{"id":945,"date":"2017-10-06T08:24:34","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T08:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/?p=945"},"modified":"2017-10-06T08:25:01","modified_gmt":"2017-10-06T08:25:01","slug":"indian-government-advised-to-discredit-slavery-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/2017\/10\/06\/indian-government-advised-to-discredit-slavery-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian government advised to \u2018discredit\u2019 slavery research"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"hide-on-mobile\">\n<header class=\"content__head tonal__head tonal__head--tone-news \">\n<div class=\"tonal__standfirst u-cf\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column\">\n<div class=\"content__standfirst\">\n<p>Prime minister Narendra Modi pressured to condemn Australian report on modern slavery over fears it could tarnish India\u2019s image<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;line-height: inherit\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"content__main tonal__main tonal__main--tone-news\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column content__main-column--article js-content-main-column \">\n<div class=\"js-sport-tabs football-tabs content__mobile-full-width\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"img-1\" class=\"media-primary media-content() \">\n<div class=\"u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"maxed responsive-img\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9fda29ee6fb40361ba99c921e9e3ce50fb5e3b00\/0_24_3000_1800\/master\/3000.jpg?w=300&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=c592527b4a712ef1e88546a58eb25592\" alt=\"An Indian child breaks apart broken tiles outside an under-construction apartment building in Mumbai.\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--main caption--img\">Modern slavery refers to child labour and a range of other exploitative practices. Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"content__meta-container js-content-meta js-football-meta u-cf content__meta-container--twitter \">\n<div class=\"meta__extras \">\n<div class=\"meta__social\">\n<ul class=\"social social--top js-social--top u-unstyled u-cf\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--facebook \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--twitter \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--email \"><\/li>\n<li class=\"js-social__secondary social__item social__item--more js-social__item--more\"><button class=\"meta-button social-tray__button\"><span class=\"u-h\">View more sharing options<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"meta__numbers\">\n<div class=\"meta__number js-sharecount\" title=\"Facebook: 489\">\n<h3 class=\"sharecount__heading\"><span class=\"sharecount__text u-h\">Shares<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"sharecount__value sharecount__value--short\">489<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"u-h meta__number\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"byline\"><a class=\"tone-colour\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/michael-safi\" rel=\"author\">Michael Safi<\/a> in Delhi<\/p>\n<div class=\"meta__twitter\">\n<div class=\"contact hide-until-leftcol \">@safimichael<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"content__dateline\">Wednesday 4 October 2017 <span class=\"content__dateline-time\">22.01\u00a0EDT<\/span>Last modified on Wednesday 4 October 2017<span class=\"content__dateline-time\">22.02\u00a0EDT<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content__article-body from-content-api js-article__body\">\n<p>The government of <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/india\">India<\/a> has been advised to launch a campaign to \u201cdiscredit\u201d research into the country\u2019s modern slavery problem because it has the \u201cpotential to substantially harm India\u2019s image and exports\u201d, according to an Indian news report.<\/p>\n<p>The Walk Free Foundation, an anti-slavery organisation established by Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest, was specifically singled out in a memo reportedly prepared by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), an Indian security agency, and <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/india-slammed-for-slavery-we-need-to-counter-ib-to-modi-govt-4873255\/\">obtained by the Indian Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It was produced days after the release of a report <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2017\/sep\/19\/latest-figures-reveal-more-than-40-million-people-are-living-in-slavery\">last month<\/a> by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Forrest\u2019s Walk Free Foundation that estimated the global population of modern slaves at 40.3m in 2016.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail element-rich-link--upgraded\">\n<div class=\"rich-link tone-news--item \">\n<div class=\"rich-link__container\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__image-container u-responsive-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/6a6c21fc8cee0dfe54a7b778dcf4eb14dbf1cce5\/0_374_5616_3370\/master\/5616.jpg?w=460&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=b7af47afda6e60903ca7138d7d2e1f0d\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__header\">\n<h1 class=\"rich-link__title\"><a class=\"rich-link__link\">Latest figures reveal more than 40 million people are living in slavery<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__arrow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more-text\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>India was not specifically mentioned but successive research has estimated the number of modern slaves in the country to be between 14m and 18m people \u2013the most in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Modern slavery refers to <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2014\/may\/20\/global-forced-labour-generates-billions-illegal-profits-un\">people involved in forced labour<\/a>, people trafficking, debt bondage, child labour and a range of other exploitative practices affecting vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Indian Express, the Indian security agency wrote to the prime minister\u2019s office and other high-level government departments advising them to \u201cdiscredit\u201d the September report and to pressure the ILO to disassociate itself from Walk Free.