Communities Discriminatedon Work and Descent in South Asia — Status of Modern Slavery

EQUALITY and non-discrimination are constitutionally enshrined rights for all citizens of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Yet, a significant population of communities ‘discriminated on work and descent' (DWD) are the casualties of Modern Slavery and slavery-like practices in South Asia. While most countries have abolished all forms of slavery through national legislations and under the monitoring framework of international human rights mechanisms that countries are party to. Yet, Modern Slavery and slavery-like practices is a reality for 12 million South Asians who are living in different forms of forced labour in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, according to the Global Slavery Index 2018 report by the Walkfree Foundation. The global report has measured the extent of modern slavery in 167 countries and the respective governments' responses. India has the highest absolute numbers of people living in modern slavery among all the 167 countries surveyed for the report, across the world. India is followed by China and Pakistan.