Launch of Report on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

Setting up the microphone. Good morning. Can we settle down so we can start in a few minutes? We still have a few people going through security, so we're just going to wait for about one minute and then we start. Excellence, Mesdames et Messieurs, vous tous et vous toutes en vos grades et qualités, bonjour. Welcome to the Trusteeship Council Chamber. Today is April 8, 2025. And well welcome also to those who are listening to us and monitoring this event online from a remote location. My name is Pierre-Justin Kouka, and I'm the executive director for the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. I'll be basically your emcee this morning and this afternoon. So without any further delay, we don't want to take too much of your time, and we know you are keen to listen to what we have to say today. I would like to introduce, first of all, the high-level panel for the opening session, starting with the two member states who are co-conveners of this event, namely the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For their welcoming remarks, we will start with His Excellency Jamal Faris Alrweih, who is the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York. Ambassador, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much. Good morning, Excellency the President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, distinguished guests. It's my pleasure to be here this morning for the launch of the report of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. As a co-sponsor of this event alongside my esteemed colleague, Ambassador Barbara from the United Kingdom, we recognize the need to accelerate global effort to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking. I would like to thank the Global Commission, chaired by the Right Honorable, the Prime Minister May of for the efforts and contribution to this pressing issue. Bahrain has consistently placed significant emphasis on the combating human trafficking and has achieved significant stride, making it a leader in the Arab world and beyond. Bahrain has maintained a Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Person Report for the seven consecutive years. And our ambassador in Rome, Ambassador Osama Labzi, is one of our mentor and leader on this issue. This success is built upon a comprehensive human rights system underpinned by advanced policies and legislation, in particular Law No. 1 of 2008, concerning combating human trafficking that are in line with international standards. As we face interconnected global challenges, collaboration among governments, UN agencies, the private sector, and civil society is more important than ever. We hope that this event will help raise awareness of the scale and urgency of this issue, and we look forward to constructive discussion aimed at strengthening our collective response. And thank you again.

The Global Commission is grateful to Bahrain for its contribution. And we are happy that the Ambassador is here today as a testimony of that support. The other co-convener of this event is the United Kingdom, and we would like to invite Her Excellency, Dame Barbara Woodward, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Ambassador, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much and good morning, Excellencies, colleagues and friends. I'm delighted with Ambassador Jamal to be welcoming all of you to the United Nations for the launch of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking's landmark report. The UK, alongside Bahrain, is proud to be supporting the work of the Global Commission. led by our former Prime Minister, Baroness May of Maidenhead, and her fellow commissioners, many of whom are here today. We thank them all for their continued efforts. Colleagues, we know we're gathering today at a crucial time. Marginalised communities are increasingly vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking due to rising conflicts and worsening climate. What do we mean by that? All of you know from your own experience, but let's just take one example, the story of Aditi, a young Nepalese woman who left her home in Nepal with hopes of making money for a better life by working as a maid in the Middle East. She returned to Nepal three years later, penniless, and having endured 20-hour working days and physical and psychological abuse. I am pleased to report that, since returning home to Nepal, UK-funded support has helped her to reintegrate into her community and set up her own successful business. All of you know other Aditi's, as well, who have been affected by modern slavery and human trafficking. That is why the work of the global commission is vital. The launch of its first report today marks a critical moment that should be a call for all of us to come together and accelerate our collective efforts around SDG 8.7 to end modern slavery and human trafficking. The report and the accompanying tool for prevention provide practical recommendations. They focus on some of the key challenges in achieving the target, including forced labour in supply chains and the implementation of national legislation. Notably, they call for co-ordinated action by all Governments, international institutions, businesses and civil society. For our part, the UK is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking. That is a core part of our international work on human rights and the rule of law, and it goes hand in hand with inclusive and sustainable economic growth. That is why, on international human rights day in December, Lord Collins, the UK minister for human rights, set out the UK's human rights priorities. Those priorities included three key commitments that are particularly relevant to the commission's work: championing equal rights for all, especially women and girls; ending all forms of modern slavery; and encouraging businesses to respect human rights. We are delivering on those commitments to support the most vulnerable through our international programming and advocacy work, including to support those who have been impacted by modern slavery. In the UK, we are not immune, and we are committed to the long-term reform of our own modern slavery as it manifests in our society. We recently launched new statutory guidance on transparency in supply chains for business and a new Government modern slavery action plan. We have also started a national baseline assessment of the implementation of the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. This will help to build the evidence base on business-related human rights abuses, including in global supply chains. In conclusion, therefore, the UK looks forward to working together with all our partners to take forward the recommendations in this report. We urge you to support the Global Commission in this next and most important phase of its work, and we congratulate the Commission on the landmark report today. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for those words. The Global Commission is grateful to the United Kingdom for its support, and your presence here is a testimony of that as well. Now, as we move along, let us introduce the first keynote speaker, the Right Honorable the Baroness May of Maidenhead. who is the chair of a global commission on modern slavery and human trafficking. Baroness May served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2019, the second woman ever to hold the office. Her premiership marked the culmination of 21 years continuous service on the front bench, having held a total of 14 ministerial or shadow ministerial posts. serving as the first female chairman of a Conservative party and the longest-serving Conservative Home Secretary in over a century. In addition to her duties as a member of Parliament, she regularly undertakes philanthropic and campaigning work around the world. It is, for me, an honour and a privilege to serve under her leadership. I invite Baroness May to now take the floor. Baroness May.

Thank you very much, Justin, and thank you to all of you who are here today. Your Excellency, President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, today marks a critical moment in the global fight against modern slavery and human trafficking. The launch of this report is a wake-up call to governments, businesses, and people around the world. I am grateful to all of those who have made it possible for this event to be held here. Your support has been invaluable. Thank you, Excellency President of the General Assembly, for your unwavering and remarkable support. Thank you also to the United Nations Secretary-General for his continued commitment to upholding human dignity and justice. And I'd also like to thank the United Nations Secretariat, its administrative and technical services. Thank you to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Bahrain, our co-convening countries who are also our co-sponsors of this event. But I should stress that the Commission is independent. This report that we launch today reflects the views of the Commission alone. It does not reflect the views of the co-convening countries. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The very foundation upon which the United Nations stands, adopted in 1948, clearly and unequivocally prohibits slavery and servitude. And yet, as we gather here today, an estimated 50 million men, women, and children are trapped in slavery across the globe. My message to you today is that we must act and we must act now. If we fail to do so, millions more people will be trapped in exploitation, and millions more lives will be at risk. Modern slavery and human trafficking distort competition in global markets, destabilise economies and strip victims of their human dignity. Each year, forced labour alone generates at least $236 billion in illicit profits. Beyond the profound moral obligation that compels us to act, there is also a clear economic imperative to build a more stable, equitable, and sustainable global economy for all. The report we are launching here today shines a light on a deeply concerning trend. The factors that make people vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking are growing, fuelled by the escalating global challenges of climate change, forced displacement and conflict. Consider, for example, communities devastated by climate-induced floods or prolonged droughts, their livelihoods destroyed, forcing them through economic necessity into the cruel hands of exploiters. Think of the millions displaced by armed conflict, so often women and children, who face unimaginable poverty, making them targets for sex traffickers or those who profit from forced labour or those who recruit child soldiers. The Global Commission is clear that governments, businesses and civil society must address these interconnected challenges as one. recognising that action on individual issues such as climate change can inadvertently increase the risk of exploitation. In 2017, at the United Nations General Assembly, here in this building, I launched an urgent call to action to end modern slavery and human trafficking. As I said then, it is crucial for all nations to work together to end this most serious violation of human rights. We must acknowledge that, collectively, we have so far failed to answer that call to action. The number of victims continues to grow, and many barriers to progress remain. We still face an absence of effective and effectively implemented laws, a critical lack of sufficient resources, and, critically, we currently lack the necessary political will to change. Some member states have yet to even incorporate the fundamental prohibition of slavery and human trafficking into their own national legal frameworks. The Global Commission, bringing together the voices of survivor leaders, NGOs, academics, politicians, and business leaders, is driven by a singular aim, to drive action to end modern slavery and human trafficking by 2030, which is the Sustainable Development Goal 8.7. Achieving this goal demands a fundamental shift in our collective approach. We must change the deeply ingrained cultures and mindsets that allow these abhorrent practices to thrive. We cannot, for example, in good conscience, stand idly by while innocent children are sent away for education, only to be forced into domestic servitude. We must not allow our demand for cheap goods to continue to fuel forced labour in the complex web of our global supply chains. And there is an urgent need for tougher, more coordinated and more effective action against the sophisticated, organised criminal networks that profit from exploiting their fellow human beings. The report we are launching here today is not merely another document to be filed away. It is an urgent call to action for the world. The Global Commission's report lays out clear, actionable recommendations that are crucial to turning the tide against this abhorrent crime. A key recommendation of the report calls on the United Nations to take decisive action in establishing a unified legal definition of modern slavery and human trafficking. Without a consistent understanding of what constitutes these crimes across all member states, We will continue to see gaps and inconsistencies in legislation, allowing exploitation to persist and perpetrators to evade justice. A clear, agreed definition will provide the foundation for stronger, truly enforceable laws worldwide. Our recommendations stress the urgent need to strengthen domestic legislation and its enforcement within each and every UN member state. It is not enough simply to have laws on the books; they must be comprehensive and effectively implemented. That means adopting legal frameworks that cover victim support, clearly define business responsibility, give law enforcement the necessary powers and establish transparent oversight mechanisms. Governments must ensure that those laws are actively and effectively enforced, including through implementation of stronger penalties on perpetrators and clear accountability measures for all relevant actors. The United Nations can play a role by maintaining and publishing an annual list of member states that do not have appropriate domestic legislation. The United Nations should assist members by opening a dialogue on the value of strengthening or revitalizing the Palermo Protocol. We are recommending that Governments mandate action by companies to identify and remediate forced labour in their operations and supply chains. That must go beyond transparency and box-ticking exercises. Governments should require companies to actively conduct thorough human rights due diligence in their operations and throughout their supply chains, in line with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. That will compel businesses to proactively identify, prevent and address the very real risks of forced labour within their operations and supply chains. Recognising that vulnerability to modern slavery tragically escalates during times of crisis, our report emphasises the need to integrate anti-slavery measures into all crisis response strategies. International organisations, governments and regional bodies must embed specific anti-trafficking measures into their approaches to humanitarian crises, ensuring seamless and effective co-ordination between all relevant agencies, non-government organisations and civil society organisations working on the ground to protect the most vulnerable. The fight against modern slavery and human trafficking is a collective responsibility and a profound moral imperative that history will judge us on. And the Global Commission is committed to supporting and working with member states, United Nations agencies, and regional organizations to implement our recommendations. I ask that you listen closely to our findings and recommendations and to the experts who will speak on the panels during today's event. At the Global Commission, we believe that a world without modern slavery is not an impossible dream, but a realistic and achievable goal if the international community works together with determination to achieve lasting change. Finally, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency, the President of the UN General Assembly. I would also like to express gratitude to the Permanent Observer of the African Union, who has joined us here today. My thanks also to our panelists, the participants here in New York, and to everyone joining us online from around the world. I look forward to a day of productive discussions and increased commitment to action that will bring us closer to our shared goal of ending modern slavery and human trafficking.

