Bali Process Government and Business Forum

The Government and Business Forum gets influential leaders from across the region into one room to develop practical, regional solutions to address modern slavery – no small task.

It runs alongside the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, a multilateral forum of 45 member states and four international organisations, and develops recommendations through extensive consultation with business, government and civil society.

The Asia Pacific is the world’s largest region, accounting for about 56 percent of the world’s population. The region is also responsible for modern slavery on a shocking scale.

Walk Free estimates 29.3 million men, women and children are living in modern slavery in the Asia Pacific, or 59 per cent of the global estimate of 50 million. The region hosts the largest number of people in modern slavery, with an estimated 15 million people in forced labour. This includes debt bondage among migrants exploited within the region, hereditary forms of bonded labour in South Asia, and state-imposed forced labour in China, North Korea, and other countries.

No one individual, business or country can bring an end to this pervasive, transnational crime – collaboration is crucial. A coordinated regional approach must be taken if we want to eradicate modern slavery from within our borders and our global economy.

The Acknowledge, Act, Advance (AAA) Recommendations (a three-pronged strategy to eradicate modern slavery) was endorsed by government and business leaders representing 45 member states. It is the first regional policy document tackling modern slavery to be agreed by both the public and private sectors.