When she was nine years old Johanne became a child domestic slave. Forbidden to go to school, instead she was abused and spent her days cooking, cleaning and carrying water in 20 litre buckets, from the communal well, up the hill to her house.

After 18 years of carrying human waste on her head in wicker baskets to a dumpsite outside her village—a practice known as “manual scavenging”, Rekha Bai was able to find an alternative livelihood with the support of an NGO awarded by the UN Slavery Fund.

Maysoun was forced to marry at the age of 15. She was exploited, abused and when she fell ill, her husband left her. Although deeply traumatized by her experiences, Maysoun eventually recovered with the specialized assistance provided by a local non-governmental organization financially supported by the UN Slavery Fund and was able to restart her life.

“I worked 19 hours, every day of the week, for a monthly salary of 45 euros.” Diane was trafficked from her home country and then forced to work as a domestic slave. She eventually managed to rebuild her life with the help of an NGO supported by the UN Slavery Fund.

The UN Slavery Fund supports a number of NGOs, which rescue and assist victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and offer specialized support in the reconstruction of their lives.

The UN Slavery Fund financially supports NGOs, which seek out and rescue children like Ebo and provide specialized assistance for their rehabilitation.

The UN Slavery Fund providing direct assistance to victims of contemporary forms of slavery appeals for additional donations to undertake its work.

From the young women who have been enslaved as prostitutes or abused as unpaid domestic workers to the men who have been trapped in everlasting servitude, victims of trafficking have frequently been made vulnerable by structural discrimination and inequalities, said the UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay on the occasion of the first-ever World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery is facing a dramatic decrease in annual voluntary contributions, which impacts on its ability to assist victims of modern slavery.

Over 27 million people, including boys and girls, live their lives every day in slavery or slavery-like conditions despite continued efforts to end slavery.