Spiritual leader Amma joined hands with global faith leaders in meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican  in an initiative to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking.

This was for the first time that leaders of the Christian (Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox) as well as Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim faiths jointly committed to stamp out slavery from the world, a statement from Amma’s office said.

Mata Amritanandamayi or Amma, who sat next to the Pope on the front row, signed a Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Modern Slavery.

Modern slavery includes human trafficking, forced labour and prostitution, and the religious leaders said these should be recognised as a crime against humanity.

According to the 2014 Global Slavery Index, around 36 million people are currently trapped in modern slavery and are being exploited for personal or commercial gain.