Profits from forced labour surge 37 per cent to Sh8.3 trillion worldwide, ILO report shows

Forced labour is on the rise globally despite long-standing international conventions and constitutional laws outlawing the practice.

According to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest State of Social Justice report released on Tuesday, the number of people trapped in forced labour grew by 10.8 per cent between 2016 and 2021, increasing from 24.9 million to 27.6 million.

The report defines forced labour as a practice encompassing slavery and its vestiges, debt bondage, and human trafficking—abuses that strip individuals of the fundamental right to freely choose work, erode human dignity, and hinder both material and spiritual development.

While 134 constitutions worldwide explicitly prohibit slavery, the ILO notes that far fewer contain direct bans on forced labour. In some cases, protections exist only under broader rights frameworks, leaving loopholes that allow exploitation to persist.

Uneven enforcement

The report observes that constitutional prohibitions are most common in Africa and the Americas, but enforcement is uneven. Although slavery was formally abolished worldwide in 1981, modern forms of servitude continue across regions. Migrant workers are particularly at risk, facing forced labour at rates more than three times higher than non-migrant workers.

The ILO also points to a surge in illicit profits from forced labour. Its Profits and Poverty report, released last year, revealed that employers globally are denying each affected worker the equivalent of nearly Sh226,000 annually through underpayment or non-payment.

Globally, illegal profits from forced labour have risen by 37 per cent since 2014—an increase of $64 billion (Sh8.3 trillion). The growth stems from both a rise in the number of victims and higher profits generated from their exploitation.

“There are many more victims of forced labour now than ten years ago. The current estimate of illegal profits is based on a total of 23.7 million people in forced labour in the private economy, compared to almost 18.7 million in 2014,” the report reads.

“This represents an increase of 27 per cent of people in forced labour in the private economy in the last ten years globally.”

The ILO explains that illegal profits represent the gap between what workers are paid under coercion and what they would earn under normal, fair circumstances. In other words, wages that should belong to workers remain in the hands of exploiters.

Limited data

In Kenya, forced labour is present but difficult to quantify due to limited data, according to the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).

“While Kenyan laws strictly prohibit such practices, isolated instances of forced labour may occur, especially in informal sectors and areas with limited governmental oversight,” FKE says.

Although not considered widespread, the employers’ body warns that the practice harms the economy.

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• Profits from forced labour surge 37 per cent to Sh8.3 trillion worldwide
• ILO report shows

“Forced labour is responsible for undermining fair labour practices, distorting market operations and violating human rights."

The ILO recalls that international agreements—including the 1926 Slavery Convention and ILO Conventions No. 29 and 105—require states to eliminate forced labour in all its forms.

With global profits from exploitation still climbing, the organisation stresses that urgent, collective action is needed. It urges governments to tighten enforcement, close legal loopholes, and prioritise protection for vulnerable groups to ensure that the commitment to social justice becomes a reality rather than “just words on paper.”