His address on the occasion of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery was published on the UN website.
“Today, more than 40 million people are victims of modern slavery.
Women and girls make up 71% of this figure, ”the text says.
In the modern world, slavery manifests itself in the form of forced labor, including child, domestic bondage, human trafficking for the purpose of exploitation, forced marriage, forced recruitment of children in armed conflicts, and debt dependence.
Poor and marginalized members of society, racial and ethnic minorities, as well as indigenous peoples and migrants are most often subjected to slavery.
The UN Secretary General called for uniting efforts to eradicate this phenomenon that violates human rights.
In September, RTD released a film about slavery in modern Russia and the Alternative movement, which is the only organization in the country dedicated to rescuing people from slavery.
More details about the "Alternative", the leader of the movement Oleg Melnikov and the struggle of volunteers - in the new RTD film "Slavery: XXI Century".