International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Forced labour in Africa is neither a relic of a distant past nor a phenomenon confined to isolated crises. It exists at the intersection of longstanding social practices, economic inequalities, weak labour governance, and shifting global labour markets. While older forms of exploitation persist in some regions, new patterns have emerged in response to climate pressures, migration dynamics, informalisation of work, and evolving global demand. Understanding this complexity requires moving beyond simplified narratives of victims and saviours, and toward a grounded appreciation of the political, social, and economic ecosystems within which forced labour takes root.

In parts of the Sahel, for example, caste-linked servitude persists not because communities are passive or unaware, but because these systems are backed by longstanding power relations and limited access to justice. Similarly, the presence of child domestic workers in urban and peri-urban households reflects a blend of economic hardship, cultural expectations, and gaps in public services, particularly schooling and social protection. These realities show the durability of historical practices when alternative livelihood pathways are constrained.

At the same time, contemporary economic pressures have generated new forms of coercion. Irregular migration routes across North and East Africa expose young people to trafficking networks, where exploitation often thrives because law enforcement capacity is weak, political conflict disrupts protections, and migrants lack safe channels to seek redress. In mining regions from West Africa to the DRC, debt bondage is reinforced by market volatility, informal governance structures, and the absence of regulatory oversight. Meanwhile, migrant domestic workers travelling to the Middle East often face exploitation under contractual systems that restrict their mobility. Here, digital platforms play a dual role: enabling access to opportunity but also enabling deceptive recruitment by intermediaries who act outside any regulatory framework.

Across these varied contexts, forced labour is sustained not by a lack of awareness but by structural constraints that limit the ability of individuals and communities to challenge exploitation. Speaking out is not always safe, practical, or effective, especially where perpetrators hold political or economic power, or where survivors face stigma and retaliation. The idea that “every voice can be a weapon” is compelling, but it must be understood as contingent on broader protections, institutional accountability, and collective support systems.

Communities themselves already play a critical role in preventing and responding to forced labour, often in ways that development actors under recognise. Local leaders, youth groups, women’s associations, workers’ cooperatives, survivor networks, and faith institutions frequently act as first responders; mediating disputes, exposing abusive intermediaries, challenging harmful norms, and creating safe spaces for reporting. Strengthening these existing structures is as important as introducing new mechanisms.

For governments, the responsibility to prevent forced labour is not optional. This includes enforcing labour laws, regulating recruitment practices, protecting migrants, investing in labour inspectorates, and ensuring accessible justice systems. Development partners can support these efforts not by substituting state functions, but by building capacity, facilitating dialogue, and supporting accountability initiatives led by civil society and affected communities.

Digital tools can amplify community action, but they are not a universal solution. They must be complemented by offline systems, such as legal aid, shelters, unionisation opportunities, community dialogues, and survivor-centred reporting mechanisms that protect individuals when they do speak up and offer support when they cannot.

A more grounded approach to ending forced labour in Africa, therefore, means recognising that change emerges from alignment between empowered communities, accountable institutions, and responsive development programming. Progress is most sustainable when communities are not asked to shoulder risk alone, and when development interventions reinforce, not replace, their agency and leadership.