10 Countries Where Slavery is Still Practiced Till Today

When we hear the word “slavery,” many of us imagine a dark past that has long been abolished. However, slavery is far from over. In 2025, millions of people worldwide are still trapped in forced labour, human trafficking, child exploitation, and forced marriages. 

Despite laws banning these practices, poverty, corruption, and weak enforcement allow modern slavery to persist.

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery takes different forms, including:

• Debt Bondage – Victims are forced to work indefinitely to pay off a loan.
  
• Forced Labour – People are made to work against their will, often under threats of violence.
  
• Child Slavery – Children are forced into begging, domestic servitude, or armed conflict.
  
• Sex Trafficking – Women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
  
• Forced Marriage – Girls and women are married off without their consent, often as children.
  

Countries with the highest cases of modern slavery

India

India has the highest number of enslaved people, with millions trapped in bonded labour. Many work in brick kilns, textile factories, and farms under extreme conditions to repay never-ending debts. Child trafficking is rampant, with young girls forced into domestic servitude and prostitution.

China

In China, forced labour is widespread, particularly among minority groups like the Uyghurs. Many are detained in camps where they work in factories producing goods for international markets. Migrant workers are also exploited, while human trafficking for sexual exploitation remains a serious issue.

North Korea

North Korea has the highest percentage of enslaved people relative to its population. The government forces citizens, including children, into unpaid labour in coal mines, construction sites, and factories. Many defectors who try to escape end up in forced labour or human trafficking networks.

Pakistan

Slavery in Pakistan often takes the form of debt bondage. Families borrow small amounts of money but end up working for generations to repay it. Many children are forced into labour in brick kilns and carpet weaving factories. Women and girls are also trafficked for prostitution and forced marriages.

Russia

In Russia, forced labour is prevalent among migrant workers, particularly those from Central Asia. Many work in agriculture, construction, and domestic service under exploitative conditions, often having their passports confiscated to prevent them from leaving.

Indonesia

Indonesia has a high rate of child labour, especially in the palm oil industry and fishing sector. Many women and children are trafficked from rural areas to cities for forced prostitution and domestic servitude.

Nigeria

Nigeria is a major hub for human trafficking, with thousands of women and girls taken to Europe for prostitution. Domestically, many children are forced into street hawking, mining, and domestic labour. Forced marriages, particularly in rural areas, are also common.

Turkey

Turkey is a key transit country for human trafficking, with refugees and migrants often trapped in forced labour or prostitution. Child labour is also widespread, especially among Syrian refugees working in factories and farms.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, many workers, including children, endure harsh conditions in garment factories. Women and girls are trafficked into prostitution, while many people from poor rural areas are exploited in forced labour.

United States

Despite its strong legal system, the U.S. has a significant human trafficking problem. Many undocumented migrant workers are exploited in agriculture, domestic work, and construction. Sex trafficking is also a major issue, with women and children forced into the industry.

The deep-rooted slavery issues in Nigeria

Nigeria, with an estimated 1.6 million people living in forced labour and trafficking conditions, faces one of the worst modern slavery crises in Africa.

• Forced Labour – Many Nigerians, including children, work in domestic service, agriculture, and mining under exploitative conditions. Young girls, often called “house girls,” are brought from villages to cities and subjected to abuse.
  
• Sex Trafficking – Nigeria is a key source of human trafficking, with many women lured abroad with false promises of jobs, only to be forced into prostitution.
  
• Forced and Child Marriage – Despite legal efforts to curb the practice, many young girls are still married off against their will, particularly in rural areas.
  

While Nigeria has taken steps to fight modern slavery, corruption and weak enforcement continue to hinder progress. Organizations like the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) work to combat the problem, but more action is needed.

What can be done

Slavery today is not always visible, but it continues to ruin lives across the world. While many countries have laws against modern slavery, enforcement remains weak, and traffickers continue to operate with impunity. 

Governments, international organizations, and individuals must work together to put an end to this inhumane practice. Slavery did not end with abolition, it just changed form. And until it is eradicated completely, millions of people will continue to suffer.