It's a completely ordinary day. I rise from my bed and its soft, comfortable bedding—one slave. I take a shower and wash up with soap and shampoo—two slaves. I put on some lotion, do my makeup and put on some perfume—three slaves. It is cold outside. I dress up in clothes made from both wool and cotton—four slaves. I eat breakfast and have a cup of coffee—five slaves.
I could have gone on like this for ages. The number would finally add up to 32. Thirty two slaves work for me. Even before exiting my own house in the morning I have used, worn or consumed products worth the work of five slaves. In order to live my life using the products I want to and with the level of comfort I like, there are 32 humans worldwide working literally for their life.
According to the organization Free the Slaves there are 27 million slaves in the world. An interactive map shows which regions in the world that use slave labour and where the slaves originate from. In 2012, slavery is so widespread and extensive that it might seem endless. A huge problem is that slavery is forbidden in practically every country, but still exists in different forms practically everywhere. Cotton, chocolate, steel, rubber, sugar and seafood are all examples of products being produced by means of forced labour. The question is then not if there are slaves working for you, but how many.
Why is slavery allowed to exist?
It is no longer true that slavery is allowed to exist because of ignorance. In 2000, the Palermo Protocol was founded through a UN initiative to prevent, fight and penalize human trafficking. Despite a small but steady increase in the number of convictions worldwide, 62 countries had not yet succeeded in achieving a single conviction by the international code of law in 2011. This is not because human trafficking and slavery do not exist there. Perpetrators are thus allowed to continue their illegal activities.
UN definition of human trafficking
«A person that either through violence, threats, exploitation of a vulnerable situation or through other improper conduct use someone for prostitution (or other sexual behaviour), forced labour, war service, or removal of that persons organs»
Slavery is about profits. Slaves are cheaper than the raw materials they are set to refine. Today, a slave can be bought for about 90 dollars, or 500 NOK. Human trafficking has become such a large industry that there is no point in investing in the slaves. If a slave becomes sick or revolts, it is cheaper to kill them or let them die and buy a new one. In the same way that we use and dispose of clothes from H&M, humans are used and thrown away.
As consumers we have power. Power to set demands of enterprises and politicians. The world can exist without slavery. Despite slavery being extensive in many industries there are actors in every branch that refrain from using it. Slavery Footprint has made a simple web-based survey making it possible to calculate the number of slaves hidden in the chain of delivery behind the products you own. In order to abolish forced labour it is important for us as consumers to be conscious of our role in the chain of delivery. When you buy a product, you are also purchasing its history.
My number is 32. This is an uncomfortable acknowledgement, and a number I wish to change. A life that needs to be supported by the labour of 32 slaves is not a life I wish to live.
06 December 2012
