8th Meeting - 63rd Session of Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council
Date: 11 September 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/hrc/63/8
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

---

HRC · Vice-President [0:05]:

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I call to order the eighth meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. We shall now continue the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. According to our practice, we will start by hearing from the delegation of the country concerned by the report. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil. You have five minutes. Ambassador, you have the floor.


Brazil [0:53]:

Mr. Rapporteur, Thank you. Good to see you again. We appreciate the presentation of the report on the visit to Brazil in August 2025. Brazil reiterates its firm commitment to preventing and combating contemporary forms of slavery. We welcome the recognition of the significant progress achieved over the recent years, while acknowledging that challenges unfortunately remain. Contemporary forms of slavery are driven by a complex combination of socio-economic, historical and institutional factors, including social inequality, economic vulnerability and institutional shortcomings. Brazil has been making efforts across a wide range of areas to address the remaining gaps. Brazil has ratified all International Labor Organization instruments on forced labor, namely Convention 29 and its protocol, Convention 105 on abolition of forced labor, 138 on minimum wage, and 182 on worst forms of child labor. Our domestic legislation is robust, prohibiting contemporary forms of slavery child labor, and other forms of exploitation, including relevant provisions in the criminal code, the labor code, and the federal constitution. To advance eradication of situations in which persons are subject to conditions analogous to slavery, Brazil has implemented a comprehensive set of initiatives that constitute long-term state commitments, including the National Action Plan for the Eradication of Slave Labor, the National Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the National Plan for the Eradication of Child Labor. Coordinated strategies involving multiple government institutions have been established to conduct field operations, implement and implement legal measures. The Special Mobile Inspection Group is coordinated by the Ministry of Labor and includes the Labor Prosecution Office and the Federal Police. among other collaborating institutions. Since its creation in 1995, its operations have resulted in the rescue of approximately 68,000 workers. Children, people of African descent, indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, migrants, domestic workers, and sex workers face heightened risks of exploitation. These groups are affected by gender-based, racial, and other intersecting forms of discrimination and vulnerability, underscoring the importance to strengthen efforts aimed at their protection. Brazil has adopted the Statute of the Child and Adolescent, and more recently, the Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent, which sets out provisions for the protection of children and young people in digital environments and establishes the national policy for the protection of the rights of children and young people in the digital environment. We would also like to highlight the EPE system, a free online platform designed to receive complaints and reports of child labor, including anonymous submissions. In addition, the Dial 100 hotline is available for filing complaints of human rights violations. Brazil has enacted robust legislation for the protection of domestic workers, which has contributed to addressing their social vulnerability by reducing formality and recognizing their entitlement to labor rights and social protection. The legislation and policies in force in this area are consistent with ILO Convention 189, which Brazil has ratified. This legal framework, combined with broader measures prohibiting forced labour, has contributed to reducing cases of domestic servitude and improving working conditions for domestic workers. The report refers to the protection of victims, a key component of our strategy to eradicate forced labour. The rescue of workers subjected to degrading conditions is part of a comprehensive process that requires specialized assistance to facilitate their reintegration into society. Such assistance is provided for under the National Protocol for Assistance to Victims of Slave Labor. Mr. Rapporteur, Brazil takes note of the report and its conclusions and recommendations. We remain committed to considering the issues raised and further strengthening the mechanisms in place to combat contemporary forms of slavery as a matter of state priority with a view to addressing the remaining gaps. I thank you. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


HRC · Vice-President [6:13]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you. I now invite interested delegations to ask questions to the special rapporteur and to make comments on his report. Speaking time is one minute 30 seconds for all. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belgium on behalf of a group of countries.


Belgium · Benelux countries [6:40]:

Mr. Vice-President, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Benelux countries. We align ourselves with the EU statement and thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and the vision for the merged mandate she outlines therein. Madam Special Rapporteur, as your report points out, contemporary slavery and trafficking in persons unfortunately remain widespread. While they can take many different forms and occur in all regions of the world, it is undeniable that they primarily affect those most vulnerable worldwide, particularly women and girls. In this regard, we welcome that you chose to adopt an intersectional perspective as a priority throughout all your activities. Taking into account the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination is crucial to understanding the dynamics of slavery and trafficking. As you also mentioned, a multi-stakeholder approach is essential to address these complex and multifaceted issues comprehensively. Civil society, the private sector, states and intergovernmental organizations must work hand in hand to eliminate slavery and trafficking. The Benelux countries remain fully committed to putting an end to these scourges, while offering redress to victims and survivors and holding perpetrators accountable. Special Rapporteur, can you share some good legislative practices as regards protection for victims and survivors of slavery and trafficking? I thank you. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [8:15]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [8:21]:

Vice President, the EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report. We welcome your vision for the joint slavery and trafficking mandate, showing the advantages of this holistic approach. Trafficking in persons and contemporary forms of slavery entail some of the gravest violations of human rights of our time. The EU has taken legislative steps to address this and stands ready to work with you in strengthening the implementation of anti-slavery and anti-trafficking frameworks and close protection and accountability gaps and ensuring human rights-based, survivor-centered, gender-responsive and child-sensitive response. Two years ago, the EU adopted a revised anti-trafficking directive. For the first time, it makes it mandatory for EU member states to criminalize the knowing use of services provided by trafficked persons, and it explicitly includes the exploitation of forced marriage, illegal adoption, and surrogacy. Beyond criminal law, the EU has moved to close the market for forced labor itself. The forced labor regulation prohibits products made with forced labor anywhere in the world from entering the EU market, with the possibility that affected workers be compensated before such products can circulate again. Madam Special Rapporteur, in what areas do you perceive the biggest protection and accountability gaps? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [9:53]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand on behalf of a group of countries.


Thailand · cross-regional group of over 40 countries [10:03]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Thailand has the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a cross-regional group of over 40 countries. We are deeply alarmed by the evolving and industrial scale of online scams and its human rights impacts. At least 300,000 people from 80 countries work in scam compounds. Many are subjected to confinement, trafficking for forced criminality, physical and sexual violence, torture, and other serious human rights violations. As the High Commissioner underscored, online scams have become a disturbing new form of contemporary slavery and human trafficking. Scam networks are expanding globally, linking forced labor, trafficking in persons, and transnational organized crime. They exploit digital technologies, benefit from corruption, and gaps in the rule of law and across jurisdictions to sustain and expand their operations. Addressing this crisis requires a global response rooted in human rights, while applying a victim-centered approach and the principle of non-punishment for unlawful acts committed as a direct consequence of being trafficked. We call for enhanced cooperation to promote prevention, prosecute criminal networks, combat corruption, disrupt illicit financial flows, strengthen victims' protection, and ensure accountability.

