Labor freedom is guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights. Everyone shall have the right to free choice of an occupation or type of work. No one, during the life, can be forced to work or not to work in a particular job or a certain profession, whatever they may be. Forced labour shall mean all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily. Forced labour is universally condemned; the ILO recently estimated that at least 12.3 million people are victims of forced labour worldwide. For many governments around the world the elimination of forced labour remains an important challenge for the 21st century. Not only is forced labour a serious violation of a fundamental human right, it is a leading cause of poverty and a hindrance to economic development. ILO standards on forced labour, in combination with targeted technical assistance, are the primary international tools for combating this scourge.