Sadly, modern-day slavery is a reality in many parts of the world, even though the United States and other Western democracies outlawed the evil practice 150 years ago or more. More than 40 million people are presently bonded under modern-day slavery, according to the United Nations’ latest estimates. Nearly 25 million are forced laborers. One of every four is a child. These gut-wrenching figures leave no doubt that more can and should be done to eliminate the wretched practice, wherever it exists.

In the U.S., in an effort to rid the domestic market of products connected to overseas slave practices, at least one state (California) has enacted legislation (the Transparency in Supply Chains Act) to require certain businesses to investigate and disclose any use of forced labor in their supply chains. The U.S. House and Senate each have pending before them bills proposing similar transparency measures. And according to recent reports, the White House will be implementing a ban on cotton produced with forced labor in China, which is one of the three largest cotton-producing countries worldwide.

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