I cannot imagine my life without work. I feel proud and happy that I am working and able to contribute to society. One of my main motivations for working is to be able to help other people.

I work as a senior packer at my family’s bakery business in the city of Vanadzor in Armenia. We produce 50 types of baked goods. I love my job.

Before starting this job, I worked at another place that makes souvenirs but it was hard for me because I can get tired easily. With my mother’s support I overcame these difficulties.

Work gives me my independence

When I started in first grade at school, there weren’t any other children with disabilities in my class. Some of the children made fun of me but I learned to stand up for myself and I gained the respect of the other children.

At the second school I attended my classmates helped me with things, like crossing the street or doing my homework. To show my appreciation, every Friday I brought some goods from our bakery and shared them with my classmates.

I still like to do this today. On every holiday I bring children goods from our bakery, especially around Christmas and New Year. 

I like to prepare and give baked goods to children, especially around the holidays. (2023)

I want to work, not so much for the money, but to be involved in society. I also like to do charity work. I want to share positive things with people and to make them feel happy. 

I like to do charity work. I want to share positive things with people and to make them feel happy. 

A few years ago, they were asking for donations to complete a memorial dedicated to a prominent Armenian called Andranik Ozanyan. I donated my savings to this project. I received a certificate of gratitude from the Governor of the Lori region. I also received a certificate of appreciation for providing food to children during charitable events and received a certificate of gratitude for helping the local preschool.

I have received many certificates for my charitable work. I also received a professional certificate for completing culinary classes. I was very interested and was actively involved in the classes. (2023)

My future plans are to open a café for people like me in Vanadzor. When we open our café, the proceeds will be donated to help children with Down syndrome with their education.

The most precious person to me is my sister. I want my sister to be the café manager. If the café business does well, I will expand my involvement in charity work. There are people in need that I can help.

The fact that I am working makes me more independent.

Work makes me a better person. As my co-workers will tell you, I am responsible and work hard. The fact that I am working makes me more independent. 

Work is God’s gift. One must work and take care of one’s family. Even if the salary is small, people should be proud that they work and earn money in an honest way.

With my mother’s support I have overcome many difficulties. (2023)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) promotes social justice and decent work for people with disabilities.

The ILO project "Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together" is funded by the United States Department of Labor.

The project is assisting Armenia’s labour inspectorate, courts, and workers’ and employers’ organizations to improve the government’s enforcement and promotion of labour rights, including for persons with disabilities. 

Globally, people with disabilities make up an estimated one billion, or 15 per cent, of the world's population. About 80 per cent are of working age.

The ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) aims to create a global workforce culture that is respectful and welcoming of people with disabilities. 

The GBDN will host the "Disability in sustainability efforts: businesses leading the way" conference from 14-15 November 2023 at the ILO’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Promoting Implementation of Labour Rights in Armenia Together

Rafael Martirosyan has Down syndrome. He says his volunteer work and job at his family’s bakery business in Armenia give his life meaning. Rafael’s dream is to open a café that welcomes people with disabilities.

Podcast-The Rise of AI in China.mp3

Artificial Intelligence and the world of work – should we be scared?

Job quality or job quantity – which will AI affect most?

Does Artificial Intelligence threaten decent work?

The ILO's Future of Work podcast looks at trends in digital technologies and their regulation in China, and explores what impact this is having on the country's world of work.

Over the last decade, China has become a leading developer and user of digital technologies, in particular artificial intelligence. Whether in e-commerce, ride hailing services or autonomous vehicles, Chinese companies operating in these areas are world competitors and contribute significantly to China's development. In parallel with the rise of these industries, Chinese policy makers have enacted a series of regulations around data and consumer protection to ensure the proper use of these technologies and to prevent market abuses by dominant players. To date, its regulatory scope and breadth is well ahead that of leading competitors in Europe or the United States. Yet, little is known about the impact of both technological development and regulatory activism on the world of work in China.