Thank you so much, Baroness May, for your statement. Since you launched the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking back in October 2023, the focus on eradicating forced labour, modern slavery, and human trafficking has been steadily picking up steam. And we hope that with those words that you just gave today, it's going to even picking up even more than before. Member states, civil society organization, academia, survivors, and the private sector have all contributed to these efforts. In the past month, we have had a champion, the president of the 17th session of United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency Filomen Young, has indeed brought a significant boost to the initiative, helping to raise global awareness of the scale and urgency of a human trafficking crisis. Mr. President, we would not have been here today at this venue for the launch of this landmark report. Without your strong and relentless support, we are very much indebted to you, as said by the Chair of the Global Commission, that despite your busy schedule, you took the time to be here this morning. Now, I have the pleasure and the honor and the privilege to ask the President of the General Assembly to kindly take the floor, Mr. President.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the honorable, the Baroness Theresa May of Maidenhead for the invitation to address this important event this morning. I welcome the efforts of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in collaboration with the governments of Bahrain and the United Kingdom. The aim of these efforts is to raise awareness on the urgent need to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking. Today's launch of the Global Commission's report is a wake-up call, a call to strengthen our actions to tackle the causes, dimensions, and the impacts of modern slavery and human trafficking. The challenges of modern slavery and human trafficking are violations of fundamental human rights. Those violations debase human dignity. They disrespect humanity. And given the scope of vulnerability to exploitation, it means all countries are affected as concerns origin, transit, and destination. Today, an estimated 50 million people live in modern slavery. One in three victims of human trafficking is a child. That is a painful reality. And most of those trafficked are women and girls who often suffer brutal violence and various forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. To be sure, Member States have long rejected such cruelty. Over the decades, they have united time and again to adopt historic global treaties to stop the spread of these twin mysteries. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was clear in prohibiting slavery and the slave trade in all their forms. The International Labour Organization's conventions on forced labor were also among the first of these groundbreaking instruments. United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol on Trafficking in Persons marked another milestone. In 2010, the General Assembly unanimously adopted the United Nations Global Plan of Action. That complements the United Nations Trafficking Protocol, which today is close to universal ratification. More recently, Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 and Action 35 of the Pact for the Future set out renewed commitments to end forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking. Within all these frameworks, we find a constant foundational truth that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. What we need now is enforcement. We need action. To pull up the roots of modern slavery and human trafficking, we must tackle the various situations that conspire to keep people in vulnerability. For instance, poverty, climate change, conflict and instability, irregular migration, inequality, including on the basis of gender, race and other factors, and lack of access to education, health care, markets and social protections designed to lift all people up, not leave some behind. Today, I urge Member States to strengthen measures that combat modern slavery and trafficking in persons. These measures can also prevent criminal practices from taking hold. This means enacting policies that are trauma-informed and survivor-centered. We must keep in mind the unique challenges faced by different regions of the world. We need policies that promote inclusive growth and provide equal access to health care, education, skills training, and jobs. Our policies must empower women and protect children. For my part, I will keep these issues in the global spotlight. In May, I will convene an informal interactive dialogue on child labor to accelerate our efforts to eliminate child labor in all its forms. Later this year, Member States will review implementation of the Global Plan of Action that will enable us to combat trafficking in persons and set new goals for the related efforts. Throughout, I will continue to work closely with my Advisory Board on Gender Equality. We will, in the main, focus on women's economic empowerment. In this way, I aim to help reduce the vulnerability of women and girls to human trafficking and modern slavery. Excellencies, I recognize that efficiency hinges on each Member State's ability to implement the frameworks at hand. This is why partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and others are critical to our success. Together, we must allocate the resources. We must take a stronger stand against modern slavery and human trafficking. I thank you.

Thank you so much, Mr. President, for those words. Those are strong words and strong statements. Now, we have some regrets from ECOSOC. They were supposed to take the floor, but for reasons beyond anybody's control, they could not make it. So this now will conclude this high-level opening session of the event. We will proceed to take A short break before we proceed with panel one, which should be the first one of the two panels that will take place today. We'll pause for a networking coffee break, which will take place in the Vienna Cafe. You are all invited. And let me just take this opportunity to thank all the senior officials who have spoken so far this morning. the Permanent Representatives of Bahrain and the UK, the Chair of the Global Commission, and the President of the General Assembly. Thank you for the support that you have shown and also for the statement that you made. Let us now break and come back to this room, what time is it? 10, so that we can start with panel one. Panel one will be focused on prevention, vulnerability, and root causes. The moderator of panel one will be Mr. Adam Aden, who is not new to this building. He is a former United Nations Undersecretary General, and he's a vice chair of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Now, he's also the author of original framework documents. But these framework documents have been revised and fully developed by Professor Andrew Thompson, who will be the discussant on that panel. Professor Thompson is Professor of Global and Imperial History at Oxford University, and he is a commissioner. Now, coffee and refreshments are being served. I hope they're ready, Jean-Victor, at the Vienna Cafe. The ushers can guide the guests to the Vienna Cafe so we can break for coffee and be back here at 11:10. Thank you very much for your attention, and a round of applause again for our high-level.

Yes.

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Yeah.

Hi, sir.

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Do you have a handle on the panelists? Don't know.

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Great. So, she's going to get an honorable, very honorable mention.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, we've had really great input, particularly I think from UNODC.

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Everyone is around. All the panelists are around. Yeah. Shoko is there. Did you?

Just see if it works. I think it didn't work now. I think it's not working. Don't you think it's working? Hello, it's working. Yeah, ladies and gentlemen, let's start settling in. We will start in about five minutes. We're just expecting one more panelist who will be here in a minute. She is on her way. So as soon as she's here, then we will start. Just give us a few minutes. Thank you. Le Grand Chef. Greetings again and welcome back. I hope you enjoyed your break. Now I have the honor to introduce Le Grand Frere, one of the eminent person. He's well known in this building, Mr. Adama Dieng. who is the moderating-- who will be moderating panel one, a Senegalese jurist and former United Nations undersecretary general and special advisor of the secretary general on prevention of genocide. Mr. Dieng also served as registrar of the UN ICTR. Before joining the United Nation, Mr. Dieng was, for 10 years, the secretary general of the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists. He was appointed as the UN independent expert for Haiti and served in '93 as envoy of the UN Secretary General to Malawi. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the African Court on Human and People's Rights and produced also the draft of African Convention to fight corruption. He is the founding member of a board of directors of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, as well as former president of Martin Enos Foundations. Adama Dieng, the founder of a Pan-African Alliance for Transparency and Rule of Law, PATROL, currently serves as the African Union's special envoy for the prevention of genocide and other mass atrocities. Adama Dieng is currently the deputy chair of a global commission on modern slavery and human trafficking. Dear Adama, please, the floor is yours.