I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [11:36]:

Thank you very much.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group.


Kenya · Africa Group [11:47]:

Mr. Vice President, the African Group thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report, which highlights the persistence of modern forms of slavery and human trafficking, as well as the new dynamics that continue to fuel these serious human rights violations. The African Group shares its concerns regarding the many factors of vulnerability that contribute to the exploitation of people, in particular poverty, inequality, conflict, forced displacement and precarious migration situations. It also notes its concern that persons in vulnerable situations, especially those of African descent, remain particularly exposed to various forms of exploitation and abuse. Africa remains fully committed in the fight against these problems. In this regard, the continent has had since 2021 the African Union policy on the prevention of human trafficking, which constitutes an important framework for strengthening victim protection, the cooperation between states and the fight against criminal networks involved in trafficking. The Afghan Group emphasizes, however, that the scale and the transnational nature of these phenomena requires enhanced international cooperation, particularly at cross-border, regional and interregional levels. Such cooperation must make it possible to dismantle criminal networks more effectively, strengthen mechanisms for identifying and protecting victims, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. A full copy of the statement shall be posted on the Extranet. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [13:14]:

Thank you very much.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria, on behalf of a group of countries.


Nigeria · ECOWAS states [13:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of ECOWAS states, namely Benin, Gambia, Ghana, and my own country, Nigeria. We welcome the Special Rapporteur and congratulate her on assuming the newly merged mandate on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. The ECOWAS region continues to face trafficking and exploitation in contexts shaped by poverty, inequality, climate pressures, displacement, and migration. We therefore welcome the report's emphasis on prevention and on addressing the structural drivers of vulnerability. For ECOWAS states, mobility remains central to livelihoods, regional integration, and economic opportunity. Our framework on free movement reflects this reality. Legitimate mobility must therefore be facilitated while trafficking, forced labor, and abusive recruitment are effectively prevented and addressed. Member states are strengthening bilateral and subregional cooperation through memorandum of understanding, information sharing, victim referral, safe return, and reintegration. We are also implementing the ECOWAS Labor Migration Strategy and Action Plan 2025 to 2035 and advancing common approaches to bilateral labor migration agreements and fair recruitment with the aim of improving worker protection and expanding safer migration pathways. We encourage the United Nations system and relevant partners to deepen cooperation with COAS and its member states, particularly on cross-border referral, fair recruitment, data sharing, victim protection, investigation, and prevention. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [14:55]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany.


Germany [15:02]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We align ourselves with the EU statement and thank the Special Rapporteur for her report. We welcome her vision for the newly merged mandate and appreciate the holistic approach that it enables. Aside from efficiency gains, this was a key consideration for Germany as a member of the core group when we merged the mandate. As you point out, Madam Special Rapporteur, the issues are as relevant as ever. Human beings continue to be bought, sold, traded, exploited, trafficked, and thereby treated as if they were property. These crimes are truly global in nature and can only be effectively addressed through close cooperation among the international community. Combating criminal networks and holding perpetrators accountable is a key priority for Germany. In this context, we also welcome the mandate's focus on new and emerging technologies and their underlying opportunities and risks. We join the Special Rapporteur's call for more effective cooperation, coordination, and collaboration of all stakeholders. A human rights-based and survivor-centered approach is essential, one of the reasons why Germany consistently supports the Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Let me close by wishing you, Madame Special Rapporteur, success in your new mandate and calling on all to cooperate fully with you.


HRC · Vice-President [16:24]:

Thank you.

Thank you very much. The list of speakers is now closed. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand.


Thailand [16:37]:

Mr. Vice President, Thailand thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report. Scam operations involve global networks of transnational crime that violate human rights, Since February 2025, Thailand, in collaboration with partners, has assisted in repatriating more than 13,000 people from over 40 countries rescued from scam centers in our neighboring country. Combating human trafficking and online scams is therefore high on Thailand's national agenda. Our anti-trafficking efforts are guided by domestic laws, particularly the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Labor Protection Act, regularly revised to respond to the evolving nature of these crimes. Since 2022, Thailand has put in place the national referral mechanism to provide assistance to victims in accordance with trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches and a non-punishment principle, through screening, victim identification, and protection. Our effort to combat trafficking for forced criminality is based on whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. Standard operating procedures are being drafted, and an operational task force has been established. We will continue working with partners to eradicate online scams and protect victims of trafficking for forced criminality. We thank all participants for joining our side event this afternoon on trafficking in persons in the context of online scams earlier. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [18:10]:

Thank you very much.

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UNDP.


UNDP [18:18]:

Thank you. UNDP welcomes the Special Rapporteur's report. We support her emphasis on prevention and on the structural drivers of slavery and trafficking. Modern slavery and human trafficking affect over 50 million people worldwide and generate more than $236 billion in illicit profits each year. Those profits move through the global financial system. We share the Special Rapporteur's concern that business can create conditions in which exploitation thrives, particularly where oversight and accountability remain weak, and that new technologies are complicating financial tracing. The financial sector has an important role in prevention. Through responsible investment, humanized due diligence, risk disclosure, and survivor-centered financial inclusion, financial institutions can address risks across value chains. Through UNDP's Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking Initiative, with the support of Liechtenstein, we work with governments, financial institutions, and survivors to put that role in practice. We welcome the recognition that global markets, trade, and financial flows are expanding domains for anti-slavery action, and the caution that the economic case must not displace a rights-based approach. Madam Special Rapporteur, how can survivor expertise be embedded in financial sector prevention from the outset?

And what would you ask of states and financial institutions to make that happen? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [19:54]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines.


