Forced Labour

Vietnam renews commitment to combat forced labour

Convention No. 105 is the seventh ILO fundamental Convention ratified by Vietnam

News | 10 June 2020
On 8 June 2020, the National Assembly in Vietnam voted for the ratification of the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105). Convention No. 105 is the seventh ILO fundamental Convention ratified by Vietnam, and is testimony of its deep commitment to advancing fundamental principles and rights at work and paving the way for the ratification of all eight ILO Fundamental Conventions.

According to ILO global estimates, there are 24.9 million victims of forced labour throughout the world., out of which16 million people are exploited in the private sector such as domestic work, construction or agriculture; 4.8 million persons in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million persons in forced labour imposed by state authorities. In the private sector, forced labour generates USD 150 billion in illegal profits every year. Several economic sectors are affected, including domestic work, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and fishing.

Through this ratification, Vietnam is demonstrating its firm commitment to combating forced labour in all its forms. This ratification is all the more important since the ILO’s global estimates show the urgency of adopting immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour. Moreover, by ratifying the Convention, Vietnam is moving ahead towards the achievement of decent work and the delivering at the country-level of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG target 8.7.

At the country level, the Government has taken significant measures to develop the legal framework for combating forced labour, including the enactment of the Law on Self-defence Forces on 22 November 2019, as well as the revision of the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments.