At least 25 million women, men and children are estimated to be in forced labour all over the world, affecting all countries. As the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis is harsher on the most vulnerable, more people are likely to face different practices of coercion and exploitation  at work that  would represent forced labour.

By ratifying the ILO Protocol n°29 on Forced Labour, Kyrgyzstan  commits to take effective measures to prevent forced labour and to provide victims with protection, access to justice and compensation. Kyrgyzstan is the third country from Central Asia to ratify the Protocol.

 Kyrgyzstan has long been engaged in combating trafficking in persons. In 2005, the Government adopted Act No. 55 on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (Anti-Trafficking Act). The country further has adopted a National Action Plan to combat trafficking in persons for 2017-20. In addition, the Government has developed measures to enhance protection and assistance to victims, for instance through the adoption of Decree No. 493 on 19 September 2019, establishing a national referral mechanism for victims of trafficking in persons. The decree provides for individualised programmes to assist victims of trafficking.

With this ratification, Kyrgyzstan also marks a crucial step towards the achievement of decent work and the delivering of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG target 8.7.