Hundreds of workers of brick-kilns organised a rally at Chowk Nawan Shehr on Friday to mark the international anti-slavery (bonded labour) day under the auspices of Sparc, Action-aid, and European Union. The participants of the rally, mostly women and children, were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans, "End slavery - End poverty," We are human being," Provide health and education to our children."

The speakers said that bonded labour - or debt bondage - is the least known form of slavery today, and yet it is the most widely used method of enslaving people. A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan. The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay, often for seven days a week, they said.

The value of their work is invariably greater than the original sum of money borrowed. They said that there were 1.7 million field workers in agriculture sector and 2.25 million brick-kiln workers in country, who were serving like slaves or serfs. "Poverty and threats of violence force many bonded labourers to stay with their masters, because they would not be able to eat or have a place to sleep. Poverty, and people prepared to exploit the desperation of others lie at the heart of bonded labour."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012