This morning, I was woken up by sad news, the passing of a long friend of mine, who used to be the president of the 49th session of the UN General Assembly. He was also the first president, interim president of the African Union. I'm sure you all know who I'm referring to, referring to Amara Essy. Amara and I were too close, and I feel so sad because recently I did not get a chance to speak to him, simply because he couldn't. And I would like all of us to make a prayer for this great son of Africa, because Amara, throughout his career, was known for his wisdom, his integrity, and the ability to forge strong international relationship. His passing is a significant loss, not just to his home country, Cote d'Ivoire, not only to the African Union, but to the entire international community, that community that benefited from his diplomatic acumen and also his unwavering commitment to peace and development. May his legacy continue to inspire current and future leaders. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in humanity, we were privileged this morning to listen to the address delivered by the Right Honourable the Baroness May of Maidenhead, who is the chair of our Global Commission and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Some of you may remember the call our sister, Theresa May, made in this hall next, the hall of the General Assembly, calling at the time, while being Prime Minister of UK, to the world leaders to pay attention to these terrible crimes. I call them, let's call it for what they are, these terrible crimes, crimes of slavery, crimes of human trafficking. And despite the call she made, No action really did follow to the extent of what we are facing. COVID came and we discovered so many things. The Ukraine war came, we discovered. And just recently, in the margin of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council, I was invited to address a side event. on the situation of the Sub-Saharan migrants, how they are treated in the northern part of Africa today, and particularly in Libya and Tunisia. I could not but really even send a strong message to the European leaders, calling on their attention on this important issue. Because while we are here speaking, there are migrants who are being sold just like they were objects. So they lost their human dignity. And we have all, of course, witnessed a distressing surge in modern slavery and human trafficking. And my continent, our beloved continent, and as a matter of fact, I always say This is the continent of all of us, because this is the cradle of humanity. I'm referring to Africa, who are paying also, bearing a significant brunt of this abomination. And that is why today I'm delighted to have with me what I can say the cream of the experts on this important issue. For the sake of time, I will simply move on and invite Professor Andrew Thompson, who is a Professor of Global and Imperial History at the Oxford University and as well as a Commissioner. And certainly you have already glanced the report, but also you may have glanced at this important document, which is the framework of analysis for modern slavery and human trafficking. And you will see it is a tool for prevention. Because our hope as commissioners is to make sure that this report doesn't simply be remaining in your offices. We thought it was important from now that we move towards action. And that's why we are offering alongside the report this framework of analysis. But we do believe that prevention means acting early and quickly. Prevention means if you want to do that, we need to identify the key risk factors that contribute to the spread of modern slavery and human trafficking. And it is my privilege to thank once again Professor Thompson and also two of his colleagues. One is the postdoctoral research assistant, Dr. Cesari Fage, and also his doctoral student, Marli Tubirso Carneiro. I was very pleased to work closely with those two academics in the drafting of this important framework. Andrew, the floor is yours. I just invite you to be as brief, you know how many minutes you have been given to all of you and I will not push me to stop you, so please go ahead.

Thank you very much, Adama, my eyes are on my watch. It's difficult for a historian to sit in this chamber and not to make a very brief reference to the Trusteeship Council. which was set up in 1946 to administer those colonies held as League of Nations mandates after the First World War or detached from the Axis powers after the Second World War. It's significant, I think, that that council was headed for almost a decade by the extraordinary person that was Ralph Bunche, an African-American political scientist at Howard University, a pivotal figure in the civil rights movements, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a mediator in Israel-Palestine in 1950, and the leader of the UN's peacekeeping mission during the Suez Crisis in 1956. Bunche was a lifelong patriot. He'd served with the wartime American Intelligence Service, but who devoted the whole of his career to international civil service. As a committed advocate for racial equality who opposed racialism in all its forms, he saw the role of the trusteeship council as that of keeping a steady fire burning under all those powers who retained trust territories or colonies, and he repeatedly cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as he pressed for their decolonisation. He would have been acutely aware, therefore, of Article 4 of that declaration, the first article in the declaration to reference a specific human right, namely that no one shall be held in slavery or servitude, and slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. The six drafters of this clause, including the distinguished French jurist Rene Cassin, another Nobel Prize winner, had deliberated hard over its meaning. They felt strongly about an absolute prohibition, hence the phrase "in all its forms". And they also felt strongly about having an express reference to the slave trade. thereby deliberately connecting contemporary forms of slavery to historical transatlantic slavery. And they were determined to include what they saw as disguised, hidden, and insidious forms of slavery, recognizing that slavery was present in many societies, including democratic as well as authoritarian states. In short, the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were able to recognise what the Executive Director of the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, Ghada Waly, recently observed in a speech at my Oxford college, namely that slavery involves patterns of exploitation which change with our times. Indeed, in the moment in which we're now living, the range of victims being identified is actually expanding, and we are witnessing a broadening landscape of vulnerabilities and exploitation models. This prevention framework, or framework of analysis, for modern slavery and human trafficking took its inspiration from a similar exercise focusing on atrocity crimes undertaken by our panel chair when under-secretary-general. and, as he has said, it would not have been possible without the critical contributions made by two early-career researchers, Dr. Cesare Vargia and Ms. Marli Tiberchio Carneiro. The framework shines a light on the root causes of human trafficking and modern slavery through the prism of vulnerability, building on other work already undertaken in this field. not least by the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking. It's benefited from the input of very many UN colleagues, whose work we hope to have acknowledged and attributed in our text. At the heart of the prevention framework are nine risk factors, each with their own set of vulnerability indicators. Three of those risk factors are contextual, structural and generic, such as the weakness of state structures or situations of armed conflict, and thus they are shared with many other forms of abuse and exploitation. The rest are more specific and dynamic, and they encompass personal and situational factors such as the breakdown of family networks, established cultural practices, and the lack of effective humanitarian protection for vulnerable migrants and at each stage of the migration process. The concept of vulnerability is based on the premise that some people are more susceptible to harm relative to others as the result of exposure to one or more forms of risk. Protecting people from modern slavery and human trafficking and working towards the prevention of those crimes means mitigating those risks and addressing the specific needs of at-risk populations. However, it also means doing so at a time when vulnerability seems to be increasing as a result of complex interactions of triggering factors that have already been mentioned today, such as protracted conflict, climate change and international organised crime. intertwined as they are with historically grounded forms of economic exploitation and racial and cultural discrimination. We very much hope that our prevention tool will therefore make a practical contribution to the work of identifying potential victims, raising awareness of the many and shifting circumstances that increase vulnerabilities, and developing a more nuanced understanding of the situations that push people into exploitation. But to say a few more words on our hopes for this piece of work and for the Global Commission more generally, I now want to hand over to my dear and valued colleague and fellow Commissioner, Nasreen Shaikh.

Thank you very much, Andrew. Nasreen, the floor is yours.

