The inaugural edition of the Global Slavery Index 2013 provides a ranking of 162 countries around the world, based on a combined measure of three factors: estimated prevalence of modern slavery by population, a measure of child marriage, and a measure of human trafficking in and out of a country. The Index provides a quantitative ranking of 162 countries around the world according to the estimated prevalence of slavery, that is, the estimated percentage of enslaved people in the national population at a point in time. The Index also provides an estimate of the size of the modern slavery problem, country by country.

Mauritania with a population of 3,8 million topped the ranking list with 150 thous. people enslaved, followed by Haiti and Pakistan. The absolute leadership, however, belongs to India, with over 13 million enslaved.

Among post-Soviet countries, Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan were placed 49th, 50th and 51st respectively, with 500 thous. enslaved in Russia.

Armenia’s neighbors, Turkey and Iran took the 90th and 103rd spots respectively.

Slavery rate in Great Britain, Ireland and Iceland was close to zero.

In 2013, modern slavery takes many forms, and is known by many names: slavery, forced labour or human trafficking.

Whatever term is used, the significant characteristic of all forms of modern slavery is that it involves one person depriving another people of their freedom: their freedom to leave one job for another, their freedom to leave one workplace for another, their freedom to control their own body.