Victims of human trafficking

More than 12 million people around the world are being forced to work against their will and most of them live in Asia. The International Labor Organization says that altogether they generate $32 billion a year for those who exploit them.

The International Labor Organization reports the use of forced labor is rising due to globalization, increased competitiveness and the world &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/99/391/10742_.html ' target=_blank>economic boom.

A Bangkok-based legal expert with the ILO, Tim Demeyer, says nearly 10 million of the forced laborers are in Asia. He says this is in part because of traditional labor systems involving laborers working to pay off family debts to employers, tells VOA News.

At least 12.3 million people are trapped in forced labour around the world, according to estimates in a report by the UN agency the &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/politics/2002/07/16/32561.html ' target=_blank>International Labour Organisation.

More than three-quarters of these are subjected to forced labour by private companies or individuals rather than being victims of the state, the ILO study suggests.

The report, A Global Alliance Against Forced labour, estimates that 2.4 million people worldwide are the victims of human trafficking.

Launching the report in London, the head of ILO's programme against forced labour, Roger Plant, said: "It is imperative to have some controls, so that you don't have an unprotected workforce."

The report estimates the largest number of forced labourers is in Asia, at 9.5 million. A further 1.3 million are estimated to work in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 660,000 in sub-Saharan Africa.