HRF Authoritarianism Partnerships Report

Modern slavery, also known as “human trafficking” and “trafficking in persons” exists everywhere, and is on the rise. In 2021, the organization Walk Free found that 50 million people are enslaved worldwide, with 28 million1 trapped in forced labor and 22 million trapped in forced marriage. This number grew by 10 million from the organization’s 2018 estimates. Individuals’ vulnerability to trafficking occurs in tandem with current issues like increasing conflict, global democratic backsliding, and the economic and social impacts of environmental degradation and the COVID-19 pandemic.2