Kendra Schaefer shares with us her in-depth knowledge about the evolution of digital technologies and their regulation in China. Given her hands-on experience in advising both Chinese and foreign companies in this area, she is well placed to discuss technological trends in China, the motives Chinese regulators bring to the market and how effective they are in implementing regulation. She will also help us to better understand the impact these trends are having on Chinese workers, for instance in the ride hailing industry and beyond. 

The rise of AI in China – Digital technologies and their regulation

When I started out, my shea butter business was small. Being informal, we were missing out on opportunities, but through perseverance and patience I am formalizing my business and plan to trade on the international market. What’s driving me is my desire to support less privileged women in my community.

My motivation to help others comes from the lack of support I experienced during my childhood.

When I was little, I lived with my auntie. She was constantly moving from place to place. I missed a lot of schooling and fell behind with my studies. At home I worked as her housekeeper and lacked basic things such as a decent shelter, clothing and most of all, parental love. I was lucky to pull through and get to where I am today. 

Women have less access to resources and power. By undertaking this shea butter processing business, we seek to minimize the vulnerability of women, particularly single mothers.

I eventually was sent back to live with my mother and was able to complete my schooling. I decided to pursue vocational training and studied at the Institute of Fashion in Kumasi, Ghana. I then set up a small business making dresses for individual customers.  

I also trained as a teacher at Tamale Training College and eventually obtained a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Cape Coast. 

It was always difficult to pay my fees and for other basic needs. My dress-making business wasn’t making enough to cover my costs. I had noticed that it was difficult to obtain soap in Tamale. This inspired me to expand my business into making soap.

I still teach today. Running a business has always been my core interest but teaching has helped me meet some of my financial needs. It’s not easy but I need to do both teaching and the business to achieve my goals. 

Our shea butter production enterprise is entirely made up of women, with 237 workers who process the shea and 500 women who pick the shea nuts. (October 2023)

Initially, the soap business was profitable, but the price of imported vegetable oil – the main ingredient in soap – became too expensive and I had to look for an alternative. I decided to try using locally produced shea butter and it worked!  

This started my transition to shea butter production. Traditionally, it’s women who produce shea butter for household consumption, and women who pick the shea nuts on the farms. I began to mobilize the women and registered them as the Yumzaa Women’s Cooperative. This also helped maintain the quality of the shea butter. 

Yumzaa employs a lot of women, and this has gone a long way in addressing unemployment in the community. Women have less access to resources and power. By undertaking this business, we seek to minimize the vulnerability of women, particularly single mothers.

After the shea nuts are picked, we lay them out to dry. (October 2023)

When I started the shea butter production, our output was small. As demand increased, I became concerned about ownership of the land we were using, which was acquired through the traditional leader who had passed away. I also realised that clients preferred dealing with registered shea butter production companies rather than informal businesses like mine.  

We lacked certification and because we were using inappropriate equipment, including household utensils, we couldn’t get our production processes certified. These challenges made me take more seriously the idea of formalizing my business.

Once the shea nuts have been dried and ground, we put them in a kneading machine to create the shea butter. (October 2023)

We acquired a parcel of land through a formal land registration process. We then registered the business with the Registrar General Department of Ghana. It took us about two months to get the certificate of incorporation. We also had to register with the Food and Drugs Board. This was an expensive process as it involved travel and lots of follow up in Accra.  

We also now have the Ghana National Fire Service certificate, which is very important. Registration and certification with the Ghana Standards Authority, and the Environmental Protection Agency are ongoing. I am also working to obtain organic certification.

I sleep with joy and feel successful whenever I complete another stage towards fully complying with formal requirements because I believe this will go a long way toward growing our business and improving the lives of the women and their families.

Overcoming bureaucratic obstacles has been the most difficult part of the formalization process. At times it is hard to even understand what institutions want. I have learnt lots of negotiation and lobbying skills so I can get things done!

