Report: 600,000 forced labor victims in Middle East

[Mosby]

Millions of migrant workers flood to the Middle East from some of the world's poorest countries in search of paid work they won't find at home.

But for some, the journey doesn't end as they hope. Instead, they become victims of human trafficking, forced labor and sexual exploitation.

The CNN Freedom Project: Join CNN's fight to end modern day slavery

A report released Tuesday by the International Labor Organization paints a horrifying picture of migrant workers who find themselves trapped in appalling conditions without any way to get out.

"Our research team interviewed hundreds of workers and their experiences independent of country were very similar, actually," Beate Andrees, the report's author and head of the ILO's Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour, told CNN.

"They were lured into jobs that either didn't exist or that were offered under conditions that were very different from what they were promised in the first place," she said.

Data is scarce, but the ILO estimates as many as 600,000 people may be victims of forced labor across the Middle East.

That equates to 3.4 in every 1,000 of the region's inhabitants being compelled to work against their free choice, the ILO said.

The study, titled "Tricked and Trapped: Human Trafficking in the Middle East," is based on more than 650 interviews done over a two-year period in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/09/world/meast/mideast-migrant-workers/

[kickysnana]

1. They are called Welfare Mother's and Prisoners here. n/t

[Quantess]

2. Huh?

Strange comment.

[kickysnana]

3. I know it is late but think about it.

Forced to work despite the the fact that the pay for work done does not cover food, rent, transportation daycare and health insurance.

Pretty grim if you are a single Mom or got caught with a few joints.

[Arctic Dave]

4. Don't worry, those are our friendly countries.

It's ok if they steal the countries wealth and exploit the help.

[napoleon_in_rags]

5. Rec'd. This is large and important.

One of the biggest trends we've seen in recent decades in the US is the erosion of worker's power, as evidenced by the ever lower wages for more and more people. Unfortunately, that long road doesn't end with just a small paycheck, it ends in situations described in this article - slavery. The abolitionist cause of Lincoln really is relevant today, both in the extreme situations these people face, as well as in our daily normal lives.

[Mosby]

6. it is all related to workers rights.

In some parts of the world like the Arab Middle East and Gulf region it is outright slavery and in the west, the US in particluar it's slave wages.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. I was surprised about Jordan.

I know there are a number of problems there, but this was actually news to me. In all the stories I've read about Jordan, I have never seen this situation discussed. Now, the other countries, including the Syrian colony, Lebanon, I have seen a number of stories. Sadly, the ME has quite the reputation, including Israel, with this type of slavery. If one looks behind the curtain though, the culprit, at least from the past stories I have read, seems to be China and areas of its influence. The ME is also exporting these people to various Eastern European countries and Russia. I have read a few stories (I don't know how reliable they really were), but there is also supposed to be a trafficking pattern to the US and Canada (and Argentina, I think) from the ME.

[Mosby]

8. israel has been making some progress

Still lots of work to do though.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4245266,00.html