when measured per person. Smaller nations could appear worse off on rates while having fewer actual individuals trapped.
This article describes what modern slavery is and also emphasises the difference between the highest prevalence and largest estimated numbers of persons trapped in such conditions worldwide.
The 10 Countries With The Highest Prevalence Of Modern Slavery
As we discussed above, the Prevalence of modern slavery indicates the proportions of people within the population who are living in conditions of forced labour, human trafficking or forced marriages. It highlights how much this invisible problem is affecting the whole population of a country. Here are the top 10 countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery.
| Rank | Country | Prevalence (per 1,000 people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Korea | 104.6 |
| 2 | Eritrea | 90.3 |
| 3 | Mauritania | 32.0 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 21.3 |
| 5 | Turkey | 15.6 |
| 6 | Tajikistan | 14.0 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 13.4 |
| 8 | Russia | 13.0 |
| 9 | Afghanistan | 13.0 |
| 10 | Kuwait | 13.0 |
Top 10 Countries With Largest Estimated Number Of People In Modern Slavery
The nations with the greatest number of people who are in forced labour, forced marriage, human trafficking or exploitation are those with the highest estimated number of victims of modern slavery. These figures demonstrate how pervasive and serious the issue of contemporary slavery is even now.
| Rank | Country | Estimated Number in Modern Slavery (millions) | Reasons for Modern Slavery |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | India | 11.0 millions | Poverty, caste-based discrimination, bonded labour in agriculture and industries, human trafficking, and child labour |
| 2. | China | 5.8 millions | Forced labour in manufacturing and construction, rural poverty, internal migration, and trafficking for sexual exploitation |
| 3. | North Korea | 2.7 millions | State-sponsored forced labour, political repression, and forced labour camps |
| 4. | Pakistan | 2.3 millions | Bonded labour in agriculture, brick kilns, child labour, human trafficking, and weak law enforcement |
| 5. | Russia | 1.9 millions | Human trafficking, forced labour in agriculture and industry, and exploitation of migrant workers |
| 6. | Indonesia | 1.8 millions | Forced labour in fishing, palm oil, domestic servitude, trafficking, and bonded labour |
| 7. | Nigeria | 1.6 millions | Human trafficking, forced labour in agriculture and mining, child labour, and ethnic conflicts |
| 8. | Türkiye | 1.3 millions | Forced labour, migration issues, human trafficking, lack of protection for vulnerable groups |
| 9. | Bangladesh | 1.2 millions | Forced labour in the garment industry, child labour, human trafficking and poverty |
| 10. | United States | 1.1 millions | Human trafficking for labour and sex, exploitation of migrant workers and forced domestic servitude |