We need all these certifications so we can trade directly on the international market. I sleep with joy and feel successful whenever I complete another stage towards fully complying with formal requirements because I believe this will go a long way toward growing our business and improving the lives of the women and their families.

The use of this new stainless steel grinding machine provided by the ILO will help improve the quality of the shea butter we produce. (October 2023)

Over the past year, I’ve also got involved in a productivity improvement training programme run by the International Labour Organization (ILO).  A consultant working for the ILO visited us and is providing additional business development support.  

Through the ILO training, we became aware that transparency and trust issues were affecting our production. Now, after addressing these concerns, my relationship with my workers has improved. Everyone is now on board with wearing protective clothing and applying safety measures. We are witnessing more commitment and a sense of responsibility from everybody at the production facility.

The ILO has also helped provide us with two shea crushers, two kneading machines and two grinding machines. This has boosted our production from 21 to 63 tonnes of shea a month. It has also improved the quality of the shea butter we produce. 

I continue to work with the ILO to improve the way I manage finance and business activities.

The ILO business training and the modern stainless steel equipment they donated to us have helped us formalize the business and will help us get additional international certifications. 

In addition to expanding my business I want to help others take up vocational training. Recently, I set up a tailoring course for young people. (October 2023)

Formalizing my business has taught me perseverance, patience and to pursue my heart’s desires. I would say to informal business owners that we cannot continue repeating outmoded business practices. 

My big dream is to establish a shop in the European market to sell Yumzaa products. I also have another project: with my teaching skills I am working on setting up vocational training centres for students who are unable to further their education in other areas. I see it as an avenue for many underprivileged people to help them pursue their own dreams.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) employ around 85 per cent of the working population in Ghana – mostly in the informal sector.

Informality prevents businesses from accessing external markets and credits, and hampers growth and innovation.

Zakaria Adama Lacera is taking part in the ILO’s Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Programme Ghana, funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).

The programme aims to address the root causes of low productivity, including high informality. 

The 21st International Conference of Labour Statisticians has agreed new standards on measuring informality.

Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Programme Ghana 

Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Programme

ILO Formalize Your Business (FYB) Training

Statisticians adopt new standards on measuring informal employment

Zakaria Adama Lacera shares the challenges and rewards of formalizing her shea butter production and soap business in Ghana.

Formalization is transforming my shea butter business

We migrated from Venezuela to Colombia in 2021 because our financial situation became too difficult. I trained as a tax administrator but ended up running a school kitchen for 350 children. It was a very tough situation and I fell into a depression.

My husband is an electrical technician and worked for a private company. One day, I told him I was going to leave and go to Colombia. At first he refused and said, “I will die in my country”. So, I told him I would migrate alone because I wanted a better future for my children. Then one day, when he’d finished a contract and been paid, he came home and said, “We have this money. Do we stay or do we go?”  I said, “We go!”

Rights migrate too

When I migrated, I honestly didn’t know that I had the right to social protection benefits, like healthcare and a pension. Since I was an outsider, I simply prayed that I wouldn’t have another hypertension crisis like I had had before. I was convinced that I would die if this happened.

For a year we lived in Cúcuta, just over the border in Colombia. My husband found work in construction and I got a job as a kitchen assistant. Then one evening I had a hypertension crisis and my husband had to stay home from work while I was going through it. The next day he was fired.  

These are two of my children. The main reason I wanted to move to Colombia was to give them a better future. 

We decided to move to the city of Cali, also in Colombia. I went first with my eldest son. I had a cousin there who said we could stay with him for a couple of weeks while we found our feet.  

I got to the bus terminal at midnight. I didn’t sleep or eat. At 7am I hit the streets looking for work. After many days of searching, I found a kitchen assistant position at a vegetarian restaurant. There was no written contract, just a verbal agreement. They paid me US$10 a day. I only lasted two months there as my boss was asking me to do way more than what had been originally agreed. I was very upset. I told my co-worker, “Soon she will be asking us to clean the chef’s undergarments.” 

