The Prevalence of Bonded Labor in Three Districts of Karnataka State, India: Using a Unique Application of Mark-Recapture for Estimation

Authors: Cooper Parks, Andee; Zhang, Sheldon; Vincent, Kyle & Guruswamy Rusk, Alesha

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a prevalence study of bonded labor in three districts of Karnataka State, India. Using a unique application of mark-recapture analysis, enumerators surveyed 4,306 laborers in marketplaces from April to June 2015, capturing data on 15 distinct industries across 3,765 worksites. Based on these surveys, an estimated 33.4% of the laborers interviewed were bonded and 30.5% were suspected to have been trafficked to their current worksite. Regression analyses suggest that interstate migrant laborers were significantly more likely to be bonded than intrastate migrants or nonmigrants. The authors discuss policy recommendations, novel intervention strategies, and research opportunities for future studies.

Keywords: bonded labor, forced labor trafficking, India, mark-recapture, population size estimation, prevalence estimation, slavery, migrant labor