About the Index
The Global Slavery Index is published by the Walk Free Foundation, an Australian-based international human rights organisation. The 2023 edition is the fourth report (previous editions: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018). It provides a country-by-country assessment of modern slavery, which encompasses forced labour, forced marriage, debt bondage, human trafficking, and state-imposed forced labour.
The GSI assesses 160 countries across three dimensions:
- Prevalence — estimated number and proportion of people living in modern slavery per 1,000 population
- Vulnerability — factors that increase a population’s susceptibility to modern slavery (governance gaps, inequality, conflict, discrimination)
- Government Response — how effectively governments are addressing modern slavery through legislation, enforcement, victim support, and international cooperation
The 2023 data is based on the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery produced by the ILO, Walk Free, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2022, using data from 2021.
India’s Performance
India has the largest absolute number of people in modern slavery globally — an estimated 11 million on any given day in 2021. This translates to a prevalence of 8 per 1,000 people, placing India 34th globally on the prevalence ranking and 6th within Asia and the Pacific.
Modern slavery in India is driven by:
- Bonded/debt labour — especially in brick kilns, agriculture, textiles, and construction
- Forced marriage — affecting women and girls disproportionately
- Child labour — despite legal prohibitions
- Trafficking — for domestic work, commercial sexual exploitation, and organ harvesting
India’s government response has been rated as moderate, with recognition of strong legislative frameworks (Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, Prevention of Human Trafficking Bill) but weak enforcement.
Prevalence Comparison (Selected Countries)
| Country | Prevalence (per 1,000) | Absolute Number |
|---|---|---|
| North Korea | 104.6 | 2.6 million |
| Eritrea | 90.3 | 320,000 |
| Mauritania | 32.0 | 149,000 |
| India | 8.0 | 11 million |
| China | 3.0 | 4.4 million |
| USA | 1.9 | 643,000 |
| Switzerland | 0.5 | 4,600 |
Key Highlights of Latest Edition
- 50 million people globally live in modern slavery — 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage
- Modern slavery increased by 10 million people since the last global estimate in 2016
- G20 countries collectively have 8.8 million people living in modern slavery and import $468 billion worth of at-risk products annually
- Forced commercial sexual exploitation increased by 30% since 2016
- 86 countries have not criminalised forced marriage
- Switzerland, Norway, and Germany have the lowest prevalence rates globally
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: GSI publisher (Walk Free), India’s prevalence rank (34th) and absolute numbers (11 million), three assessment dimensions, total countries (160), highest prevalence country (North Korea) Mains GS-2: Bonded Labour Act 1976, anti-trafficking legislation, child labour, forced marriage, ILO conventions, human rights governance, vulnerable sections Interview: “India has strong anti-slavery laws on paper but 11 million people remain in modern slavery. Where does the system fail?”