I set up a business called “Yayi’s snacks” selling desserts. I know that I’m going to achieve everything that I have dreamed of.

Soon after, I heard that I could register for a temporary permit on a website. I did it and was called in for my biometrics. Two months later, I was given a national ID card. I did the same process for my entire family and thank God we are all now officially registered as residents in Colombia. 

I then decided the best thing for me would be to work independently, like my parents did. When I was 13, my father set up a soft drink business in the main square where we lived in Venezuela and I used to help him. I also helped my mother with her business selling empanadas. 

I set up a business called “Yayi’s snacks”, selling desserts. I used to prepare desserts in Venezuela and when I worked at the school, I always made them when there was a birthday celebration. 

I love having my own business. I’m not covering all my costs yet but it’s great to be able to contribute to my sons’ education. I sell to people in my neighbourhood and have started getting contracts for events as well. Right now, I’m in a training programme where I’m learning all the administrative parts of running a business. I know that I’m going to achieve everything that I have dreamed of. 

These creamy desserts that I make are popular with my clients.

I love to serve others. I think that there is a God that watches everything. Even when I don’t get anything back here on Earth, I know that God will repay me, and he will do it with my three children.  

I wanted to do something for other Venezuelan migrants like me. I joined a Whatsapp group for the Venezuelan community and found out about a non-governmental organization called “United Colombians and Venezuelans Foundation” or Funcolven. It supports the Venezuelan migrant community. I applied to be a volunteer and I am still there today. 

Through Funcolven, I participated in various trainings, including one supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) called the “Migrant Bird School for Social Protection”. The experience filled my soul. I learned about so many things that I didn’t know before. I learned about the “Rights migrate too” campaign. They taught me about my rights as a migrant worker, including my right to social protection such as a pension and healthcare. They gave us a toolkit, including pamphlets. I have now become a spokesperson for the school.  

When I got home, the first thing I did was to talk to my husband about the various risks that he had in his new job as a truck driver. I informed him of his rights and what his employers should cover in his contract. He didn’t know about any of this and he was eager to learn more. I explained that if he was on a trip and had an accident, his employers had to cover his medical expenses. I am now the go-to person for him and his co-workers. If anything happens, they come to me for advice.

I volunteer my time talking to other Venezuelan migrants in my neighbourhood in Cali. I explain step-by-step the process they need to go through to get registered, so they can access social protection benefits in Colombia.

I am also involved in a radio project called “Travelling Voices” for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. After the training I was super excited. I shared what I had learned with my co-workers and suggested interviewing on the show the director of the ILO’s project in Colombia. I said to myself, “if other people can do it, why can’t I do it too and do it well?” They gave me the green light and I did the interview. It was a very significant moment for me. 

I love to go out campaigning. I’ll go up to people and say, “Do you know that rights also migrate?” I explain that social protection is a right, regardless of the country we are from.

I love to go out campaigning. I’ll go up to people and say, “Do you know that rights also migrate?” I explain that social protection is a right, regardless of the country we are from. Our rights are ours and nobody can take them away. 

I advise them to make sure they are registered for social protection, even if they don’t know if they will stay in this country for very long. It can be a lifeline. 

You never know when you may get sick. You can be perfectly fine today and not do so well tomorrow and if you haven’t registered, it will be harder to have access to your rights. 

The people I talk to are happy because they have no clue about this. 

Learning that we have rights as workers has changed my life. I feel empowered having this knowledge. Now I can give this information as a gift to others who will, in turn, share it with their community. In time the whole community will have this knowledge too.

More than 2.4 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees are in Colombia - around 34 per cent of the total that has left Venezuela.

Accessing healthcare is one of the main challenges faced by Venezuelan migrants. A significant percentage of migrants are not registered in the healthcare system. This hinders their access to necessary medical care, medications and treatments. 