Philippines [20:01]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Philippines warmly congratulates Ms. Katharina Schwars on her appointment and welcomes her inaugural report. The merged mandate brings together two separate but interconnected issues, enabling a more coherent and comprehensive human rights response. We appreciate the Special Rapporteur's intersectional lens and its emphasis on prevention, structural drivers, and a whole systems approach. As a country committed to the protection of all persons in situations of vulnerability, including migrants, we support the attention given to the migration and trafficking nexus. We stress the imperative to safeguard the rights and welfare of all migrant workers all throughout the migration cycle. We likewise agree that climate change and environmental degradation are threat multipliers, heightening risk to trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other abuses, especially of women and girls. The focus on technology facilitated trafficking and the urgent need for robust, multilateral collaboration to combat online scam hubs, digital recruitment, and other forms of exploitation online is most welcome. The Philippines is ready to support the special rapporteur and wishes her every success in her important work.


HRC · Vice-President [21:22]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.


Republic of Korea [21:32]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Republic of Korea warmly congratulates Ms. Katerina Sarantopoulou on her appointment as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons and welcomes her inaugural report. We take particular note of her identification of survivor participation and leadership and domestic legislation as priorities in carrying out her new merged mandate. My delegation wishes to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of addressing technology-facilitated trafficking in persons. In particular, first, online scamming is an emerging and deeply concerning form of exploitation in which trafficked persons are coerced into conducting online fraud and cyber-enabled criminal activities. The Republic of Korea has been actively engaged in advancing this agenda. In March this year, we co-hosted an HRC side event titled "Human Rights Impact of Online Scams" with OCHR. In June, we launched the Group of Friends for Combating Technology-Facilitated Trafficking in Persons in New York, which currently comprises 28 participating countries. We also co-sponsored the HRC side event on online scams with a particular focus on jurisdictional gaps, hosted by Thailand earlier today. Finally, we share the Special Rapporteur's observation in her report that technological advances are seen as a double-edged sword. We hope she will continue to pay close attention to technology-facilitated trafficking in persons, including by exploring ways to harness emerging technologies, such as AI, in our response. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [23:06]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.


Costa Rica [23:12]:

Thank you, Vice President. Costa Rica welcomes the report by the special rapporteur, and we share concern about the growing convergence of crises that worsen the vulnerability to human trafficking, especially mixed and irregular migratory flows. As a country of origin, transit and destination, we directly face the risks that the rapporteur describes, including the use of irregular migration a tool for coercion, the precarity generated by increasingly restrictive migratory routes and the disproportionate impact on women, children, indigenous people and migrants. We fully agree with the need for an approach focused on prevention and on structural factors, as well as bolstering regional cooperation in the face of phenomena that transcend borders. Costa Rica has its law 9095 and its national coalition against human trafficking and illicit traffic in migrants, and it together with UNODC, the IMO and UN Women, a joint programme against human trafficking, which recently created a digital dashboard for monitoring administrative data, which is presented to the regional coalition against human trafficking and illicit migrant trafficking. We reiterate our willingness to share our experiences with other states. And we ask the rapporteur, what specific recommendations can you propose so that migratory governance strengthens rather than weaken, uh, protection responses in the face of trafficking? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [24:41]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Holy See.


Holy See [24:47]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

My delegation. takes note of the Special Rapporteur's first report. Slavery and trafficking are complex issues with many facets. Both are driven by the commodification and exploitation of the human person. Regrettably, traditional forms of slavery have not been fully eradicated, and new forms of exploitation and trafficking continue to emerge. As such, they must be firmly condemned in all their forms.

New forms of slavery are fueled by economic chains and digital infrastructures. Supply chains, therefore, must be more transparent to prevent hidden exploitation.

Companies and investors must

adopt clear criteria for ethical verification, placing worker protection, combating forced labor, and assessing social impact of business models as their top priorities. Digital platforms must cooperate with authorities and civil society to prevent communication, payment, and profiling tools from being used to recruit and control victims. When these efforts converge, the digital environment can be transformed

into a space of protection, prevention, and human dignity.

As Pope Leo XIV observes, criminal networks use online platforms, messaging systems, anonymous payment methods, and profiling techniques in order to recruit, control, and transform victims of trafficking, very often minors. Indeed, the fight against new forms of slavery is a decisive test for the ethical discernment of AI.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.


HRC · Vice-President [26:25]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Benin.


Benin [26:31]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Benin aligns with the statement by the African Group and the ECOWAS States. We congratulate the Special Rapporteur for submitting her first report in the context of the merger of mandates as per resolution 6025 of the Council. We welcome, with a view to having a comprehensive approach to fighting contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking, my country remaining profoundly concerned by the persistence of phenomena that constitute grave human rights violations and disproportionately impact women, children and people in situations of vulnerability. Given those challenges, my country continues to bolster its own institutional legal framework, implementing specific protection mechanisms for children, women and other vulnerable people, as well as promoting enhanced regional co-operation in the framework of ECOWAS. We foster a comprehensive approach based on human rights that combines prevention, outreach, protection and care for victims. prosecution of perpetrators and bolstering regional and international co-operation. In view of the recommendations and findings in your report, what international and regional cooperation mechanisms could be further consolidated to improve identification, protection and charge for the victims of human trafficking, especially in situations of cross-border trafficking involving women and children. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [28:11]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Jordan.


Jordan [28:21]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We thank the Special Rapporteur, Madame Schwitz, for her new mandate. We wish her every success and we thank her for the report. Exploitation begins with the promise of work and ends with denial of freedom. Technology is used to lure victims, so the means of perpetrating the crime have developed, and we need to develop means to combat that crime. That is why the new mandate is important. Jordan contributed to developing the resolution that established it. We agree with the rapporteur that the merger is important to improve co-ordination of efforts to fight slavery and human trafficking. What is particularly important is organised migration and bolstering international co-operation. We need to be able to implement the recommendations, since they improve national legislation and practices. We would like to know from the rapporteur what role the new mandate can play in order to implement the past recommendations and support states in in the process of implementation. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [29:36]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.


