Beth Herzfeld

About the author: Beth Herzfeld is the press officer for Anti-Slavery International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating slavery around the world.

Bonded labor, one of the most common forms of slavery today, refers to labor that is performed in repayment of a debt. Unfortunately, many people are trapped into bonded labor when their wages are too low to cover the debt's interest rate and principal in addition to living expenses. International organizations, such as the United Nations and Anti-Slavery International, are working toward freeing victims of bonded labor. More support is needed to combat this terrible form of slavery.

We all thought slavery had been abolished, but at least 20 million people are still enslaved in the world today through bonded labour. Although this is the most widespread form of slavery today, it is also the...