Is slavery over in our generation??
Thank God it is another Saturday here and I want to express my profound gratitude to the management for their efforts and consistency in quality delivery of prompts like this which gives us opportunities to share and network with other authors across the globe. It's been a wonderful moment. My shout-out goes to the participants and many others that would drop their entries later.
The subject for this discussion in this third edition focuses on modern day slavery. It appears as if slavery has completely been eliminated but it's a complicated matter entirely. There are lots of things done by many people that depict that slavery hasn't been abolished either directly or indirectly. There are different types of slavery and also reasons that brought about such modern slavery. I would try and share some instances and possibly life testimonies. As far as I am concerned, virtually everyone is in one form of slavery or the other despite the kind of laws propagated in our various countries today. It's quite unfortunate to note that many are still under slavery even though it can be debated and not accepted by many.
Let me start by discussing some causes of slavery.
The first thing I would like to share here is the rate of insecurity, crisis and conflict issues. This has been a great factor that constitutes modern day slavery. In as much as no one comes around to carry people to engage them in unpleasant tasks as servants yet there are things that are happening that keep one under siege and form of slavery. In my country Nigeria for instance, the rate of insecurity and banditry is on the increase virtually everyday. It looks as if it is one of the thriving businesses in the modern time. It would interest you to know that many people can't comfortably go to farms, markets and other places simply because there is no guarantee or security for their lives and property. Is this not a modernized form of slavery?
Are people not still under bondages? slavery entails lack of freedom. There are many people in my axis that find it difficult to even go to farms and no liberty to exercise their civic right is no longer possible. This is just slavery metamorphosed.
Another cause of modern slavery is poverty. This is one of the strategies most politicians leverage on this to extort many people and cage them under abject poverty. You are at the mercy of the politician with his peanuts that he gives to deceive many. Poverty is modern day slavery.
Another thing I considered valid is when there is no good education. Limited accessibility to school denies a lot of people the right to be aware of their fundamental rights and benefits. I was told by the community recently how the neighboring villages exploit them because of their level of ignorance. They don't know how to read and interpret things therefore this was used to subject them to all manner of pressure. It's commonly said that if you want to hide something for a black man, put it in a book. When one is not exposed or doesn't know how to read, you can easily be cheated and manipulated especially in the modern time we are in.
Some forms of modern slavery include; Child or human trafficking. Some are coerced to practice this in the name of making more money to come out of poverty. You will become indirectly subject to another person. Other forms are forced marriages and forced labor. There are many young ladies that never liked the husband they married but because they were forced either by their parents or peer pressure. All through their lives in that marriage will be a difficult moment and slavery in disguise.
Eradicating the modern form of slavery would require a deliberate and concerted efforts. Slavery are at different levels and could be directly or indirectly.
