G20+ Modern Slavery Prevention Index

The Index is an ongoing assessment of governments’ commitments and effectiveness to prevent and address exploitation.

Introduction

This platform contains information, data and analyses of national plans/strategies, activities and resourcing undertaken by G20 and other governments to prevent exploitation. The information and data will be increased and updated on an ongoing basis.

Vulnerable populations can only improve the quality of their lives if they can rely on a safe environment. One that is free from the risk of exploitation and where they can retain the fruits of their labour. It is essential to reduce structural precarity, such as arises from poverty, hunger, discrimination and conflict, and the specific idiosyncratic risks, such as arise from the complexity of national trade and supply chains, reliance on the local informal economy and the extent and nature of criminal activity.

With these risks in mind, we have developed this platform to provide a better perspective of the challenges identified by governments in their work to address exploitation, the formulation of their dedicated plans and strategies, their commitments and objectives, the impacts sought and the resources allocated.

We are very happy to discuss and receive updates and new public disclosure from official government representatives to improve the platform. The platform will be updated on an ongoing basis. If you want to receive updates on a periodic basis, please sign up for updates here.

Published Nov 2025. Last updated June 2026.

Key Takeaways

Highly asymmetric - Thousands of national OBjectives but extremely limited funding TO Support implementation

There are over 3300 objectives across the current and recent national plans of the 28 countries (+ EU) analysed. These 28 countries spent a total of US$2.2 billion per year. 70% of this available annual funding is from India, Italy and United States alone which account for only 18% of the objectives identified. There are too many objectives to achieve with very little funding.

Information on funding, impact, or implementation is undisclosed, unspecified under parent agencies or does not exist

Some governments have disclosed a general funding allocation but not expressly stated a specified dedicated budget line item. The most common example is anti-trafficking activities conducted as part of migration responsibilities.

There is insufficient funding, lack of capacity and inadequate infrastructure

 A clear picture has emerged of under-resourcing, limited implementation capacity, and the need for more adaptive plans and strategies. In many countries, there is also a need to establish basic permanent infrastructure and administration—such as a dedicated office—to collect data, produce regular reporting, and provide a stable foundation for ongoing efforts.

Few governments consistently gather data and produce an annual report

A few governments, such as the United States, have developed extensive, transparent and well-structured activities across government institutions and agencies. In many other cases, countries do not have a central coordinating agency or office, or even responsible individual, and do not have the capacity to gather victim data and perpetrators or produce a timely annual report. Poor data gathering, reporting and disclosure demonstrate a weak and impermanent administration and infrastructure.

The limitation of the ‘3Ps’ - the measure has become the target

The 3P framework was a guide and a measure for planning. With Goodhart’s law in mind, the 3Ps now seem to be targets rather than measures. Prevention has a heavy focus on awareness campaigns, interagency training, meetings and cooperation. Enforcement is limited to prosecution, with currently extremely low success. Protection is primarily victim care and services, yet many countries cannot produce victims’ data.

MANY Challenges and activities are rarely mentioned in national plans and strategies

Issues such as internet protection, wage theft, document fraud, exploitation in supply chains, proceeds from exploitation (money laundering), collective bargaining, and perpetrator recidivism are infrequently mentioned.

What is the Modern Slavery Prevention Index?

The Index is an ongoing assessment of governments’ commitments and efficacy to prevent exploitation.
The primary objective is to identify dedicated funding and resources allocated/disbursed by each government set against their stated funding aims and objectives (e.g., as set out in national plans or strategies).
Secondly, to understand the extent of the implementation and effectiveness.
Essentially, the Index is a “stock-take” of government action to prevent exploitation.
Our assessment

We start with understanding and identifying the aims and objectives adopted in any relevant current or recent national plans and strategies. Then, to understand the funding allocated to achieve these aims and objectives. Finally, to assess the extent of implementation by identifying a government’s capacity to execute basic administration fundamental to successful prevention and available infrastructure. For example, a national plan, regular status reports, identifying victims and perpetrators, gathering data on victims and seizure of illicit profits.
Government resources for preventing exploitation
To prevent exploitation, governments must pursue two courses of action in parallel:
- first, reduce structural and idiosyncratic conditions, or drivers, that create vulnerability in their populations and communities; and
- second, restrict the capacity for perpetrators to identify and exploit individuals and groups.
Context is crucial - the context of the specific challenges faced by each government are fundamental to assessing the efficacy of that government’s planning and capacity.
What is exploitation?

Exploitation occurs when individuals, singularly or collectively, become victims of individual or group perpetrators (e.g. family members, labour recruiters, organized criminals or businesses) seeking to benefit from the victims’ labour or action, without rewarding the victims who are unable to terminate the situation of their own volition.
For our Index, exploitation includes modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, wage theft, forced marriage, sex exploitation, child exploitation, child sexual abuse material, forced criminality and forms of online exploitation.
What makes an individual or group vulnerable to exploitation?

A primary, and obvious, cause of vulnerability is the ongoing exposure to and interactions with perpetrators (i.e. organized criminals or corporations/supply chain systems).
Victims are targeted because their, or their dependents, situation requires them to pursue and accept offers of income extremely urgently and/or are unable to understand perpetrators’ intentions due to their lack of knowledge and experience. For example drivers of vulnerability may be poverty, impact of a sudden event (e.g. health issue or loss of work), migrant status, poor literacy, at-risk communities, and social and/or physical isolation.
Vulnerability can also be deliberately created and sustained by perpetrators using deception, threats and/or acts of violence, physical isolation, psychological pressure, withholding documents or monies and creating debts from loan-sharking and penalties.

Platform Contents

Each country analysis comprises:

brief summary of our conclusions;
country contextual information and data setting out the specific idiosyncratic challenges, e.g., domestic vulnerability (e.g., poverty, inequality, extent of informal economy etc), complexity of supply chains, goods traded and geographic features.
current or recent national planning/strategies formulated;
analysis of planning/strategic objectives showing the thematic focus and emphasis;
publicly disclosed dedicated funding during the last 5 years;
efficacy of administration and implementation indicated by consistency of identity of dedicated agencies (if any), data gathered on victims identified and individual/corporate perpetrators pursued and ongoing reporting and disclosure; and
government reporting and disclosure used.