Any problem must be properly understood before it can be effectively tackled and solved. Bonded labour is no exception. Action against bonded labour must be firmly grounded on a thorough understanding of its causes and its social and economic consequences, the characteristics of the people who are affected and of those who exploit them. It is essential also to analyse bonded labour in the wider context in which it occurs, the social and economic drivers of debt and vulnerability, labour market demand and supply forces, and the evolving structure of local and national economies in the face of the pressures, and the opportunities, presented by globalization. A further important area of research is the monitoring and evaluation of projects and other interventions against bonded labour, to assess their strengths and weaknesses and distil the lessons learnt. Robust data and information are needed to convince decision-makers, in both public and private sectors, of the need to take action to end bonded labour.
Bonded labour has been the subject of numerous qualitative studies by academics, practitioners and activists over the years. Yet authoritative statistical data on the numbers and characteristics of people affected, and on the nature of their work, remain much harder to come by. This section of the web-site contains an initial selection of recent research reports; it is hoped that web-site users will contribute very many more>
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