Thank you everyone for being here today. My name is Nasreen Saik. I am survivor of child labor in textile factory. I also escaped forced marriage two times and I come from extremely undocumented, vulnerable village. and to have this chair is a massive responsibilities, and at the same time, it is a great opportunities to be here with Andrew, with Adma, and the chair, Theresa May, for doing this global commission. And I think for the first time in history, the number of people forcibly displaced around the world has surpassed 200 million, so imagine a girl's boys and women like me in these communities are extremely vulnerable and these are derived by the forces such as unconscious consumption. Many times we forget that how this happens. So you need to start asking questions. What are you wearing? What are you consuming? When you are in the household, how that is affecting and contributing to the slavery. Also, climate change, armed and conflict, and socioeconomic underdevelopment. This unprecedented displacement is rendering so many countless people vulnerable to these, as Adma says, heinous crimes and atrocities. Survivors know that with absolute certainty that modern slavery is not merely the result of a few bad actors. It is a systematic issue that runs through every layer of our global supply chains, and we know this because we have moved through it, and those supply chains that I was working as a sweatshop child labor. We have seen it. We are the eyes, witnesses from this inside and out. Our dignity from the inside was taken out, but also from the outside. And survivors like me and many others are example that change is possible. And this can bring a lot of change. I know that for the first hand, the impact of devastating crimes on people's lives is stripping them from their humanity and destroying their livelihoods. The scale of suffering caused by the contemporary forms of slavery is reminiscent of the genocide of the last century and the threatened ecocide of today. The world cannot stand by and watch while millions endure such abuses. Faceless casualties are generated every day through the purchasing decisions of unconscious consumption and the blind eyes of global economic systems. By uniting survivor voices, businesses, civil societies, and governments, we can rise to the challenge and affirm that our shared humanity by ending this crisis, hopefully sooner than, like we keep talking about that we need to end. This is an emergency issue for us, for survivors. And this is a growing movement toward conscious consumption, signals a global opportunity to recognize that modern slavery, and the climate crisis are a single systematic issue, and transparency and awareness powered by the advanced technology and system upgrades are our fastest path to ending this crisis by 2030. the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking have developed a groundbreaking prevention framework to pinpoint the key risk factors and indicators that heightened the vulnerability. This framework serves as a crucial guide for policymakers to strengthen prevention efforts and ultimately safeguard the millions of lives that are currently at risk. Today in our audience, we have experts of survivors, and I would like to name them. Cynthia Collins, Ai Weng, and Chris S., and Mahendra Pandey. Thank you so much for being here. I see you, and we see you, and there are millions more are out there. And I'm also incredibly grateful that supporters like Sharon Prince from Design from Freedom Summit, who works on the building materials that we have yet not talked about will be, is here. And also incredibly touched by Lisa Christine with her artist and activism around how you can see the pictures of these girls. That was me, literally 25 years ago. And so seeing these, we are no longer invisible. We are becoming visible. And it's leaders like you that I have faith and dream that this will end. and hopefully by 2030. And the UN is a place where we are talking about this, and if we all dedicate, if we all unite, we can alienable basic, basic human rights for all vulnerable children who are still suffering in this extreme poverty. And yet today, the fact that 50 million, that's just not a number. We will repeat over and over that we are people, we have dignity, and we are here to contribute in a society to bring a change that will bring creativity and peace for greater good. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you very much, my daughter Nasreen. I think the testimony from Nasreen, I say testimony because not only she shared her thought with us, but she also introduced some of those survivors and victims who are today in this room. And as the Right Honourable Theresa May indicated in her foreword, we speak of victims and survivors. But these are not, you say, these are not just victims or survivors. They are individuals. And each one of them has a personality, talents, interests, hopes and desire. They are all people of promise. who have much to give the world, but whose opportunity to do so has been snatched away by those who profit from them. And we will not allow those who profit from them to continue these crimes. And once again, thank you very much, Nasrin. And it is now my pleasure to invite my good friend, Elisabeth Briand Harris, who, as you know, is the Assistant Secretary General of the United Nation, and she is in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York. And as some of you may know, Elisabeth was also in the past a member of this distinguished body, now the UN Human Rights Committee. Over to you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Moderator, dear Adama, Right Honourable Baroness of Maidenhead, Excellencies, colleagues and friends. It's really such a privilege already with this beautiful introduction that you have on the content of this work in welcoming the launch of the framework and the report itself, but also following on the clear reminder, as you said, Adama, that we're talking about persons. We're talking about the centrality of the person and the dignity of the person is really in all these projects that we're working on in different ways. So the testimony is essential. And again, in the beginning of the introductions, we heard that we have the focus, obviously, that we do need to continue to have on trafficking in human beings and modern forms of slavery, because there's a lot of effort has been going into this over the years, and certainly the UN, and we had the President of the General Assembly was also mentioning many, many initiatives and frameworks that we ourselves have had, I will come to as well, including as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. But sadly, all of those efforts and what we see instead is an increase in trafficking, an increase in new and other forms of trafficking and risks that they're taking. Of course, partly, and we heard already about the complexity of crises reflected in the report itself and many more factors going on why this is so. So of course we need this and very much welcome also this step in having an opportunity to broaden. We know the Secretary General is talking about partnerships and the need to broaden partnerships that we go also beyond our United Nations structures in our work and really understanding how that complementarity of the work can push forward on actually achieving impact. Here, I'm particularly impressed and welcome as well on the focus that we see in the introduction in the report and also the speeches today, that it's not a one-off. We're all siloed and looking at certain events and certain tasks that we're getting almost in a siloed, fragmented way, but instead coming together and making sure that there's a comprehensive, holistic approach, which is the only way to solve it, I think that is as I see stressed in the report. And also the multi-stakeholder stress. We talk about it a lot, and civil society was mentioned, of course, as absolutely key. But let me also say that, of course, we understand civil society to clearly include the non-governmental organizations, but a broad understanding of civil society, academia, obviously very important as well, and other representatives. But one thing I really wanted to stress and express my gratitude for also is this point of mobilizing the political will. Very often what we have is, of course, in all these frameworks, we have the legal framework, we have the structures. We are also doing a lot of work, including in the field, including from the Office of the High Commissioner. But very often what we see is coming together in discussions, but then ultimately the political will to make sure that that action is taken and that action is taken urgently. So this is all very welcome in our collaboration until now and looking forward to, of course, how we can continue to do this. And I know I only have a couple more minutes, but I wanted to stress, and then coming back to the discussion, the stress on the vulnerabilities, but also really the root causes, the prevention perspective that is presented to us. And this is, of course, exactly how we also work on human rights. Human rights are more broadly, not only in trafficking, and modern forms of slavery. But more broadly, human rights are an early warning mechanism and certainly also the framework to be working therefore on the response and the prevention, hopefully, of conflicts, but also prevention of human rights violations that is needed across the board. And I think that is something that also we have in common with this. And of course, we're not surprised knowing where the origins of all of this came, but the stress also on the Universal Declaration. that and that Theresa May stressed this morning and as did other speakers as well, that is really the framework we're working within. So here we have the risks, we have them in the report, we have identified the similar risks ourselves from our human rights perspective, of course discrimination in all its forms, denial of rights that we have, poverty was of course mentioned, displacement very clearly, irregular migration and forms of migration that lead to vulnerabilities and many other factors that we look at, both in terms of risk factors, but also linking the root causes. How do we need to address those? It's not just a matter of immediately responding to an urgent situation, but also addressing the situation in depth and structurally. So trafficking in persons is a human rights violation, as we heard, in itself, and a very serious one, but it also it also stems from violations of other rights and the lack of access to rights. And this interconnectedness is where we also need to work. Again, the legal framework, with all of the discussions we will continue to have around definitions and other issues, but the legal framework essentially is there. We do have, of course, the Palermo Protocol. We also have international human rights law. It's the humanitarian law as well in conflict situations, but human rights law in particular. What we focus on, and as I think we also share the perspective, is the implementation that is lacking and how to make sure that it's implemented globally as well as domestically in each and every country. And how do we break the cycle of impunity? Because this is really what keeps this horrible phenomenon from recurring. I don't have time to go into the various ways we work, but I will just say that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, we had since 2003 guidelines and principles on human rights and trafficking. It is the essential part of a human rights-based approach, which is really recognizing in four pillars. One is the primacy of human rights in the approach. That includes the due diligence, which is also stressed in your report and the framework that needs to be done on human rights. It also reaches out, of course, due diligence both on the government side, but also clearly in the private sector and business responsibility, as you also have pointed to, and the partnerships we need for that. It has the prevention there of trafficking as one of the pillars, protection and assistance of victims, and also criminalization and punishment of perpetrators, as well as redress to victims. So it essentially fits very well with the kind of framework and the risks that you are having. And we have been working also at the country level in helping and assisting member states in looking at legislation that should be there and capacity building and in other ways as well. There are many other things that I only want to mention as well, and you have it in the report, that we have the special rapporteurs that have been appointed on both on trafficking as well as modern forms of slavery, and I think that's an essential source also of expertise to bring together. But I also would like to mention the treaty bodies, and I'm grateful you mentioned the Human Rights Committee, which is one of them, but not the only one, that there is that space for the expertise. How do we bring all of these different parts together to support and also in the implementation of this, this your practical tool of the framework and how it can be used and how we bring it forward. I'm very happy to continue this harmonization and working together. Collaboration is more needed than ever. The partnerships are there. And I'm very excited to hear that in your next phases and hopefully we'll hear more about it. You will be working with economists to really delve into more specifics there as well as the data and tech side, which of course is something that we also all are very concerned about as the new forms of both trafficking and risks are appearing, and that opens up that whole need for the multidisciplinary approach that you obviously have taken, and we are very happy to be collaborating with you.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Ilse. And I'm pleased to invite our brother, Bukani Waruzi, who is the executive director of Free the Slaves, to take the floor. Over to you.