The “Rights Migrate Too” campaign targets Venezuelan refugees, migrants and returnees and Colombians. It explains how they can access social protection programmes including health and unemployment services, pensions and accident and illness at work coverage.  

The campaign includes training sessions called “The Migrant Bird School for Social Protection”. Participants are trained in social protection rights and soft skills. They also receive a toolkit so they can share the campaign's message. 

The campaign is run by the ILO and the World Food Programme, in partnership with the Colombian Ministry of Labour. It is funded by the European Union through the Improving Synergies between Social Protection and Public Finance Management Programme.

Rights Migrate Too campaign (in Spanish) 

ILO launches social protection campaign for Colombians, migrants, refugees and returnees in Cali (in Spanish) 

ILO’s work to strengthen the socioeconomic integration of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean

Improving Synergies between Social Protection and Public Finance Management Programme

In search of a better future, Ditraiza Ramírez migrated with her family from Venezuela to Colombia. Having made a new life in a new country, she wanted to help others like her and now spends her spare time raising awareness about migrants’ rights to social protection.

I was one of the sacrificed generation. Growing up I was a good student and dreamed of becoming a pilot. I was the first person in my family in Côte d’Ivoire to pass my high school baccalaureate. But by the time we finished our high school exams in 2004, the Ivorian crisis had already started.

I come from the Kabadougou region in the north of Côte d’Ivoire.

Because we came from a besieged area, the national armed forces, the FANCI, called us rebel students. I was top of my class and was in line to apply to the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute. The FANCI came and pulled some of us out of the ranks, telling us that we weren’t fit to apply for the institution. 

I then decided I wanted to leave Côte d’Ivoire and go to Canada, but I was even banned from immigrating by the authorities. Coming from a poor family, we couldn’t overcome the obstacles. 

In the end I did two post-secondary national professional degrees called a “Brevet de technicien supérieur” (BTS), one in farm management and one at a livestock school. I chose to go into agriculture, as it was the field I knew best. I was already familiar with the livestock environment; my father was a poultry farmer and my mother a beekeeper.

When I graduated in 2009 the financial crisis and unemployment was at its peak. I was applying for jobs but there were no real opportunities.

When I graduated in 2009, the financial crisis and unemployment was at its peak. I was applying for jobs but there were no real opportunities. I did a bit of everything. For a while I ran a cybercafé. I also provided advice and guidance services on poultry and rabbit breeding. 

Then an entrepreneur friend of mine, who knew that I had entrepreneurial ambitions, told me about the International Labour Organization’s (ILO), Start and Improve your Business (SIYB) training course. It teaches how to structure your business and organise your ideas. I applied and was accepted onto the course. 

This is the day I received the SIYB training certificate in Abidjan in 2017.

I had lots of ideas. I wanted to do a thousand and one things at once. Taking part in SIYB helped me to focus and I decided to develop a business selling honey.

What I liked most about the SIYB course was that they helped us to put our ideas on paper. They made us do practical market research. They didn't just give us theoretical training, they put us to work. We did everything we needed to do on a practical level first. When I left SIYB, I had a finished project including a business plan.

In my village, people had honey they didn't know what to do with and in Abidjan, people were looking for good honey but didn't know where to get it. I said to myself: "Why not be the bridge between those people?”

One of the things we learnt during the SIYB training course was that you really need to know about your area of business as much as possible and minimise the risks. I had training in animal husbandry and through my mother I had experience in beekeeping, which I was able to capitalise on. 

Every time I returned to my village, I saw that people there had honey they didn't know what to do with. Meanwhile, here in Abidjan, people were looking for really good honey but didn't know where to get it.

I said to myself: "Why not be the bridge between these people? “

At the time there was also a trend to sell everything in stick packs: toothpaste, milk powder, mayonnaise, even a meal. It gave me the idea to make honey available in stick packs too. That way, people can use it everywhere and in very specific quantities. And it's not messy either, because that's another problem when you're carrying honey around.