<video id=\"vjs_video_3_html5_api\" class=\"vjs-tech\" style=\"line-height: inherit;font-size: 1rem\" poster=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ede2276d6c8516e51d82c3fdcb32aff021d2f02b\/263_331_2734_1640\/2734.jpg?w=640&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=c85769ca3c8f227fcda58b7d5b1722c6\" preload=\"metadata\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-video fig--has-shares fig--narrow-caption\">\n<div class=\"gu-media-wrapper gu-media-wrapper--video u-responsive-ratio u-responsive-ratio--hd\">\n<div id=\"vjs_video_3\" class=\"js-gu-media--enhance gu-media gu-media--video vjs vjs-paused vjs-controls-enabled vjs_video_3-dimensions vjs-user-inactive\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-poster\"><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"vjs-big-play-button\" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Play Video<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-control-bar\">\n<p><button class=\"vjs-play-control vjs-control vjs-button \" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Play<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-current-time vjs-time-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-current-time-display\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Current Time<\/span>0:00<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-time-control vjs-time-divider\">\n<div>\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-duration vjs-time-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-duration-display\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Duration Time<\/span>1:27<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-progress-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-progress-holder vjs-slider vjs-slider-horizontal\" role=\"slider\">\n<div class=\"vjs-load-progress\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Loaded: 0%<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-mouse-display\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-play-progress vjs-slider-bar\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Progress: 0%<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"vjs-fullscreen-control vjs-control vjs-button \" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-volume-menu-button vjs-menu-button vjs-menu-button-inline vjs-control vjs-button vjs-volume-menu-button-horizontal vjs-vol-3\" role=\"button\">\n<p><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Mute<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-menu\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-fullscreen-clickbox\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article hide-on-mobile \"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2017%2Fjul%2F31%2Fwhy-are-millions-of-people-still-trapped-in-slavery-video&amp;picture=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Why%20are%20millions%20of%20people%20still%20trapped%20in%20slavery%3F%20%E2%80%93%C2%A0video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2017%2Fjul%2F31%2Fwhy-are-millions-of-people-still-trapped-in-slavery-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=Why%20are%20millions%20of%20people%20still%20trapped%20in%20slavery%3F%20%E2%80%93%C2%A0video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2017%2Fjul%2F31%2Fwhy-are-millions-of-people-still-trapped-in-slavery-video&amp;media=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img\"><a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/video\/2017\/jul\/31\/why-are-millions-of-people-still-trapped-in-slavery-video\">Why are millions of people still trapped in slavery? \u2013 video<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The foundation was established by Forrest, one of Australia\u2019s richest men, in 2012. It produces an annual estimate of the <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2017\/sep\/19\/latest-figures-reveal-more-than-40-million-people-are-living-in-slavery\">number of slaves worldwide<\/a>, lobbies governments to strengthen and enforce labour laws, and invests in frontline social programs.<\/p>\n<p>The intelligence memo claimed that researchers were increasingly \u201ctargeting\u201d India as a modern slavery hub, according to the news report.<\/p>\n<p>It said estimates such as those produced by the ILO and Forrest\u2019s foundation had \u201cpotential to substantially harm India\u2019s image and exports and impact its efforts to achieve <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/sustainabledevelopment.un.org\/?menu=1300\">Sustainable Development Goal 8.7<\/a>\u201d \u2013 a target for eradicating forced and child labour, and human trafficking.