Thank you, sir. Excellencies, honorables, representatives of the UN member state, UN agencies, distinguished members of the commission, invitee, and attendees, all protocol observed. I would like to start by thanking Nasreen and Mahindra, uh, for their courage and leadership in ensuring global solutions to modern slavery are led and inclusive of survivors. I am honored to take part in this important event commemorating the launch of the first report of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. First, I would like to congratulate the members of the Commission for this achievement, and especially I would like to commend the Right Honourable the Baroness May of Maidenhead for her vision, leadership, and steadfast commitment to ensure modern slavery is fully contained and addressed globally. The discussions in this panel on prevention, vulnerability, and root causes can't be sufficiently and adequately addressed within an hour timeframe. However, the complexity of the issue is well portrayed, at least in the approach to this report, And at the same time, the report brings to light the need to act now, as we cannot wait any longer. The report comes at a time where the world and the affected communities are awaiting for the realization of the promise made in this very chamber. The promise of eradicating the worst form of child labor by 2025. I am sure we are all keen and expecting to see what result will be presented. As I think, as Nasrin and others have pointed out, it seems like the issue is not getting any less. While the report was kind enough to emphasize why civil society organizations are an important player that can own an inclusive and assertive leadership, I'd like to add that we need also stronger government institutions and implacable political will and educated local communities in order to effectively prevent modern slavery and human trafficking. Let's not forget that modern slavery and human trafficking happen in local communities and effective solutions are happening, or should happen rather, in local communities. Investing in local communities remains critical. However, accountable government institutions and accountable leaders are the prerequisite for any lasting solutions. This will enhance prevention, enable protection of vulnerable people to modern slavery and human trafficking, create an environment that is conducive to human development, and will seed the future for the next generation. I have seen this model proves tangible results. We recently implemented a co-created project by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, FCDO, and Free the Slaves in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. Under the framework of Alliance 8.7, through engaging survivors, the government of Kenya implemented the accountability framework of Alliance 8.7, coordinated civil society organizations, union, survivors, and other key actors in developing its roadmap, and Kenya has now become a Pathfinder country under Alliance 8.7. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the partnership with the DRC government, Free the Slaves and Walk Free have just concluded the second phase of the project on engaging survivors in redrafting and implementing the Pathfinder country roadmap for Alliance The DRC has improved its policies, services, and framework for addressing child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. One of the results is that the DRC saw its ranking in the 2024 U.S. TIP report go from Tier 2 watch list to Tier 2. It should be noted that the first phase of the work also was funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office as part of the Alliance 8.7 framework. Today, survivors in Kenya and the DRC are working hand in hand with their government as partners, allies, but also are equipped to hold their government accountable. We now have requests from dozens of other pathfinder countries who want to replicate the DRC and Kenya models. Next to these inspiring examples, there are huge challenges that we are facing right now. Financial resources, prioritization, and engagement. It is not a story that the civil society movement is now being weakened given the cut in the funding. And there is no light in sight that there is any government that will even take half of the share. These are existential threats. They call for coordination, mobilization, and tangible commitment. Excellencies, honorable and distinguished guests, I would like to thank really the Commission for this report, which I believe will serve as a tool for advocacy for community advocates, civil society organizations, persons with lived experience, and others. It will also serve as reference to policy makers. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much, Brother Bukani. And it is now my pleasure to invite our sister, Mrs. Cynthia Samuel Olonjuwon, who is the Special Representative to the UN and Director of the ILO New York Office. And we cannot have this meeting without the contribution of ILO. As a matter of fact, next year we will be commemorating 100 years of the ILO Convention regarding slavery, and it was very important that both the Right Honourable Theresa May and Andrew also highlighted Article 4 of the UDHR, and I think we could not have a better person, really, to introduce the contribution of ILO in this meeting. And I look forward next time I'm in Geneva, please inform the Director General, my younger brother, Gilbert Rungu, that we count on him. We count on him because this is very important, particularly during these challenging times. Over to you, my sister.

Thank you so very much, big brother. I got the assignment very clearly, and I'll transmit the message to my other big brother. The Right Honourable Baroness May of Maidenhead, excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, if I were to talk She knows I'll take a long time. So what I'll do so as to maximize the time is to read, and I'll try to avoid getting into the conversational mode. Let me start by commending the Global Commission for its rigorous and thoughtful work in producing this landmark report. I think this was mentioned, I think it was Baroness May that said it's a landmark report, it is a landmark report, we agree with you. and also for the commitment of the Global Commission to Ending Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Let's look at the scale of the challenge, and I'll try not to duplicate what has been said before. Today, according to ILO estimates, there are 28 million people in forced labor globally. Over 17 million are exploited in the private sector. and 4 million in state-imposed forms of forced labor. These are not abstract statistics. Nazreen, in her intervention, showed us that these are real people, real lives, and they are often hidden in plain sight, whether in supply chains, in households, in farms, construction sites, or factories. Prevention and tackling root causes. Forced labour is the most extreme form of labour exploitation. But as Ilse said, it does not occur in isolation. It often stems from deeply rooted socioeconomic factors, legal and governance gaps, as well as deficits in decent work. And it's also linked to deficits in other fundamental rights at work, whether it's freedom of association, protection from discrimination and child labor, and the right to a safe and healthy workplace. Indeed, it's important that we have to go beyond tackling the symptoms to addressing the root causes. And it is only in this way that we'll be able to get the lasting and transformative change that is required. The International Labor Organization and the moderator has already made reference to some of the instruments, is guided by international labor standards, including the ILO protocol to the first labor convention, which is the most up-to-date instrument on this issue. And it helps countries to develop policies and systems that prevent exploitation. Prevention begins with building resilient labor markets. decent work opportunities, ensuring fair recruitment systems, as well as strong and accountable labor governance institutions. Building prevention into the labor market institutions is the most effective in addressing the world of work dimension. And this includes labor inspections that reach high-risk sectors, Social protection floors that shield people from economic vulnerability, formalization of the informal economy and informal work, protecting workers through the legal safeguards that are enshrined in the different instruments that we have, and social dialogue that empowers workers to freely organize and speak out. I'll just give a few examples of some of the interventions in the critical areas of the ILO in our member states. The first one is the ILO's Fair Recruitment Initiative that promotes ethical recruitment and protects migrant workers from debt bondage and abuse. Also working with both employers, governments, and recruitment agencies to address some of the root causes of forced labor. And a good example is the work we did with the government of Qatar to reform the legal frameworks to ensure that workers can exit the country and change jobs freely. We also work with governments to address state-imposed forced labor, including through dialogue, research, monitoring, and reforming the capacities of the different institutions. The ILO support to Uzbekistan to end systematic state-imposed forced labor in the cotton sector is a very good example. A third area is in crisis settings, such as Iraq and Jordan, where we provide support to refugees and IDPs to access decent work and livelihoods, helping to reduce their vulnerability to forced labor and exploitation. The issue of the private sector is very pertinent, and through the ILO Global Business Network on Forced Labour, we work with companies of all sizes, helping them to implement due diligence in supply chains, strengthening accountability, and collaborating across sectors to address systemic risks. Finally, and as was indicated by the colleague who spoke before me, the ILO serves as the secretariat to the Alliance 8.7, which is a multi-stakeholder global partnership to accelerate progress towards ending forced labor, modern slavery, and human trafficking. Way forward. Forced labor and trafficking thrives in regulatory vacuums and fragmented responses. This has already been identified by ILOs. In order to counter this, we need coherent national strategies which are aligned with SDG 8.7, stronger and more strategic international cooperation. And finally, responsible conduct, business conduct that extends across global supply chains. As I end, I see two very strategic opportunities for us in this year 2025. Recognizing that ending modern slavery is not only a moral imperative, it's a prerequisite for social justice. It's a prerequisite for economic resilience. It's also a prerequisite for a future of decent work for all. The two opportunities that we see that are very pertinent and we should fully explore them or exploit them is, one, the upcoming review of SDG 8 at the high level political forum. The process has started with the expert group meeting, and that provides us with an opportunity to elevate and escalate not only advocacy but the necessary mechanisms to ensure that intentions translate to concrete actions. The second opportunity is what my former boss Mr. Juan Somavia calls a once in a generation opportunity, and that is the second World Summit for Social Development. The first one was 30 years ago in Copenhagen. The next one is going to be in Doha in November. And this provides us with the opportunity to address this within the context, not only of the focus on eradicating poverty, but on the dimension that looks at full and productive employment and decent work for all. With these, we believe that we'll be able to accelerate the necessary action and move towards the impact that we desire. I'll stop here. Thank you, my big brother.