My honey brand is called labeille and this is the stick pack I sell my honey in. 

With my business plan, CFA 11 million (US$18,350) in savings and CFA 100 million (US$167 000) in investment funding, I felt ready to set up my project.  

However, when I first started my honey business, it was very difficult. My family didn’t support me at all. But I have learned as an entrepreneur that when you believe in something, you mustn’t give up on your dreams for other people. You have to create your own story.

It’s been five years now of running the business. We’ve won several awards, including the CGECI Female Entrepreneurship Award in 2019. We currently distribute to all the supermarkets in Abidjan and elsewhere in Côte d’Ivoire. We've also started to attract new customers, such as pharmacies and hotels. We also work with restaurant-cafés, which offer our stick packs for people who want honey instead of sugar. 

The biggest challenge we face is supply, so I decided to go into production. We currently have 100 hives. Our aim is to have between 1500 and 2000 hives by the end of 2025. 

In the long term I want to be certified and to have labeille honey on supermarket shelves in Europe and in the Gulf region, the way that European honeys are on our shelves in Abidjan.

I’ve started producing my own honey to increase supplies. I discovered beekeeping through my mother and was always curious about how things worked.

When I was a child, adventure and travelling fascinated me. It made me dream of being a pilot. Entrepreneurship is also a journey full of adventure. I’ve got to know people, I’ve learnt how to tackle problems, and now I manage to live decently. For me, that's good. 

When we started out, honey was bought at CFA 500 (83 US cents) a litre from farmers. Today, with the added value and the spotlight we've put on honey, people are now buying a litre of honey at CFA 1,500 (US$2.49). In the past, farmers found it difficult to sell their produce. Now they have tripled the selling price of their raw material, 

I'm very proud to know that I’ve made a contribution to this. There's a quote by Ralph Emerson that I've always liked, ever since I was a student. He said: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." I think that's what I'm doing now and it makes me really proud.

I’m proud of what the business has achieved and I’m looking forward to increasing production with our beehives.

Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) is a training programme developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support the creation of micro and small enterprises. 

The ILO works in partnership with the Ivorian government’s Vocational training development fund (FDFP) and with the national employers’ organization, the Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Côte d'Ivoire (CGECI), to provide SIYB training in Côte d’Ivoire. 

Over 500 entrepreneurs, including Cissé Mabré, have participated in the SIYB programme in Côte d’Ivoire.

By building the skills of entrepreneurs, the SIYB programme aims to create jobs and wealth, and combat poverty. These are the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth

Cissé Mabré’s Facebook page for her honey brand Labeille (in French)

ILO Start and Improve Your Business programme

SIYB in Côte d’Ivoire, Fonds de Développement de la Formation professionnelle (FDFP) (in French)

Confédération générale des entreprises de Côte d'Ivoire (in French)

Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Goal of the month, August 2023

When crisis hit Côte d’Ivoire, Cissé Mabré’s education hopes were dashed. Undeterred she persevered, and with the help of ILO business training is now a prize-winning entrepreneur producing honey sold across the country’s supermarkets.

Sweet success for a honey trailblazer in Côte d’Ivoire

My name is Jonas. I am 46 years old and come from a small town in Lithuania near the border with Poland. Work is hard to find in my country and it’s poorly paid when you get it. I was in debt because of a loan for medical bills for one of my children. So money was tight.

One day I was approached by a man called Mindaugas, who said he could find me a job in the UK that would pay me more in a week than I could earn in Lithuania in a month. He made it all sound very good and said I could get a good life there. It was a hard decision to leave my home country and quite scary but I needed the money.

I could not afford the fare but he told me that I could pay him back for the transport and accommodation once I started working. I had to trust him.

I decided to accept the job offer and go to the UK, even though I was scared. I needed the money.