Ethiopia [29:45]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Ethiopia welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur, and we share the concern that conflict, poverty, displacement, climate-related challenges, and irregular migration can heighten vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking. These interconnected challenges require comprehensive, nationally owned and context sensitive responses supported by genuine international cooperation and capacity building. Ethiopia continues to strengthen its legal, institutional and policy frameworks to prevent trafficking and protect vulnerable persons while addressing its root causes through inclusive development, expanded social protection, employment opportunities and strengthened access to justice. We underscore that combating slavery and trafficking requires enhanced international and regional cooperation, particularly in addressing transnational criminal networks, protecting victims, promoting safe migration, and strengthening law enforcement and judicial capacities. We also recognize the important role of responsible business practices, civil society, and affected communities in prevention and protection efforts. International cooperation should, however, respect national ownership, sovereignty, and the diverse circumstances and capacities of states. In closing, Ethiopia calls upon the international community to strengthen cooperation, coordination, and collective action to combat contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, and reaffirms its commitment to actively contribute to this shared effort. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [31:10]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iceland on behalf of a group of countries.


Iceland · Nordic-Baltic states [31:22]:

Mr. Vice President, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic states. We welcome the establishment of this mandate, combining two previous and interlinked mandates into one, and thank the Special Rapporteur for her latest report to the Council, which provides important insights into contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking. The fight against trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery requires a global response. We continue to advocate for a coherent, multidimensional, and multi-action across all levels. While we recognize the progress and the hard-won gains, including the promising efforts to combating slavery and trafficking in value chains, The rising tide of interconnected global challenges that contribute to contemporary slavery and trafficking are concerning, including conflict, climate change, displacement and rapid developments in emerging technologies. It is becoming increasingly clear that the digital environment and its transnational nature present new challenges in the fight against contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. At the same time, digital technologies can strengthen prevention and detection of these violations. Madam Special Rapporteur, what are the most important factors that States should consider when regulating their digital environment with the aim of preventing and combating contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [32:45]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I now call upon the distinguished representative of Togo.


Togo [32:54]:

President, the Togolese delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. which particularly highlights contemporary challenges in combating slavery and human trafficking in their various forms, and also highlights aggravating factors such as poverty, climate change, and the weak regulation of economic and migration circuits, as well as emerging technologies. Togo is fully mindful of the devastating impacts of this scourge, and it has taken measures to strengthen its national legislation and its institutional framework, particularly when it comes to persons and the family, the school environment, the learning environment and the workforce. Follow-up is guaranteed by the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking, which was set up in February 2023. President, despite the headway made, challenges remain. That is why, in a spirit of ongoing improvement, the Togolese Government intends to further bolster prevention and the early detection of cases of trafficking, with a view to affording better protection to victims. With this in mind, the delegation of Togo would like to call for a strengthening of cross-border, regional and international cooperation so as to dismantle criminal networks who feed off human trafficking. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [34:15]:

Thank you very much. I'd now like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.


Democratic Republic of the Congo [34:25]:

Vice-President, my delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report and associates with the statements made by Kenya on behalf of the African Group. The DRC hails the implementation of resolution 65 of 8 October 2025. The merging of mandates on contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking is a strategic major headway and streamlines our efforts and overcomes institutional barriers to better target the profound causes of these interconnected scourges. My country fully aligns with the threats and challenges highlighted in the report. In the face of criminal networks that exploit the vulnerability of women and children, the DRC has stepped up its national fight, particularly by strengthening its national legislation and its victim protection mechanisms. However, we would underscore that the effectiveness of the new mandate will depend on a holistic approach. It is vital to incorporate the impact of climate change, poverty and armed conflicts. which act as multiplying risks for modern slavery and human trafficking. The DRC would like to reassure the Special Rapporteur of its full cooperation in implementing the priorities. We call upon the international community to increase technical and financial support to states affected to transform the guidance into specific actions on the ground. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [35:47]:

Thank you very much. I'd like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire.


Côte d’Ivoire [35:55]:

Vice-President, Cote d'Ivoire would like to align with the statements to which it belongs to and would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for the report on the current status, the challenges and priorities in combating contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking. My country regrets the fact that slavery and human trafficking persist endemically in all regions of the world. aggravated by converging crises, climate, conflict, poverty, migration, inequalities and structural factors. Furthermore, despite legislative headway made and international efforts, serious shortcomings remain in the prevention, protection of victims, access to justice and holding the perpetrators responsible, particularly in the private sector. For its part, the Government of Cote d'Ivoire amongst other actions, conducted an awareness-raising campaign in 2025 in cocoa-producing rural areas, combining radio messages, community workshops and the distribution of educational support. This initiative has made it possible to inform thousands of families about the dangers of child labour and to encourage schooling. In parallel to this, welcome centres were opened to support children withdrawn from forced labour, providing them with schooling and psychosocial follow-up. Field actions are added to strengthened legal arsenal and a robust institutional framework. By way of conclusion, we remain convinced that by collective action alone, which is coordinated and based on human rights, will it be possible to definitively eradicate all forms of slavery and human trafficking.


HRC · Vice-President [37:21]:

I thank you.

Thank you. I call upon the distinguished representative of Zambia.


Zambia [37:32]:

Mr. Vice President, Zambia welcomes the special rapporteur and the opportunity presented by the new integrated mandate to strengthen global action against contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. Zambia's experience as a country of origin, transit, and destination demonstrates that trafficking and exploitation cannot be addressed through criminal justice measures alone. We have strengthened our legal framework, including through amendments to the Anti-Human Trafficking Act. Equally important, however, is addressing vulnerability before exploitation occurs. Poverty, informality, unemployment, and unsafe migration can expose individuals to deceptive recruitment and exploitation. Zambia, therefore, regards expanded access to free education, skills development, social protection, and economic empowerment of women and youth as part of prevention. As a land-linked country sharing borders with eight neighbors, Zambia particularly recognizes that trafficking networks do not respect national borders. Effective responses require regional cooperation, information sharing, safe migration, and stronger protection through recruitment and labor supply chains. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [38:48]:

Thank you very much. I'd like to call upon the distinguished representative of Cambodia.


Cambodia [38:55]:

Mr. Vice President, contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons are transnational challenges that recognize no national boundaries. No country, regardless of its size, wealth, or power, can address them alone. Cooperation is therefore a practical necessity. We have consistently implemented measures to combat transnational crime through our relevant laws and national strategic plan. Our authorities have dismantled criminal networks, rescued thousands of victims, and arrested perpetrators. In partnership with UNODC, Interpol, and the Lancang Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center, Cambodia will host international conference on combating online scam in Phnom Penh on 23, 24 September, contributing to collective action against this global threat. Cambodia welcome close cooperation and collective action to combat international crimes and reaffirms that all measures to combat such crime must be grounded in international law. Any attempt by a neighboring country to combat online scam must not be misused as a pretext to justify action that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of state, contrary to the purpose and principle of the United Nations Charter. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [40:26]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta.