Thank you very much, Sincere. And now, last but not least, We have the representative of UNDP. I mean, our good colleague and friend, Achim Steiner, wishes to be with us, but unfortunately, due to other commitments, he couldn't make it. So we are privileged to have Ms. Shoko Noda, who is the Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Crisis Bureau. Shoko, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, the Baroness Mayor of Maidenhead, Excellencies, Commissioners, colleagues from Member States, UN agencies, and most importantly, survivor leaders. This is, yes, a privilege, but also a very humbling, sobering responsibility to be here with you all. just listening to all the remarks here and yet launch also this landmark report. I would like to congratulate the Global Commission for its work in exposing modern slavery's architecture. I also thank the permanent missions of the UK and also Bahrain for co-hosting today's dialogue. And special thanks to Nasreen for sharing your most difficult experiences, and yet also sharing a sense of, how to say, hope in a way that you have come this far. I was reading your life story yesterday, and I did work in a country where you come from. So I can, in a way, it was very difficult for me to imagine that, you know, the journey that you had here. So modern slavery and human trafficking are both a development failure and a conflict multiplier. Slavery thrives where development falters. We see three interconnected root causes. One, of course, poverty. People living below $3.65 a day are four times more likely to be exploited. One in four slavery survivors globally live in least developed countries. Second, fragility and conflict. Again, as highlighted in the report, in fragile states where institutions are weak, opportunities are scarce. We find the highest concentrations of exploitations in conflict. Conflicts, armed groups use trafficking as a weapon of war and find impunity in collapsed institutions. Third, discrimination. and this is linked to what the Commission calls the established cultural practices and behaviors in its risk factor five. Marginalized groups, particularly women, migrant workers, ethnic minorities, face systemic exclusion bearing the brunt of slavery everywhere. Vulnerabilities, as I think we have already heard, magnify these deep-rooted risks. They emerge where development fails. For example, across broken supply chains, which prioritize profits over people. 28 million people are currently enslaved by the business sector. 28. That is more than the population of Australia. This happens mainly because developing countries hosting global supply chains lack the resources and capacities to regulate business practice on their territories. Displacement also exacerbate crisis. Over 100 million people forcibly displaced are among the vulnerable. According to UNHCR, refugees who have already endured so much are 10 times more likely to be trafficked. Finally, digital frontiers. These may make many people, again, particularly among youth, more vulnerable to modern slavery. Since 2022, online trafficking has surged 30%, outpacing regulation. So these are not accidents. They are the consequences of choices that we as a society have made or failed to make. Stopping slavery requires action at every level. I would focus on three groups of stakeholders with whom UNDP and UN agencies work. First, states, they must strengthen legal frameworks. This means criminalizing, prosecuting, and actively preventing all forms of forced labor, as well as advanced enforcement mechanisms. Second, businesses. These should carry out human rights due diligence across supply chains, especially in conflicts, not as optional compliance, but a fundamental responsibility. Third, and finally, financial institutions. They should widen access to safe, affordable finance for vulnerable and marginalized people to prevent the desperation that forced labor exploits. They can also tailor products and services to survivors so that they don't fall back into the hands of traffickers. At UNDP, we've seen what works. We've guided more than 20 national action plans on business and human rights to improve business practices in developing countries. In Thailand, for example, we are supporting the Ministry of Justice in drafting a hard law on mandatory human rights due diligence for business. If endorsed, it will be the first of its kind in Asia. UNDP's business and human rights initiatives in 46 countries across five region train about 1,300 businesses a year on human rights due diligence. We implement also finance against slavery and trafficking initiative with UK and Liechtenstein support under FAST, it's called FAST. We mobilize governments, national financial institutions, stock exchanges. commercial and retail banks, insurance and real economy businesses to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. Yet none of these will work without the voices of those who are affected and, as we heard, the political will. Survivor leadership must inform every stage of our response, from policy table to investor guidelines. Slavery is not inevitable, it is a choice. One we make by investing in development and prevention that leaves no one behind. We, UNDP, stands ready to deliver on this promise. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Shokha. So, friends, we have now about 40 minutes till time we end this session. So I wish we can engage, I would say, in interactive discussion with the panelists. So I would give the floor to who wish to start, but please try to be as brief as possible so that we can give chances to as many in this room. And then at the end, we will provide each of the panelists with about two minutes to react. So who would like to take the floor, to kick the ball? Don't be shy, please. If not, I will start myself with a question. There is -- okay, please, go ahead. Identify yourself and the organization you are representing, if any.

Now it is. This has been so tremendous. I'm David Schilling from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility that since 1971 has been promulgating human rights in the portfolio companies that our members own. And I remember 2019, not in this room, but close by, There was an amazing report, this blueprint that the commission was a part of, that looked at all the financial areas. And I think there is a need to sort of make sure that we understand that investors have a human, they have to really affirm human rights. And so in our organization for the last 20 years, we've worked on a range of issues, but modern slavery and human trafficking. But I wonder, you know, there's so many different organizations here. And this, I think this kind of impetus of this report can reignite some interest in the financial community, in the shareholder community, as well as our colleagues in nongovernmental organizations and trade unions that are working on the ground. So I really love the way in which the panel has discerned, you know, the kind of intersectionality. And, you know, I think, Shohu, you mentioned the financial area especially. So maybe thinking about how the commission is kind of integrating that blueprint, which came out in 2019, that went through a whole process that the commission was involved with to sort of elevate the financial, economic, and shareholder engagements, because there's so many global companies that need to be doing more. And we're engaging on that, but I think we need a holistic approach. So if anyone wants to comment, I'd really appreciate it. But thank you so much for the report and for this panel.

Thank you very much for your contribution. Next. We'll come back to you and provide you an answer, but I can just say now that there are among the commissioners people who are, in fact, in the business community and who really understand how important is what you have just said now, and certainly Alan will react to, will respond to your question. Please, go ahead and identify yourself.

Hi, I'm Lisa Christine with the Human Thread Foundation. And I just have a question. I always hear about having international laws that sort of come together in this very important field. Like in the UK, we use modern slavery.

In the United States, it's human trafficking.

But given that there's these gaps, how do you suggest that we actually do make a cohesive band?

That around the world there is common policy, common language, and that we can.

Actually start to, you know, close the gaps that are necessary in order to really make a change here.

Thank you very much. Next. No. Okay. While, yes, please, ma'am.

Hello, Jessica Roberts from Justice in Care. Thank you very much to all the speakers today. It's been fascinating so far. I've, like many of us, been noticing a direction of many governments around the world towards defence away from development. Does the Commission, can the Commission play a role in refocusing political attention on the fact that development is prevention and that long-termism is so important in tackling modern slavery and human trafficking.

So I'm Rachel Chambers from the University of Connecticut Business School. And actually building on Jessica's question.

When we think about business and business's role in modern slavery and human trafficking, we're also seeing.

Pushback on laws to try and hold companies to their reporting and their due diligence obligations.

So within the European Union, also here in the United States.

What can the Commission potentially, how can the Commission work to reverse that trend?

Thank you.

Thank you very much. After this first round of question, may I ask the panelists to react? First, Andrew.

I will pick up one question. Lisa, it was your question about international legislation and how it keeps pace with a rapidly changing landscape. If you look across more than a century of that legislation, one dilemma for those who have drafted it has always been whether or not to reference specific forms of trafficking and slavery. And sometimes they have, and sometimes they haven't. By doing it, the advantage is you manifest the problem, and as one panelist said, a problem that's often hiding in plain sight, and you make more clear and transparent what it is that you're talking about. But the moment you do that, you're exposed to sort of legislation becoming quite dated quite quickly. And what struck me in, I think, the very good work that the UN special rapporteurs have done in order to provide sort of critical and supporting commentary on the legislation is the number of different forms of abuse and exploitation that they're now enumerating and manifesting as being, uh, tantamount to trafficking and sort of slavery, and now if you look at the number of those forms is in double figures. It goes back to what I was saying in my remarks about a broadening landscape of vulnerabilities and exploitation models. That is changing so rapidly that it will be hard for any piece of international legislation to capture everything that is going on at the moment. It strikes me that, alongside that legislation, the commentary that we wrap around it so that people really understand what we're talking about is going to be just as vital.

Thank you very much, Andrew. Before I give the floor to one of the panelists, may I invite the distinguished representative of Argentina to make his statement?

Thank you, sir. We really would like to express our appreciation and commend to the Commission and the Commissioners for the presentation, the launch of the report, and also to cosponsors of this high-level event, the Permanent Mission of Bahrain and the UK. My capital was very receptive of the invitation, and we appreciate as well to have received this invitation. And we wanted to refer to another form of human trafficking in this particular panel regarding prevention, vulnerability, and root causes that we also appreciate all the presentations that were very enlightening for our debates here. So Argentina notes that among the many concerns raised by human trafficking, there is one in particular, the awareness of which has been increasingly raised in the recent years within international human rights law, and this is the reproductive trafficking. which consists of a trade and exploitation of vulnerable women in the context of surrogacy or gestational surrogacy. In Argentina, cases have been detected that are indicative that the transnational trafficking of women for reproductive exploitation is happening. Like so many others, this exploitation is disguised under the pleasing appearances such as the desires of a child. However, even in this case, it clashes with the two reports of the Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children of 2018 and 2019, which have condemned all forms of commercial surrogacy. Argentina notes as well that recently various statements and campaigns exist to protect women and children from these exploitations and scourge have gained So my delegation wanted to raise this point and hear, perhaps, from the panelists a reaction on this. Thank you.

Thank you very much, and we very much appreciate the contribution of Argentina in this process. And as a matter of fact, what he just said now reflects on what Commissioner Andrew Thompson was illustrating. So is there any member of the panel who wishes to react to some of those questions which have been raised? Shaukat? Please.

Thank you very much. Just engagement with business, businesses as well financial institutions, I think it is probably important also to think how we can present this kind of report to those stakeholders beyond, I think, beyond the UN compound. I think here we all have like-minded officials and colleagues, but I think the outreach is extremely important. Um, I have been, uh, on the ground at the country level involved in, for example, development of national action plans and business and, um, business and human rights. Um, it is, I just mentioned that we have now 20 plans, um, being implemented itself is a long consultation process of sometimes one year, sometimes three years or so. I do believe that all these efforts that we make on the ground, not only with government, but with businesses, with financial institutions, are extremely important, but obviously it takes time. But please, Please do think of how you can concretely support different initiatives, business and human rights. I just mentioned finance against slavery and trafficking, that initiative which is already supported by UK and Liechtenstein. There are some different, I think, entry points that we can continue to push as like-minded group of us. Thank you.