Along with several other Lithuanians we drove to the UK in a van. It took more than two days.

When we arrived, we were met by a man called Marijus who took us to a house on the coast. It was very cramped with lots of people living there. They said they would find work for me and that I would have to open a bank account so that my wages could be paid into it.

It took a while to get a job and they kept telling me to be patient. I had no food and my debts were piling up. After a few weeks they took me to a factory where they prepared chickens for the supermarkets. It wasn’t pleasant and it was repetitive but I was very relieved that I was finally working for decent money.

In the first couple of weeks, I was paid with cheques – not into my new bank account. I had to go to a shop where they cashed them for you. They charged commission, of course!

As soon as I got the money, they would force me to hand it over to them. I was very frightened and feared that if I did not do as they said they would beat me up. 

Marijus had his men follow me and as soon as I got the money they would force me to hand it over to them. I was very frightened and feared that if I did not do as they said, they would beat me up and take it anyway. I gave them all of my wages for the week – about £260. They took £220 and gave me £40 back ‘to live on’, they said. They told me I still owed about £1,000 for the transport to the UK and my accommodation and food so far, so I should get used to it.

They were charging me about £60 per week for a bed in a shared room, sleeping on the floor with three others but they said if I did not live in the house they provided, then I would not get work. I was trapped!

They were charging me £60 per week for a bed in a shared room, sleeping on the floor. They said if I did not live in the house they provided, then I would not get work.

After a few weeks I’d had enough. They were taking nearly everything I earned. I was working for nothing. This was not the life I had been told about.

We talked in the house about what we could do. Two other men felt the same as I did and so we decided to risk it and run away. We found a different place to live but knew that we were always in danger as Marijus would come looking for us.

He managed to contact me by phone. He threatened me so we went back to the chicken factory. He had contacts there and made sure we were put on a shift where his men could watch us.

He said if I talked to anyone I would disappear and that if I tried to get back to Lithuania, they would find my family and kill them.

Then one day we were followed back to the flat. Marijus and his men forced their way in and threatened me. They started rifling through all my things and found what was left of the money I had brought with me from home. They took it and then found some cash withdrawal slips I had from a new bank account I had opened. They were furious and demanded my new bank card and passport. When I refused, they beat me and knocked me unconscious. They searched the flat and found my bank card but I had hidden my passport in my pillow case. I told them I’d lost it. I didn’t want to give that up or there would be no chance of escape.

Marijus yelled at me: “You came here not to earn and save but to manage and get through.” In other words, he was telling me I was nothing more than their slave and was brought to the UK to earn money for them and not for me. He said if I talked to anyone I would disappear and that if I tried to get back to Lithuania, they would find my family and kill them.

I guessed money was passing through the bank account they set up for me and suspected this had come from prostitution and drugs, so I put a block on it. When they found out, I received texts threatening my life.

Marijus and his men forced their way in and threatened me. They were furious and demanded my new bank card and passport. When I refused, they beat me and knocked me unconscious.

Then one day at the factory, I was interviewed by a woman who said she was from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority - the GLAA. She said they were trying to find out if workers at the factory were legitimate and being treated and paid properly. I didn’t tell her anything at the time because I didn’t know if I could trust her but later I called and told them everything. They told me about the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for trafficking victims. Then it dawned on me. I had no idea that’s what I was until it was explained to me. Me – a victim of human trafficking!

They explained I’d been brought to the UK to be exploited. I was being forced to work. I had no control over my life. That’s what human trafficking is!

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority explained I’d been brought to the UK to be exploited. I was being forced to work. I had no control over my life. That’s what human trafficking is!

Soon after, Marijus disappeared from the house but I lived in fear he would come back one day looking for me.

The NRM moved me to the north-west of England – safe from the eyes and the threats and the fists of Marijus. I stayed there for a couple of months and thought about getting another job – one where I would be paid properly and earn the kind of money I had been promised at the start. But I wanted out. I’d had enough. I wanted to go home. I wanted to be safe.