Sovereign Order of Malta [40:32]:

Excellencies, the Sovereign Order of Malta thanks the Special Rapporteur, Professor Katerina Schwarcz, for her excellent report. Theodor Molta expresses a deep concern about the current situation regarding human trafficking. Today, the number of people living in conditions of slavery is higher than at any time in history. This situation requires urgent and coordinated action by the international community to protect the victims. We welcome the priorities the Special Rapporteur has given to the participation and leadership of survivors and her intersectional survivor-centered approach to addressing structural drivers of vulnerability, such as poverty, conflict, displacement,

and discrimination.

The Sovereign Order of Malta remains firmly committed to combat slavery and trafficking in persons. For the 25th anniversary of the Palermo Protocol, Theodor Molta organized in Rome a conference on human trafficking focused on concrete prevention measures and efforts needed worldwide to combat modern slavery. In addition, this year, we are preparing with the San Remo Institute a series of online courses to help close this training gap, offering accessible and practical learning tools. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · Vice-President [41:59]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Angola.


Angola [42:05]:

Mr. Vice President, Angola welcomes the Special Rapporteur's report and reaffirms its commitment to fighting contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking persons, which are serious violations of human dignity. In Africa, poverty, inequality, irregular migration, and limited economic opportunities create vulnerabilities that are exploited by transnational criminal networks. We are particularly concerned about forced criminality, where victims are forced to commit crimes through threats, violence, or abuse. Angola has strengthened its legal and institutional response to trafficking, with strong focus on prevention, protection of victims, and accountability of perpetrators. Victims must remain at the center of our response. Women and children are particularly vulnerable, and people forced to commit unlawful acts as a result of exploitation should be recognized and treated first and foremost as victims and rights holders. No country can tackle these transnational crimes alone. Stronger cross-border cooperation, information sharing, capacity building, and support for victims reintegration are therefore essential. Special rapporteur, what practical measures would you recommend to strengthen the cooperation with African states to dismantle trafficking networks while ensuring effective protection for victims or forced criminality?


HRC · Vice-President [43:32]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Senior Representative of Malawi.


Malawi [43:40]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Malawi thanks the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons for her report, which provides a review of current threats and opportunities in the anti-slavery and anti-trafficking landscape, and outlines the priorities that she will focus on during her tenure in the new merged mandate. Malawi concurs with the report's findings that whilst the fight against contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons is facing a uniquely challenging landscape that poses significant threats to progress, there are key strategies that states can implement for the effective elimination of exploitation and trafficking. To deal with the challenge of multidimensional poverty and inequality, which the report cites as the most decisive driver for slavery and trafficking, Malawi is implementing the Malawi Vision 2063 plan. The plan aims to transform Malawi into an inclusively wealthy, self-reliant, and industrialized upper-middle income country by 2063. Malawi commends the Special Rapporteur for advancing the critical importance of an intersectional perspective in her tenure. In conclusion, Malawi would like to pose a question to the Special Rapporteur: What concrete steps can national mechanisms take...


HRC · Vice-President [45:19]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen, a video statement.


Yemen [45:27]:

President, we would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her efforts, and we firmly condemn all forms of slavery and forced labour, as well as trafficking in persons. We are majorly concerned about the serious and systematic violations which are perpetrated by the militia. in the areas under their control, in particular forced recruitment and the exploitation of thousands of children in absurd wars that are being waged. Added to this, we have exploitation and the trafficking of migrants and refugees. They are called upon to take part of serious human violations of international law and the international community is tasked with combating these crimes and aligning its national legislation with international norms. We are determined to protect those most in need. We call upon the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide technical assistance and to bolster the abilities of national authorities and agents tasked with implementing laws so as to combat networks by ensuring accountability at the same time. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [46:57]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the Turkish representative of the Council of Europe.


CoE [47:02]:

Mr. Vice President, we congratulate the Special Rapporteur on her appointment and welcome her report. The Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, GRETA, contributed to this report. We share the Special Rapporteur's assessment of the current challenges to action against human trafficking, including escalating and converging crisis, shifts in the political landscape, emerging technologies, economic and business models that incentivize exploitation, and persistent and increasing gaps in implementation. We align with the priorities of the Special Rapporteur, in particular the focus on structural drivers and vulnerabilities, which has been at the center of the ongoing fourth evaluation round of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention. Engagement with survivors of human trafficking is essential for improving anti-trafficking responses, and GRETA has been promoting this through its monitoring work and country reports. The envisaged increased attention to the role of private sector, including the use of technology and AI, is another area that GRETA has focused on and will continue prioritizing. The launch of the fifth evaluation round of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention by mid-2027 is under preparation. It will focus on partnerships, cooperation and coordination in combating human trafficking. We look forward to building synergies and further strengthening cooperation with the Special Rapporteur. A coordinated approach and enhanced information sharing are essential for effectively combating human trafficking.


HRC · Vice-President [48:26]:

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Bulgaria.


Bulgaria [48:34]:

Mr. Vice President, Bulgaria aligns itself with the EU statement. We welcome the presentation of the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons on the current threats and opportunities in the anti-slavery and anti-trafficking landscape. Bulgaria shares the preoccupation that a century after the adoption of the Slavery Convention, slave trade, slavery in all its forms and trafficking in persons remain widespread and continue to affect millions of people worldwide, victims to illegal business, forced labour, false and forced marriages, etc. We value the identification by the Special Rapporteur of a number of challenges, including armed conflicts, new digital technologies, legal gaps, etc. Bulgaria addresses trafficking in human by a human rights-centered approach, focusing on women and children being among the most vulnerable groups, including by measures of specialized services and support to victims of trafficking in persons. Bulgaria is convinced that, due to their transboundary nature, modern forms of slavery and human trafficking require closer cooperation among States, international organizations, civil society, and the business sector in order to strengthen prevention and intensify efforts to eradicate them. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [49:53]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the Distinguished Representative of Belarus.