Yes, and I'm following up, of course, as well, engagement very much with business and human rights. We do have, of course, the guiding principles from 2011, as we know, as the basis, and those were endorsed by the Human Rights Council. So member states have endorsed them, just to say as well that we have a range of what are legal instruments and what are policy instruments and frameworks. But that commitment by member states, I think, is an essential thing, again, for the accountability we're talking about. There also is a working group on business and human rights that the Office of the High Commissioner supports, and that, of course, is also available there for expert advice and furthering those tools. But in this regard, I also wanted to say we are working, and I think it goes also into the future of Commission's work on the data and tech side, we are working intensely on a project as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called B-Tech, which is really adopting these principles to tech actors and tech industry, working collaboratively in partnership, because of course we know that the responsibility, the obligations lie with the member states, but responsibility is there for business. So how do we work together with business for this? And the whole new area and very relevant, I think, to the new forms of trafficking that we're talking about, as was mentioned, is, of course, this work in the tech sector as well, including on the human rights due diligence part. But of course, it also goes beyond this. And another comment I wanted briefly to make and partly also following on Andrew's points On the legal framework, it is very important to have the view that we are both comprehensive and consistent. The weaknesses on the implementation, as we looked at in the domestic legislation, which has to interpret or translate the international norms into domestic legislation, are where we need a lot more work. We need consistency there, even for comparative purposes, and in particular for trafficking, which is of course a transborder phenomenon. We can't have it just in one country or another as legislation. They need to be compatible. But just to say there that the existing instruments, and we will have many more discussions and interesting ones, but again, the covenants we have and the basic architecture for human rights that is there and the various treaties, Those are there and they are living instruments. That's why it's also the great point is having the treaty bodies, the special rapporteurs, of course, are independent experts confirmed by member states. and slightly different, but the treaty bodies are really the authoritative interpreters of what the content of those instruments is. And of course it evolves. It's not the same as when the covenants or the instruments were adopted. So I think there's also room for that kind of, and that's why looking at those general comments that they have, for instance, the general recommendations from CEDAW in particular, we had a very important one on trafficking a couple of years back. And I think that's where we also need to work together and to able to follow for that coherence that we have globally, and including with the regional instruments. Of course, Adama is such a key person in coming to some of the regions and coming together that there is that coherence, but in other parts of the world as well. So a lot of work to be done there without necessarily developing new legal instruments as such, but making sure the coherence is followed. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Ilze. Cynthia.

Thank you very much. Just building on the engagement with business. And I think one of the comments that was made by my colleague from representing the UNDP administrator is how to ensure that these go beyond the conversations we're having here, where it's literally we're preaching to the choir. And Okay, full disclosure, before I joined the UN, I was in the private sector. So I'm also speaking from that lens. There's the global business network on forced labor. And one thing that works more effectively with business is when they are the ones that recognize that this is an issue and they're driving it. So it's okay to, you know, have conversations like this, but until it's owned and they're leading such initiatives, the traction is going to be rather limited and the movement of the needle will not be as fast or as far as we want. Does that mean that everything is hunky dory, everything is excellent with the global business network? Not necessarily, but they are driving this process. And we have seen interesting results from that. There was also another point that was raised in terms of cohesion across borders. I think you raised that, cohesion across borders. And I want to reference the good examples by my brother Waruzi, as to what the engagement of member states, this is led by the member states within the context of Alliance 8.7, the kind of traction that we have seen in Kenya, but also in different countries. Is this enough? No, but this is at least a platform that brings different member states together to see what has worked, what they could learn, what they could replicate, and how we have this not just South-South collaboration, but real South-North and South-South collaboration. So I just wanted to put that on the table.

Much appreciated. Any other question? Yes, please, ma'am. Thank you.

Hello, I'm Sharon Prince, CEO and founder of Grace Farms Foundation and a movement called Design for Freedom, which is to remove forced and child labor from the building material supply chain that's been given a labor transparency pass. And there's many of you here in the room that are part of the movement, so I thank you. Sitting next to me and across from me, Nasreen, who has been a critical voice and leader within the movement. Thank you also, Director Cynthia Samuel Alajwan, for recognizing the importance of a movement coming from within. I am representing the business community as an owner of building a building. And so I recognize that the entire construction sector is given a labor transparency pass, even though my commitment to Grace Farms and building it was to end modern day slavery, ironically. It was only because I was immersed in the whole project And I had the UNU at Grace Farms, actually, so there are some connective tissue here. The finance against slavery and trafficking emerged from Grace Farms and meetings we had at Grace Farms. But it wasn't until 2017 that I realized all the building materials that I used were not inspected. I was on the job site and I knew the job site was made with fair labor. That's the difference. The construction sector is very weighty. There's 38% of all the timber, let's say, goes into the supply chain. It's connected to the climate crisis in that we now talk about ethical decarbonization versus just the just transition. So carbon emissions being also 40% are driven by the construction sector. So what I'm excited about this entire project in this report is that you've got bricks on the cover, which is incredible. And what I want to tell you about that is that most people in the United States think they don't bring any bricks in from other countries, and they do. And we're taking this from a global lens. There are no certifications in bricks. There's only a small Nepalese one that's spawned from Goodweave. And so there's no verification. And how do you go about verification when there's also artisans that we want to work with as well. So I was just, there's much to talk about there, but I'd like for you to introduce the construction sector as one of the primary weighty sectors to also continue and to really work on it. We'd like to work with you on that. And appreciate, Theresa DeMay is not here, she was just at Grace Farms too. So there's a lot of promise. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for your invitation and we look forward to working closely with all of you. And as a matter of fact, as I think Ilze and Cynthia did mention, we are all responsible. Each of us has a responsibility, you know, not only as a representative of these organization, but simply as individual who are caring about humanity. And therefore, I cannot but simply say thank you very much for, uh, your contribution. Now I realize that we have about, uh, 15 minutes left. before we close. And I was provoking Alain Job or Anita on this question regarding business and supply chains, but hopefully they have a session this afternoon, the panel two, which will deal with the issue of business supply chains, data and technology. Unless you want to add your voice to this closing panel. Please.

David, I'll just say one thing, which is if you have time, come along and listen to our panel this afternoon.

We're not at all shy.

We think we know what we want businesses to do and we're going to reach out directly.

To them and engage aggressively in the coming months.

But come along and contribute, please.

And now, uh, I invite, uh, for her final remark, uh, Nasreen to start, and then we'll follow all the way up to Sotka.

Thank you. I think those questions were really great. I really appreciate, David, that you started the questions around economic system. As a survivor, I feel like the slavery is embedded in every supply chain, and that goes into our economic system. And my ideas are very simple from the ground as survivors that I always believed is like, what was the one thing that worked in the community that was resilient, that was existing not just hundreds, but thousands of years? And that idea was very simple. the idea of fair exchange, understanding that your time and my time is equal, understanding that the raw materials that we are sourcing, it is not ours. And the businesses, the way they're treating right now the planet and the people, it's very much in the favor of them, and I don't think that is a business. It is really a system that is perpetuating these issues. That's why we are having 100 more million people in slavery, and we will have more if we don't address it. So it is very, very important to start mapping the raw materials and the labors in a way. And I feel like for the first time we have the technology that could do that if we put our mind and spirit into it. And I think UN and amazing panelists that are here with great leaders, they could come together and solve these issues. One of the questions that Lisa Christine that you brought around, common language of modern slavery. It is so sad to see that how much these issues and those languages have just... took different vocabularies and different ideas, but really I feel like that's the disconnection between each other, you know, how disconnected we have become as individual being that we see other people or other children as others and not ourself, you know, and so it is a very, very moral issues and we should look into that. When you harm somebody, knowingly or unknowingly, it is a human rights issues, and And someone was saying that how can the commissions and everybody could come together. And I feel like the, because we are on the vulnerability panels, and I deeply appreciate the work and the time that I had, I learned from Andrew Thompson and his entire team, and Aduma himself, it gave me an ability to speak. And I feel like this issues needs to be approached with the idea of understanding the trust. And that's something that we have really, really lost it. And also, many times people think like 50 million people are modern slavery, here's some charity, take it, you know? And I would say like, no, that is going to create more global systems of disconnections. This is not just a charity issues, this is the issues of our economic system that everyone should be paid for their time. And we should think about and look into what is fair exchange, what does that really mean? and build the business from that ethics, making sure that the people who are working on the ground, their bloods, their sweats, their tears are not embedded in the product. The most like, don't you want to wear clothes, don't you want to wear things that is made by creativity and peace and knowing that that culture that was existed in the harmony with nature, don't you want to support that? I think a lot of us want to, but somehow because the businesses and the corporations have not been ethical, this is a time for ethical. And this Commission report is giving a framework and understanding that we could unite and look into these issues. And very much excited about the panel on supply chain on materials and everything, and you will hear more, so please, please do stay here. And I'm extremely grateful to be here and have a survivor voice included. And we are here to work with you. We want to see more, because this is just the beginning of our work. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Ms. Stein. Powerful. Amazing. The floor is yours.

