Bali Process Government and Business Forum

The Government and Business Forum gets influential leaders from across the region into one room to develop practical, regional solutions to address modern slavery – no small task.

It runs alongside the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, a multilateral forum of 45 member states and four international organisations, and develops recommendations through extensive consultation with business, government and civil society.

The Asia Pacific is the world’s largest region, accounting for about 56 percent of the world’s population. The region is also responsible for modern slavery on a shocking scale.

Walk Free estimates 24.9 million men, women and children are living in modern slavery in the Asia Pacific, or 62 per cent of the global estimate of 40.3 million. The region has the highest number of victims across all forms of modern slavery, accounting for 68 percent of those forced to work by state authorities and 64 percent of those in forced labour exploitation.

No one individual, business or country can bring an end to this pervasive, transnational crime – collaboration is crucial. A coordinated regional approach must be taken if we want to eradicate modern slavery from within our borders and our global economy.

The Acknowledge, Act, Advance (AAA) Recommendations (a three-pronged strategy to eradicate modern slavery) was endorsed by government and business leaders representing 45 member states. It is the first regional policy document tackling modern slavery to be agreed by both the public and private sectors.