<\/p>\n<p>The security agency also said the scale of India\u2019s modern slave population was based on \u201cquestionable statistics\u201d, citing the fact the ILO-Walk Free survey interviewed 17,000 people in India but only 2,000 in countries such as Russia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the report said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-video fig--has-shares fig--narrow-caption\">\n<div class=\"gu-media-wrapper gu-media-wrapper--video u-responsive-ratio u-responsive-ratio--hd\">\n<div id=\"vjs_video_215\" class=\"js-gu-media--enhance gu-media gu-media--video vjs vjs-paused vjs-controls-enabled vjs_video_215-dimensions vjs-user-inactive\">\n<p><video id=\"vjs_video_215_html5_api\" class=\"vjs-tech\" poster=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/audio\/video\/2014\/11\/26\/1416987565739\/Taken--Latas-Story---taxi-018.jpg?w=640&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=3fd9b5e1a4c4a651e8281f00cb730617\" preload=\"metadata\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-poster\"><\/div>\n<p><button 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class=\"vjs-mouse-display\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-play-progress vjs-slider-bar\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Progress: 0%<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"vjs-fullscreen-control vjs-control vjs-button \" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-volume-menu-button vjs-menu-button vjs-menu-button-inline vjs-control vjs-button vjs-volume-menu-button-horizontal vjs-vol-3\" role=\"button\">\n<p><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Mute<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-menu\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-embed-button vjs-control\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"vjs-control-content\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Embed<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-fullscreen-clickbox\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article hide-on-mobile \"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcities%2Fvideo%2F2014%2Fnov%2F25%2Flata-drugged-kidnapped-mumbai-brothel-sex-slave&amp;picture=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FGuardian%2FPix%2Faudio%2Fvideo%2F2014%2F11%2F26%2F1416987564172%2FTaken--Latas-Story---taxi-017.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Lata%27s%20story%3A%20drugged%2C%20kidnapped%20and%20forced%20to%20work%20in%20a%20Mumbai%20brothel%20-%20video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcities%2Fvideo%2F2014%2Fnov%2F25%2Flata-drugged-kidnapped-mumbai-brothel-sex-slave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=Lata%27s%20story%3A%20drugged%2C%20kidnapped%20and%20forced%20to%20work%20in%20a%20Mumbai%20brothel%20-%20video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcities%2Fvideo%2F2014%2Fnov%2F25%2Flata-drugged-kidnapped-mumbai-brothel-sex-slave&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FGuardian%2FPix%2Faudio%2Fvideo%2F2014%2F11%2F26%2F1416987564172%2FTaken--Latas-Story---taxi-017.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img\"><a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/cities\/video\/2014\/nov\/25\/lata-drugged-kidnapped-mumbai-brothel-sex-slave\">Lata\u2019s story: drugged, kidnapped and forced to work in a Mumbai brothel<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fiona David, the executive director of global research for the Walk Free Foundation, defended the integrity of the figures, saying they were the combined efforts of Walk Free, the International Labour Organisation and the International Organization for Migration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough our combined efforts, we were able to draw in data from more than 54 random sample, nationally representative, surveys (involving more than 70,000 individual respondents across 50 languages) and data from more than 30,000 actual cases of human trafficking,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe welcome the Indian government\u2019s continued focus and commitment on this issue, through efforts to strengthen national laws on this issue but also other innovations, such as national programs of training for police, and an increased focus on atrocities committed against scheduled castes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe would be delighted to work with the Indian government on national estimation efforts. National responses are key to this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"element element-video fig--has-shares fig--narrow-caption\">\n<div class=\"gu-media-wrapper gu-media-wrapper--video u-responsive-ratio u-responsive-ratio--hd\">\n<div id=\"vjs_video_359\" class=\"js-gu-media--enhance gu-media gu-media--video vjs vjs-paused vjs-controls-enabled vjs_video_359-dimensions vjs-user-inactive\">\n<p><video id=\"vjs_video_359_html5_api\" class=\"vjs-tech\" poster=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3a1fe69003d74a56e526a784a6ac93ce2d2ba9e0\/889_972_5183_2916\/5183.jpg?w=640&amp;q=55&amp;auto=format&amp;usm=12&amp;fit=max&amp;s=78e2bcbc6dff41c66607403870265f16\" preload=\"metadata\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\"><\/video><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-poster\"><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"vjs-big-play-button\" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Play Video<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-control-bar\">\n<p><button class=\"vjs-play-control vjs-control vjs-button \" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Play<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-current-time vjs-time-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-current-time-display\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Current Time<\/span>0:00<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-time-control vjs-time-divider\">\n<div>\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-duration vjs-time-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-duration-display\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Duration Time<\/span>0:54<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-progress-control vjs-control\">\n<div class=\"vjs-progress-holder vjs-slider