More than 9,000 people in Singapore are ‘modern-day slaves’: Study

SINGAPORE — Among nearly 46 million people living and working in slave-like conditions worldwide, an estimated 9,200 are in Singapore, according to a global index on 167 countries compiled by a human rights group.

The study, released by the Walk Free Foundation in May, puts Singapore’s figure at 0.165 per cent of the population, placing the country in joint 45th place, with Mauritius, out of a total of 52 rankings.

The lower the ranking, the less prevalence of “modern slavery” in a country. The group describes modern slavery as the presence of slave-like conditions including human trafficking, sex trafficking, forced labour and debt bondage.

According to the index, Singapore ranks worse than Vietnam and 23 other countries.

North Korea is ranked first, with 1.1 million slaves, or 4.373 per cent of its population. Several countries are tied for 52nd, with 0.018 per cent, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand and Luxembourg.

Cambodia is in third, with 1.648 per cent; and India ranks fourth, with 1.4 per cent. China came in 40th position with 0.247 per cent.

The index is the third produced by the Walk Free Foundation after similar editions in 2013 and 2014. Two years ago, Singapore had about 5,400 people, or 0.0998 per cent of the population, living in slave-like conditions, according to the foundation.

The results this year were based on more than 42,000 interviews conducted in 25 countries, covering about 44 per cent of the world’s population.