Vatican City, May 20, 2011 / 11:08 am
Many believe that slavery is an ancient problem that was banished in the 19th century. Not so, according to the Vatican and leading international officials.
“Estimates of the problem of modern slavery today run as high as 27 million people,” Luis CdeBaca, a special advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama told a Vatican conference May 18.
“In some parts of the world you’re talking about as much as 1 in 350 who are suffering due to debt bondage, involuntary servitude or forced prostitution. … Unfortunately, we’ve yet to find a country it does not touch,” he added.
The event at the Vatican’s Palazzo della Cancelleria drew religious leaders, law makers and academics to discuss the problem of “modern slavery.” It was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See and Miami’s St. Thomas School of Law.