Belarus [49:59]:

Thank you. We're grateful to the Special Rapporteur, Madame Schwarcz, for her report and her attention to contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking. For Belarus, strengthening international coordination in this sphere is a priority of international cooperation and an important initiative enshrined in General Assembly resolutions and in the UN Global Plan of Action for Combating Human Trafficking. Together with the Group of Friends Against Human Trafficking, we seek to unite the forces of states, international organisations and NGOs, other partners for effectively combating trafficking. Madam Schatz, we share a number of the findings of your report and we look forward to your recommendations in spheres such as combating trafficking in supply chains and also reducing risk of the use of ICT in recruiting and exploiting victims. We propose taking into account the resolutions by the UN Commission on crime prevention and criminal justice of 2023 and 2026, which are devoted to this topic. We think that Governments and the private sector should join forces to prevent exploitation of people at any stage of the creation of goods or in provision of services. And we call for stronger preventive measures, including by developing digital literacy and promoting safe use of digital technologies. Belarus intends to continue facilitating strengthened international cooperation, working with all stakeholders in developing solutions aimed at preventing trafficking and fighting human trafficking. We look forward to being able to cooperate with you. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [51:36]:

Thank you. I call upon the distinguished representative of the Gambia.


Gambia [51:40]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Gambia welcomes the Special Rapporteur's report and congratulates her on assuming the newly merged mandate. We remain gravely concerned that human beings continue to be bought, sold, and traded as chattels in this 21st century, and the persistent challenges facing global response efforts. We particularly welcome the report's focus on the links between migration, displacement, slavery, and trafficking. The report rightly notes that migrant workers face heightened risk of forced labor and exploitation, arising from dependence, lack of awareness of rights, and social isolation. The Gambia believes that the rights of victims and survivors of slavery and trafficking should be center of our attention and efforts. Therefore, we share the report's concern about the persistent gap in the implementation of states' international obligations, particularly relating to accountability, protection, and prevention, which directly impact on the rights of victims to an effective remedy. We also agree with the SR that the global community must recommit to a world that respects and protects the inviolability of the humanity and dignity of every person. In this regard, anti-slavery and anti-trafficking responses must combine effective law enforcement with effective preventive measures, pathways for safe and regular migration, and stronger international and regional cooperation. Finally, we ask the Special Rapporteur what practical measures can states of origin and destination take together to protect migrant workers from slavery and trafficking.


HRC · Vice-President [53:13]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Moldova.


Republic of Moldova [53:20]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for the comprehensive report. Trafficking in persons and modern slavery are complex phenomenon and serious human rights violations, which must be indeed seen through the perspective of combating transnational organized crime. Therefore, in dealing with these issues, efforts should be focused on both addressing their root causes, such as poverty and social exclusion, and ensuring that impunity is not allowed. Combating trafficking in human beings is a major priority for the Republic of Moldova. We are working together with our international partners in implementing a comprehensive multi-annual program on prevention and combating the trafficking. Our policies are grounded in a human rights-based approach and are adjusted to the specific features of this phenomenon, as well as international and regional instruments to which the Republic of Moldova is a state party. Current legislative efforts are focused on providing better and quicker assistance to victims through our national referral mechanism in line with the EU standards and the Council of Europe recommendations. Madam Special Rapporteur, we express our full support for the priorities of the mandate. In order to ensure prevention, combating, and eradication, what would be the most urgent measures to strengthen the human rights protection of the most vulnerable categories of victims, such as coming from lower income or conflict-affected areas? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [54:44]:

Thank you very much. I now call upon the distinguished representative of Mali.


Mali [54:50]:

Thank you, Vice President. Mali aligns with the statements made on behalf of the groups to which it belongs and thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting her report. In Mali, slavery is now explicitly prohibited by the Constitution, which was enacted in July 2023, and punished by the Criminal Code adopted in 2024. Despite the headway made, data show that the practice, particularly in its hereditary form, still exists in certain areas. On trafficking, victims are often lured by promises of employment abroad. disseminated through new ICT technology. Once recruited, they have their documentation confiscated, they're placed under surveillance and forcibly indebted, and forced themselves to carry out online scam operations. The trafficking of migrants, exploitation and forced labor of children, and sexual exploitation of women and young girls, and slavery by ascendance are the key forms that take shape in Mali. national the National Committee of coordination and the fight against human trafficking and similar practices is one of the main actors involved in preventing and combating the phenomena in Mali the strategies implemented by the state are structured around the organization of training campaigns on detection methods of potential victims as regards online actors, the awareness raising about the risks and dangers of certain cultural practices pursued as socialization means and education of children, setting up early warning systems, facilitating identification assistance and the referral of victims, and the establishment and management of a data collection system which is unique on human trafficking in Mali. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [56:23]:

Thank you. I call upon the distinguished representative of Kenya.


Kenya [56:29]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Kenya aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the African Group and welcomes the report by the Special Rapporteur. Kenya recognizes that contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking are increasingly shaped by multiple vulnerabilities, including poverty and inequalities, conflict, climate change, and migration and displacement. Addressing these structural drivers must therefore form an integral part of prevention efforts alongside effective protection and accountability. Kenya continues to strengthen its national response through a counter-trafficking in persons act, the national referral mechanism and regulation of recruitment agencies and bilateral labor arrangements aimed to protecting migrant workers. Our experience underscores the importance of addressing vulnerabilities throughout the migration process, particular for migrant workers exposed to de deceptive recruitment and exploitation. Kenya believes that trafficking remains a transnational crime requiring robust international collaboration. We therefore underscore the importance of strengthened cross-border cooperation, including information sharing, effective identification and referral of victims, and cooperation in holding perpetrators accountable. We further support greater emphasis on prevention, alongside survivor-centered protection and access to effective remedies. These priorities are consistent with challenges identified in the report. Special Rapporteur, the role can bilateral labor agreement play in preventing trafficking and exploitation of migrant workers?


HRC · Vice-President [58:03]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania. Please go ahead.


United Republic of Tanzania [58:11]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The United Republic of Tanzania aligns itself with the statement of the African group and welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur. We reaffirm our commitment to preventing and combating all forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, particularly women and children. Our constitution prohibits forced labor, and as a party to the Slavery Convention, we remain committed to eliminating slavery and similar practices. We continue to strengthen our legal and institutional frameworks, including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Committee and Secretariat. Since July 2025, Tanzania has rescued and assisted 160 victims, including 96 women, 60 children, and four men.

