Global Slavery: The Numbers

Slavery is a major problem in the modern world. Over 45 million slaves worldwide work endlessly every day, with little or no pay. Africa has one of the worst slave numbers on Earth.

Sub-Saharan Africa owns over 6 million slaves, roughly equating to 14% of all slaves. Tens of billions of US dollars are made due to the limitless hours slaves work. They work with little food and water, often dying while serving their owners.

Slaves are also getting cheaper by the year. In comparison to the 1850’s, if converted to today’s US dollar, were worth about $40,000 dollars each, making them less affordable and more difficult to get. Currently, slaves cost an average of a mere $90, the equivalent to a new video game. Slaves also earn up to 100 billion dollars per year for their horrific work, none of which they get to have for themselves.

Roughly three quarters of slaves work as labour slaves, obeying an owner and doing work on plantations and living on attached communities called ‘bateyes’. Bateyes have little or no fresh water, and have no electricity or sanitation. Labour slaves can live near mines and farms, giving them the maximum time to work. They can work up to 20 hours a day, every day of the year, meaning that 5/6ths of their lives they are working.