Millions of women and men around the world are denied access to education and employment opportunities, forced into certain occupations or paid less than what they are worth simply because of their disability, ethnicity, indigenous or tribal affiliation, religion, race or sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, political or other opinion, real or imputed HIV/AIDS status or other reasons. The discrimination that certain populations, such as women, ethnic or racial minorities and migrants, face in the labor market seriously increases their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse, including in the form of forced labor. Problems finding decent work often force ethnic minority parents to use their children’s labor to make ends meet. In all its many manifestations, discrimination often takes invisible, clandestine forms, undermining people’s dignity and destroying their future. It deprives them of the opportunity to express their opinions at work and to participate fully in it. Discrimination stifles human potential, wastes the talent needed for economic progress, and exacerbates social tensions and inequality. It is also a major cause of social exclusion and poverty.