Of these,

126 were rescued domestically and 34 repatriated from abroad, demonstrating our commitment to victim protection, accountability, and cross-border cooperation. Recognizing that effective prevention requires addressing root causes and multidimensional vulnerabilities, we continue to strengthen public awareness, decent employment, ethical recruitment, safe migration, and economic empowerment. The United Republic of Tanzania believes that protecting persons at risk and supporting survivors are fundamental to ensuring that no one is subjected to exploitation and that every individual enjoys freedom, security, and dignity. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [59:41]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Georgia.


Georgia [59:49]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and we thank the Special Rapporteur for the comprehensive report.

We appreciate the report's conclusion that global instability, poverty, inequality, limited access to decent employment opportunities, unsafe migration channels, and displacement can increase vulnerability to exploitation.

For Georgia, combating trafficking in persons is a longstanding priority.

On a national level, we have established an interagency coordination council for combating human trafficking. which brings together all relevant national and international stakeholders and facilitates coordinated implementation of anti-trafficking policies.

As a result of its anti-trafficking national approach, Georgia has maintained Tier 1 ranking in the U.S.

Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report for 10 consecutive years. Georgia reaffirms its commitment to strengthening its efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in persons. protect and support victims and survivors, and address the conditions that enable exploitation.

Mr. President, regrettably, the Russian Federation's illegal occupation of.

Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions remains the primary obstacle preventing my government from implementing its counter-trafficking measures therein. Hence, there are no mechanisms so far to identify, investigate, and prosecute trafficking cases in both occupied regions.


HRC · Vice-President [1:01:08]:

Thank you.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan.


Pakistan [1:01:19]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. As we mark the centenary of the adoption of the Slavery Convention and acknowledge the progress made to eradicate the scourge of slavery over the past century, we regret that millions of people continue to face new forms of exploitation across the regions. Echoing the Special Rapporteur's concern that slavery and trafficking do not occur in isolation, we regret upon the intersecting trends of poverty and inequality, conflict, climate change, and displacement, leaving those already in vulnerable situations at greater risk. We also believe that diminishing pathways for safe and regular migration further expose migrants and displaced persons to deceptive recruitment, forced labor, and other forms of exploitation akin to slavery. We are particularly concerned by the growing misuse of advanced and emerging technologies, which is changing the methods of perpetrators and creating new avenues for exploitation. Mr. Vice-President, we believe that our response to these forms of exploitation must not only address the symptoms but also the root causes. In this regard, we would like to know how the Sr. views the need for prevention as a central approach alongside social protection and survivor-centred assistance. I thank you, Mr. Vice-President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:02:44]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru.


Peru [1:02:49]:

Peru is grateful to the Special Rapporteur for her report. We agree that prevention should address structural factors such as exploitation, poverty, inequality, discrimination, migration environmental degradation through comprehensive and intersectoral approaches. That comprehensive vision guides our policy when it comes to fighting trafficking and exploitation. Running up to 2030, its priority goal is to reduce victimisation in risk contexts and in vulnerabilities and to bolster criminal prosecution. That is done through labour monitoring, protection of mental health, assistance to victims and to Peruvians abroad and to foreigners. In the report on the Brazil visit, this highlights challenges that we share in the region, such as informal work. captures through digital technologies and risks to indigenous peoples and migrants. Peru recognizes that those challenges to ensure comprehensive uniform implementation requires greater regional cooperation, bolstering local capacities, incorporate experience of victims and survivors in design and evaluating responses.


HRC · Vice-President [1:04:05]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.


Nigeria [1:04:15]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Nigeria aligns with the statements of the African Group and the Group of ECOWAS Member States. Nigeria congratulates Ms. Katerina on her appointment and thanks her for presenting a meeting report on the newly merged mandates. The report rightly identifies poverty, inequality, conflict, displacement, climate change, and the misuse of technology as interconnected drivers of trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery. To this end, Nigeria agrees that effective responses must combine prosecution with prevention, protection, and recovery, while reflecting the experiences and needs of victims and survivors. Nigeria remains committed to combating trafficking through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and cooperation with national, regional, and international partners. Given the cross-border nature of trafficking networks, state needs stronger information sharing, capacity building, and support for sustainable livelihoods in countries of origin, transit, and destination. Nigeria also recognizes the responsibility of businesses to prevent exploitation in their operations and supply chains. Such measures should be practical, non-discriminatory, and supported by appropriate technical assistance. Finally, Madam Special Rapporteur, how can developing countries strengthen prevention amidst increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks? I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:05:33]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy.


Italy [1:05:40]:

Mr. Vice President, as part of the EU statement, Italy is actively committed to preventing and combating every form of slavery and trafficking in persons, Italy is undertaking a comprehensive and victim centered approach, which encompasses prevention and law enforcement, even in business related context. Compounding challenges such as armed conflicts, instability, and the use of new technologies are structural drivers of slavery and trafficking. Italy works with determination to prevent exploitation, protect the victims, and uphold human rights, also in the framework of the EU legislation. In line with our migration strategy, we continue to pursue prevention-focused intervention aimed at strengthening protection also within countries of origin, enabling individuals to find safety, security, and opportunity. Madam Special Rapporteur, which policies would you recommend to combat modern slavery and human trafficking through the effective use of data and emerging technologies? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:06:53]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives.


Maldives [1:07:00]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. The Maldives thanks the Special Rapporteur for her insightful report on this newly merged mandate.

The Maldives deeply values the contribution of every member of society and remains committed to upholding the dignity, safety and rights of every individual who lives and works within our borders.

In 2025, Maldives endorsed its first anti-human trafficking action plan, establishing a structured framework for coordinated national action. In the same year, we submitted the first statutory annual report on our anti-human trafficking efforts to the parliament, strengthening transparency and accountability in our national response.

We have also strengthened our institutional and operational response. The National Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Committee has been reconstituted at the policy-making level, while the Migrant Workers Resource Centre and its Migrant Connect portal now serve as a vital lifeline for workers facing abuse and exploitation.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Strategic Plan 2026-2028 is now being implemented, following the endorsement by the President.

The plan is aimed at reducing vulnerabilities, strengthening victim identification and support, and improving investigation, prosecution, and accountability for offenders.