Final words after that brilliant intervention by Najri. I just reflect on one of the fundamental principles of the Declaration of Philadelphia, that there can be no lasting peace without social justice. I mean, there's no way we can have peace if we don't have social justice. And as was said earlier, modern slavery is a crime. And it's a crime that impacts on social justice. And as I also heard from the keynote statements, the addresses, one of the fundamental ways you can reduce vulnerability is to provide decent work for all. Without decent work for all, we will have vulnerabilities, and those vulnerabilities will fuel the market for slaves, and it will fuel the market for forced labor. So as we move towards having a political declaration for the second world summit for social development, it's imperative that we fully address that, particularly within the context of ensuring that there's decent work for all. Can this be done? Absolutely. Will it be done? It depends. Political will, but also on our engagement from the different platforms that we have. I'll stop here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Chinga. Amazing. Ilze, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much. Indeed, a very rich panel. And just coming back to, I think, also the call to action that is here with the framework and the report itself, looking at what really the concrete steps that we have to take to really operationalize, and for us, really operationalizing a human rights-based approach to trafficking. We've been talking about the national laws, a lot of more work that needs to be done to make sure that that is there and work. We all have our share in promoting, advocating for, and actually assisting in implementing as requested by member states, hopefully requested. Also, we need to work on data, to have accurate data and disaggregated data. I think that some of that will be coming up in the afternoon. We need to be able to identify who is at risk and who is most at risk. Sometimes, when we have data, we have categories that are too large. We need to have that information and to be able to analyse it properly to get there. We need the national action plans and the support for them, but, very importantly, we need to know how we will monitor and report on the impact of the anti-trafficking policies that are taken and put into place, so that there is a follow-up and continuity. Finally, with these guidances and tools that we have developed and continue to develop, including this framework, How do we make sure that they are available and that they're actually used in practice, that they serve the purpose they are meant to serve? But one final thing I wanted to say as well is because we rightly focused a lot on business and business actors and the responsibilities, so I can't stay away from also emphasizing the absolutely essential role of civil society, of course. But civil society, both, we have, of course, the victim-centered approach, the centered of the survivors, and the participation, direct participation by those who have been affected, but also civil society representatives as such. And we know we're talking about this in a world where there is shrinking space for civil society actors, the threats themselves against civil society actors. And also in this case, we also have the humanitarian workers. We know that last year, 2024, was the worst year where four humanitarian workers killed until now, and this continues. Of course, it relates to the conflicts that we're having. It relates to the situation we have in the world, but also the NGOs as such, and in particular, human rights defenders, rights defenders, promoters of this that may stand up to some very powerful interests where that is very important. So also to have in mind the participation need of civil society, fully the multi-stakeholder approach that you and the Commission have taken, but also the protection needs that we have and the prevention of reprisals against civil society actors who take on the important and courageous work of standing up for rights. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Andrew.

Thank you, Adama. Ilse, I think you said one point in your opening remarks that Human trafficking and modern slavery are a fundamental violation of human rights, but they also stem from violations of other forms of human rights. And I think our nine risk factors in some ways are a commentary on those other violations of human rights. And we talk about data that we don't have, But the data that we do have tells us in relation to protracted armed conflict and climate change and international organised crime and forced displacement that these vulnerabilities are set to get worse. So the imperative to act here is clear and palpable. And if we don't, the approximation that we have, and it's the best figure that we have in the 50 million people exposed to modern slavery, is likely to increase, not to decrease. Secondly, you talked about the absolutely essential role, Ilse, a minute ago, of civil society, and I would just like to hang on to that comment for a minute. It would not have been possible to produce this prevention framework were it not for the fact that we were able to speak to over 50 civil society organisations in 25 countries across four regions of the world. I like to think of those civil society organisations as the front-line responders. They were extremely generous with us in sharing their insights and experience. None of them are represented in the room today, but day-to-day they are the organisations that are on the front line, doing extraordinary work of protection and prevention, often in very difficult and challenging circumstances. And given all that we know that's going on and the challenges faced by the multilateral system at the moment, those challenges are not necessarily set to improve. And I would just like to give them, I think, the recognition they deserve in the work that they do, but also for the extraordinary contribution they've made to our report.

Thank you very much, Andrew. Over to you.

Yeah, thank you so much, Sir Adamo. Yeah, I think listening to all the discussions today, it's very encouraging. But I would like to say a few things. Today, when it comes to the issue of modern slavery and human trafficking, there is more we know than we don't. We are now very well-- we are equipped with more tools than we don't. There are more opportunities than we don't have. And yet the question still remains, why the inaction? I think this is an existential question that we always have. Where is the action? If we have the numbers, we can bring all the statistics we want. And there is no expectation that today the situation is going to be better than tomorrow. Things are getting worse on a yearly, daily, or monthly basis. However, I think we are, as civil society organizations, again, I really appreciate the fact that our work and the commitment for civil society organizations is being recognized. But we face existential threat, the resources. I will not shy away from saying many organizations right now are shutting down. And that is a problem. Many government are being shy from even trying to do a little bit more. And everyone is getting a kind of refuge saying we don't have resources. Now, if can, if, if, if someone can tell me how we will address this without resources, I would like to take that portion, thank.

You.

Thank you very much. I think much has been said. I just wanted to echo what you mentioned about resources. It's not time to discuss either defense or development, defense or protection of people at the very last mile. I think it's extremely important. I really would like to count of all of you here to raise our political aspiration, ambitions to address the current issue of resources. Because in the end, if we do not put enough resources on the ground, not at the capital level, but really at the last mile, where it's physically difficult to reach, this is where this is happening. So vulnerability is out their father's place. And please do remember this when we go back to our desk and continue the work. So yes, action is extremely important. This was, for me personally, a humble reminder that the work we do in the area of business and human rights is extremely important. And I will also take your messages back to my team and we remain committed to working with all of you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you very much, dear Sholka, and brothers and sisters in humanity, with this last intervention, our session of this panel number one will be coming to a close. But before that, allow me simply to remind all of us here in this room, and particularly after listening to the concern you expressed about the funding issue, that the big point is, as a matter of fact, the number of crisis contexts which is multiplying today. You know, and not a single region is immune, we are witnessing those crisis in all parts of the world, so that means we need to pay attention to this, because as long as these crisis are mounting. unfortunately, we will see the vulnerability becoming also to the vulnerability to trafficking will expand, will expand. So we need, therefore, to really look seriously into that dimension. And the last thing, we cannot leave this room without making a specific reference to a recommendation which you will see in this report, which is recommendation number one, that is at the system level. And we are hoping that we'll be able to elevate, as we formulate it in our report, global leadership around anti-trafficking as a protection issue. as a protection issue in crisis context, as I said earlier, and then formally recognize the elimination of human trafficking and modern slavery as life-saving intervention. And this we have to do it across the humanitarian system and work more closely and more coherently to address them. And I'm grateful to both the leaders of ILO, I'm referring to my brother, to Akim Steiner, but also to Filippo Grandi, and last but not least, to my good friend and younger brother, Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights. They are all committed to working closely with us. And it is my sincere hope that my friend and brother, Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who from day one, when he met with members of the commission led by the Right Honourable Theresa May, offered to support us and appointed immediately Ilse here as the focal point in his office. So now what we are hoping is that the recommendation action one plus one we have made be implemented as soon as possible. In other words, he established a two-year strategy and delivery group under the auspices of his office, with the survivors' perspective in heart. And then from there, we will be able to continue. And of course, two years' time, that will be the time he will be ending his second term. And I think there will be nothing more rewarding for the Secretary General of the United Nations to leave with something concrete by addressing this human dignity problem we are facing today and by upholding, really, the right of the survival of the victims and making it almost impossible in the future that people be considered simply as product to be sold. I thank you, and I give the floor to the director, our dynamic executive director, to give us the final words administrative. Justin, over to you.

Thank you so much, Adama. Let me try to see if this works. I think it's working. Thank you, Adama. Can we give him another hand of applause and the whole panel? Now, this now concludes the first panel of this event. But before we proceed to the second panel, which will take place this afternoon from 3:00 30 p.m., and then the concluding session, We will pause for a lunch break. For panel two, after the lunch, Ms. Epsy Campbell Barr, who is former vice president of Costa Rica and a commissioner, will be moderating, and Alan Jope, former CEO of Unilever, will be the discussant. Those who have been invited to the closed luncheon are kindly invited to proceed to the delegate dining room on the fourth floor. I think we have ushers outside who can direct you where to go. And take this opportunity to thank all the participants, especially the panelists, for their remarks and contributions. I would like to invite you to get back here at 2:45 so that we can start on time at 3:00 PM. Enjoy your lunch, and we'll see you soon. Thank you very much. And we have. And we have a good turn.