The Bishop of Liverpool has called on the government to ratify the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which includes measures to protect and support victims of trafficking.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the Rt Rev James Jones listed some harrowing statistics: 179 million people are caught up in forced labour; 218 million children between the ages of five and 17 are engaged in some form of slave labour; 2.4 million are victims of sexual trafficking.
And Europe and the UK have not escaped the scourge of slave labour and human trafficking.
In Tuesday's Guardian, Madeleine Bunting reported that there an estimated half a million irregular migrants forced into cheap labour in Britain, servicing the UK economy.
"The government must know from this debate that these realities are simply unacceptable to this House and to all people of conscience," said Bishop Jones.
He commended the government for bringing in legislation to criminalise trafficking and to sign up to the 2000 Palermo protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking.
Bishop Jones urged the government, however, to go one step further and ratify the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
He warned that "slavery ruins human life, and that if it goes unchallenged and unchecked it will diminish the humanity of us all".
Next year sees the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain and the Church of England is planning on marking the occasion with numerous events throughout the year.
