An international report, released Thursday, estimates that more than 2000 persons in Jamaica are living in conditions considered modern day slavery. The information is contained in the 2013 Global Slavery Index.
The index was compiled by Australia-based rights organization Walk Free Foundation, using a definition of modern slavery that includes debt bondage, forced marriage and human trafficking. It revealed that 30 million people around the world are living as slaves.
According to the report, there are 2,300 to 2,500 persons in Jamaica who are considered to be enslaved.
However, with a population of 2.7 million, Jamaica received a favourable ranking at 124 on the index of 162 countries and categorised with very low slavery prevalence.
India has the highest number of people living in conditions of slavery at 14 million. Mauritania has the highest proportional figure with about 4 per cent of its population enslaved.
The report's authors hope it will help governments tackle what they call a hidden crime.
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