Slave

A slave is a person who is owned by another person or who is under the exclusive control of another, deprived of personal freedom, and compelled to work or provide services under coercion, without voluntary consent or fair compensation.

Slavery has appeared in many forms throughout history. It existed in ancient civilizations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, as well as in the Americas during the era of the transatlantic slave trade. People might become slaves through conquest, debt, crime, capture, or hereditary status, and their children were often born into bondage.

Abolition movements in the 18th–20th centuries led to legal bans on slavery in many countries. International law now prohibits slavery and related practices. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone is entitled to freedom from slavery and servitude, and key treaties include the Slavery Convention (1926), its 1956 Supplementary Convention, and national amendments such as the United States Constitution’s 13th Amendment.

Modern slavery refers to situations where people are trapped in forced labor, debt bondage, human trafficking, child labor, sexual slavery, or servile marriages. It persists despite laws, due to coercion, vulnerability, organized crime, and weak enforcement. The International Labour Organization and other bodies estimate tens of millions of people live in such conditions at any time, in sectors ranging from agriculture to domestic work and construction.

Efforts to combat slavery include international conventions, anti-trafficking frameworks, law enforcement, victim protection, and education. Organizations work to prevent recruitment, prosecute perpetrators, and provide rehabilitation for survivors. Ending slavery requires sustained political will, economic development, and respect for human rights.