I hope Marijus and his gang will be found and pay for what they did. They are not humans. I wanted to leave this world for a time and I never want to feel that way again.

Jonas’ story is real, names have been changed. Jonas was rescued by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). 

The GLAA works to protect vulnerable and exploited workers in the UK. It regulates the recruitment of workers in supply chains in agriculture, horticulture, shellfish, related processing and packaging, to make sure companies respect the law. 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has collaborated with the GLAA for many years, including in the framework for the Fair recruitment Initiative, the 50 for Freedom campaign, and to facilitate training on the detection and investigation of forced labour cases by law enforcement officers.

An estimated 27.6 million men, women and children were in forced labour around the world in 2021, including 17.3 in the private sector. Every country is affected.

Forced Labour generates USD 150 billions of dollars in illicit profits. Industries and businesses face unfair competition and states loses billions in tax income and social security contributions.

The ILO’s Forced Labour Protocol is a legally-binding treaty that requires governments to take effective measures to prevent forced labour, protect victims and ensure they have access to justice and remedies. 

This story was originally produced for the ILO’s 50 for freedom campaign, calling for countries to ratify the Forced Labour Protocol. To date, 60 countries have ratified the Protocol.

Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage

ILO topic portal on forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking

Modern slavery affects 28 million people worldwide. Behind these statistics are millions of harrowing human stories. Jonas was deceived, trafficked to the UK and pushed to the brink. Read his story.

They were taking nearly everything I earned, I lived in fear

When the war started in Syria, we were forced to flee the country because of the danger we faced. The change was momentous. 

We used to live a normal family life in a home and moved to life in a refugee camp, where our entire home was one tent. Our whole life became centred on waiting to receive aid.

In the beginning, the camp was just a vast cluster of tents in the desert. We found ourselves living inside what was essentially a piece of cloth. We were exposed to wind and dust, to high temperatures in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter. Two snow blizzards and windstorms hit the camp while we were still living in tents. Now, we live in converted containers.

A job changed my life as a refugee

All my four children were born in the camp. They saw a house on the internet and were surprised because it had an internal staircase because there is no such thing in the camp.

Living in a camp is a sort of primitive life. There is no electricity, transportation or paved streets. At least, this was the situation in the beginning.

Water was also an issue. Finding drinking water, and water for washing and household use, was difficult.

Another great worry was that we had no source of income. We relied on the aid that was distributed to us, but this was not enough.

ILO Job Search Club Facilitator, Za’atari refugee camp

Not knowing the people who lived around us was also a source of great concern. We didn’t know where our new neighbours came from. We didn’t know anything about their background or set of beliefs. This was a cause of fear for us. 

I needed to find work so I could get some extra money to overcome daily difficulties.

I was a teacher back in Syria, working in state elementary schools before and after graduating from university. I also worked as a history and geography teacher in local high schools.

Five days after arriving in the refugee camp, I started looking for work, going to different organizations and looking for jobs as a volunteer. Volunteering allows refugees to work inside camps, performing jobs that would otherwise be closed to Syrians outside of the camps. 

I searched the entire camp for an occupation, visiting all the organizations present here, but I didn’t get any positive answers, nor did I receive any help in my initial quest for work. So, I went outside the camp and found a job on a construction site nearby. I also worked in agriculture.

I would still occasionally search for jobs inside the camp. It worked sometimes. I helped people transport and carry heavy items, or I fixed their tents. I needed to get some extra money to overcome daily difficulties and bring home some extra basics like mattresses and sponges. 

War in Syria forced Syrian Abdel Halim al Qasir and his family to flee to the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. Becoming a facilitator for the ILO’s Job Search Club project and helping other refugees inside the camp find new careers and job opportunities, has given him renewed hope for his and his family’s future.

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