United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday called on governments and societies around the world to renew their commitment to eradicating slavery.
This came in a message of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the occasion of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, a copy of which was seen by Anadolu Agency.
Guterres urged all countries to “protect and uphold the rights of victims and survivors of slavery.”
“It is imperative we recognize that the legacy of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans reverberates to this day, scarring our societies and impeding equitable development,” said the UN Secretary-General.
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“I call on governments and societies to recommit to eradicating slavery,” Guterres added.
On December 2 of each year, the United Nations commemorates the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, with the aim of advocating for the victims of slavery and calling for its eradication.
Guterres called for “the elimination of contemporary forms of slavery, such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and the use of children in armed conflict.”
He stressed that “there is still a need to take further measures with the full participation of all stakeholders, including the private sector, trade unions, civil society and human rights institutions.”
The latest ILO estimates show that 10 million people will fall into modern slavery in 2021, bringing the current total to 50 million worldwide, most of them women and children.