vjs-slider-horizontal\" role=\"slider\">\n<div class=\"vjs-load-progress\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Loaded: 0%<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-mouse-display\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-play-progress vjs-slider-bar\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Progress: 0%<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"vjs-fullscreen-control vjs-control vjs-button \" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-volume-menu-button vjs-menu-button vjs-menu-button-inline vjs-control vjs-button vjs-volume-menu-button-horizontal vjs-vol-3\" role=\"button\">\n<p><span class=\"vjs-control-text\">Mute<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-menu\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vjs-fullscreen-clickbox\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article hide-on-mobile \"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=180444840287&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Fjul%2F28%2Fchild-labourers-helping-luxury-cars-sparkle-india-mica-video&amp;picture=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=The%20child%20labourers%20helping%20luxury%20cars%20sparkle%20%E2%80%93%20video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Fjul%2F28%2Fchild-labourers-helping-luxury-cars-sparkle-india-mica-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=The%20child%20labourers%20helping%20luxury%20cars%20sparkle%20%E2%80%93%20video&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Fjul%2F28%2Fchild-labourers-helping-luxury-cars-sparkle-india-mica-video&amp;media=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img\"><a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/video\/2016\/jul\/28\/child-labourers-helping-luxury-cars-sparkle-india-mica-video\">The child labourers helping luxury cars sparkle<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Past research produced by the ILO and Walk Free has been used to justify funding for anti-slavery initiatives and to introduce legislation such as <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sustainable-business\/2015\/dec\/14\/modern-slavery-act-explained-business-responsibility-supply-chain\/\">the UK\u2019s 2015 Modern Slavery Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Large Australian companies may also soon be required to publish annual reports detailing how they are combating modern slavery among their staff and supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>The estimates cited in the September report were a marked increase from the ILO\u2019s previous estimates of 21m forced labourers worldwide. The ILO and Walk Free attributed the rise to better reporting and research methodologies and the inclusion of forced marriage as a form of modern slavery.<\/p>\n<p>International and non-government organisations have been warning that India is becoming an increasingly difficult environment to operate.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail element-rich-link--upgraded\">\n<div class=\"rich-link tone-comment--item \">\n<div class=\"rich-link__container\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__header\">\n<h1 class=\"rich-link__title\"><a class=\"rich-link__link\">&#8216;The Indian government has shut the door on NGOs&#8217;<\/a><\/h1>\n<div class=\"rich-link__byline\">Deborah Doane<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more\">\n<div class=\"rich-link__arrow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-link__read-more-text\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>An IB report <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/Foreign-funded-NGOs-stalling-development-IB-report\/articleshow\/36411169.cms\">was leaked to the Indian media<\/a> in 2014 alleging that \u201cforeign-funded\u201d organisations, such as Greenpeace, were costing India 2-3% of its Gross Domestic Product growth each year by sponsoring protests against genetically modified food and nuclear and coal power plants.<\/p>\n<p>Civil society groups say that suspicious attitudes towards their work have been used to justify <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2016\/nov\/24\/india-modi-government-accused-muzzling-ngos-by-blocking-foreign-funding\">restrictions on foreign funding<\/a> for international organisations such as the Ford Foundation and Indian NGOs.<\/p>\n<p>One of the largest charities operating in India, the US Christian group Compassion International, <a class=\"u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2017\/feb\/03\/christian-charity-set-to-withdraw-from-india-after-funding-blocked\">shut its Indian operations earlier this year<\/a> citing the restrictions on foreign funding, which it said was depriving its programs of $3.5m each month.<\/p>\n<p>The ILO and the Indian prime minister\u2019s office have been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prime minister Narendra Modi pressured to condemn Australian report on modern slavery over fears it could tarnish India\u2019s image \u00a0 Modern slavery refers to child labour and a range of other exploitative practices. Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee\/AFP\/Getty Images View more sharing options Shares 489 Michael Safi in Delhi @safimichael Wednesday 4 October 2017 22.01\u00a0EDTLast modified on Wednesday 4 October 201722.02\u00a0EDT The&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/2017\/10\/06\/indian-government-advised-to-discredit-slavery-research\/\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=945"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":947,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/945\/revisions\/947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baileyonlineclassroom.com\/southandcentralasiablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}