Slavery in Africa: Top 20 African Countries With The Highest Prevalence of Modern Slavery, 2018

According to the new Africa Region Report: Global Slavery Index 2018, Eritrea has the highest prevalence of modern slavery in Africa.

Top 20 African Countries With The Highest Prevalence Of Slavery

Eritrea is the country with the highest prevalence of modern slavery in Africa, with an estimated 451,000 victims in the country. This is according to the new Africa Region Report: Global Slavery Index 2018.

According to the report, an estimated 9.2 million men, women, and children were living in modern slavery in Africa. The region has the highest rate of prevalence, with 7.6 people living in modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the region.

When considering the forms of modern slavery, the rate of forced marriage (4.8 victims per 1,000 people in the region) was higher than the rate of forced labour (2.8 victims per 1,000 people in the region).

Over half of all victims of forced labour exploitation (54 percent) were held in debt bondage, with similar proportions of men and women in Africa trapped through debt.

An estimated 400,000 people in Africa were victims of forced sexual exploitation, accounting for eight percent of all victims of forced sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of children worldwide.

Highest Prevalence of Modern Slavery in Africa

Within the region, Eritrea, Burundi, and Central African Republic were the countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery; however, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had the highest absolute number and accounted for over one-quarter (26.3 percent) of all victims in the region.

According to the report, Mauritius have the lowest prevalence rate at 1 per 1,000 people, as well as the lowest number of victims.

While Eritrea has the highest prevalence rate of modern slavery in Africa at 93 per 1,000 people, with 465,000 victims. However, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had the highest absolute number of modern slaves, 1.3 million and 1.04 million, respectively.

Burundi was ranked 2nd among the African Countries With The Highest Prevalence Of Slavery with an estimated 408,000 victims, Central African Republic on the other hand Was ranked 3rd with a prevalence rate of 22.3 and an estimated 101,000 victims.

South Africa the giant of Southern Africa was ranked 47th among African countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery with an estimated 155,000 victims.

While South Africa has a higher amount of victims, it is estimated that there are only 2.8 per 1,000 people that fall victim to modern slavery in the country.

See full list below

Top 20 African Countries With The Highest Prevalence Of Slavery

1. Eritrea – 93.0
2. Burundi – 40.0
3. Central African Republic – 22.3
4. Mauritania – 21.4
5. South Sudan – 20.5
6. Somalia – 15.5
7. Congo, Democratic Republic of the – 13.7
8. Sudan – 12.0
9. Chad – 12.0
10. Rwanda – 11.6
11. Swaziland – 8.8
12. Congo – 8.0
13. Guinea – 7.8
14. Libya – 7.7
15. Nigeria – 7.7
16. Uganda – 7.6
17. Madagascar – 7.5
18. Malawi – 7.5
19. Guinea-Bissau – 7.5
20. Liberia – 7.4

Uzonna Anele
Uzonna Anele
Anele is a web developer and a Pan-Africanist who believes bad leadership is the only thing keeping Africa from taking its rightful place in the modern world.

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