Modern Slavery in Asia
Huge income gap inequality still persists in the Asia-Pacific, despite the fact that in recent years the economy of the region has been flourishing. Being one of the most overpopulated regions, Southeast Asia created an environment with the highest demand for cheap labor. There is a supply of human resources, however, an overwhelming majority of the population fall victims of of modern slavery. According to ILO statistics, over 40 million people in the world are suffering from human trafficking, two third of which constitute from East Asian and the Pacific region population.
There are many factors that contribute to the escalation of the issue. Natural disasters as well as the state conflicts make the victims automatically fall under the category of vulnerable people in the eyes of human traffickers. Refugees and survivors of the catastrophes get trapped in the nets of slavery while seeking for shelter and financial support. Recent armed conflicts in the Philippines and Myanmar spurred the refugee crisis problem, which also led to the increased crime level, thus of forced labor, sex exploitation and coerced marriage.
In this panel session, the delegates will discuss various topics and recent events related to modern slavery in the Asia-Pacific region, analyze the causes of this issue and get acknowledged with social policies implemented to minimize negative consequences.