Tvangsarbeid

Tvangsarbeid, or forced labor, is work or service exacted from an individual under coercion, threat of punishment, or other forms of pressure, and for which the person has not voluntarily offered themselves. It includes situations where the worker cannot leave due to intimidation, debt bondage, or exploitative control.

International law generally prohibits forced labor. The ILO Forced Labour Convention (No. 29, 1930) and the ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No. 105, 1957) define forced labor as work or service exacted under the menace of any penalty and for which the person has not volunteered. Some forms of compulsory labor, such as certain types of national service or prison work, may be permitted under defined conditions.

Common forms include debt bondage, trafficking for labor, compulsory prison labor, and exploitation of workers in mining, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, domestic work, and services. Forced labor also arises in wartime contexts, under state coercion, or through illicit recruitment networks.

Efforts to address it involve international monitoring, national legislation, and remedies for victims. States are urged to prohibit coercive practices, protect workers’ rights, investigate abuses, provide redress, and sanction perpetrators. Non-governmental organizations and international bodies document abuses and assist victims.

While progress has been made, forced labor remains a global concern due to hidden coercion, complex supply chains, and vulnerabilities among migrants and marginalized workers.