Mr. Vice President, trafficking remains an evolving, borderless challenge, and real gaps remain despite these advances.

Addressing them will require sustained collective effort.

Human dignity is non-negotiable.

The Moldus remains committed to strengthening its national response while contributing to global efforts to prevent.

Trafficking, protect victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.

I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:08:29]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.


China [1:08:37]:

Mr. Vice President, My delegation has taken note of the report of the Special Rapporteur. The Chinese government firmly suppresses and prohibits all forms of slavery. We have been employing systematically our political, security, legal, and humanitarian resources to root out human trafficking while actively rescuing, protecting, and resettling victims and help their reintegration into families and societies.

China has ratified 28 ILO conventions and has been.

Actually fulfilling its international obligations to protect the rights of workers. Chinese law prohibits explicitly forced labor and has made it a crime under Article 244 of the Criminal Code. We will continue to be guided by the global governance initiative proposed by President Xi in an effort to improve the global governance against contemporary forms of slavery and to contribute to the progress and the well-being of mankind. Mr. President, We have noticed that some countries have tried for a long time to avoid the legal constraint of international legal labor standards by violating the rights of migrant workers. We appeal to those countries to take concrete measures against contemporary forms of slavery. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:09:53]:

Thank you very much. This was the last speaker that we could accommodate in this debate. We will now turn To the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental institutions, I give the floor to Anti-Slavery International, video statement.


Anti-Slavery International [1:10:22]:

Anti-Slavery International congratulates the Special Rapporteur on her new role and for her first report marking 100 years since the 1926 Slavery Convention. The centenary is a moment for honest reflection. As the Special Rapporteur highlights, the de facto prohibition of slavery remains incomplete. With over 50 million people in modern slavery today, it is clear that slavery never ended. It transformed. Root causes such as poverty, discrimination, and structural inequality remain insufficiently addressed, while intersecting drivers such as conflict and climate change are on the rise. This moment offers opportunities for change. There is growing recognition that lived experience engagement is both ethically necessary and strategically essential. This must be consolidated and accelerated in practice. Increasingly, states are regulating corporate behavior by mandating companies to identify, address, and remediate adverse human rights impacts in their supply chains. We are also witnessing a growing global movement for reparatory justice, which is critical to respond to the legacies of transatlantic enslavement and to address contemporary exploitation. Special Rapporteur, given the need to accelerate the global response to slavery, what concrete steps can the international community, states and civil society take to make survivor and worker-led leadership fundamental to and meaningful within their efforts?


HRC · Vice-President [1:11:45]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you. I give the floor for a joint statement to the World Evangelical Alliance by video.


WEA [1:11:56]:

Mr. President, the World Evangelical Alliance, with its anti-trafficking initiative, the World Freedom Network, and the Salvation Army warmly welcome Ms. Schwartz to this new mandate.

And thank her for this important report.

We welcome the rapporteur's call to hear from grassroots and survivor-led organizations. They see changing realities first and know where systems fail. We also welcome her emphasis on coordination across sectors and stronger implementation of existing laws and policies. Our experience is that the gap is often not commitment, but connection.

Between sectors, between policy and practice, and between vulnerable people and the systems intended to protect them.

Victim identification exposes this gap. States may have strong laws, referral mechanisms, and victim protections, but those systems cannot protect people who are never identified. People experiencing trafficking often first encounter civil society actors rather than specialist authorities. Greater attention is needed to pathways connecting community recognition and referral with formal identification, protection, and remedy. Identification is not simply about finding more victims. It is about ensuring that people experiencing trafficking can access the rights and protections states have established for them. We stand ready to contribute to these shared priorities.


HRC · Vice-President [1:13:27]:

Thank you.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Akshar Foundation.


Akshar Foundation [1:13:36]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Akshar Foundation thanks the Special Rapporteur for her crucial report. Poverty remains the single greatest driver forcing children into hazardous work and modern slavery. To eradicate child labour globally, we must remove the economic dependency that pushes families into exploitation. At Akshar, our learn and earn model proves that practical education can displace child labour. By employing older students as peer tutors and vocational trainees within their own schools, vulnerable youth earn a dignified income while remaining in formal education. To build resilience, community schools must become holistic SDG service hubs, integrating essential services such as daily nutrition relief, health monitoring, and social protection enrollment directly within the school's builds. deep trust with marginalized communities, ensuring families no longer rely on child labor for basic survival. This approach reinforces national efforts across the global south. In India, policy frameworks such as the Child Labor Amendment Act and the PENCIL portal are reinforced by flagship learn and earn initiatives like Sikho Aur Kamao and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. These schemes demonstrate how embedding financial stipends into vocational training prevents dropouts and eradicates child labour and debt *******. We urge Member States to replicate and scale community school hubs that combine learn and earn pathways with integrated social services. Only by turning schools into engines of poverty eradication can we end child labour and slavery.


HRC · Vice-President [1:15:11]:

Thank you. I give the floor to.

The Economic and Social.


Speaker 90 [1:15:16]:

Thank you, Vice-President.

I would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for the presentation and addressing structural factors that make certain populations particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The report presented here stresses that the risk of trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery cannot be dissociated from marginalization, poverty, displacement, discrimination, and obstacles for access to justice. This issue is particularly important in the Sahel space in North Africa, where protracted migration situations can carry numerous factors of vulnerability, including economic dependence, limitation of freedom of movement, insufficient access to key services, and weak protection mechanisms. Women and children remain particularly exposed to those risks. In that context, we would like to draw the attention of the rapporteur to situations of protracted displacement, especially in the Tindouf refugee camp in south-west Algeria. Those situations raise a fundamental question: how to guarantee independent identification of risks and potential victims when access to populations, to complaints mechanisms and to effective remedy are subjected to institutional constraints. The Human Rights Committee has already stressed, when it comes to Tindouf camp, the importance of guaranteeing effective remedy for persons under the jurisdiction of the State. Madam rapporteur, what measures can you promote to guarantee, in situations of protracted displacement, independent access to vulnerable populations? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:16:53]:

Thank you. The floor for a joint statement. to the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.


India Coalition [1:17:03]:

India Coalition welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur as it highlights climate change and environmental degradation are simultaneously drivers and byproducts of slavery and trafficking. In Nepal, an estimated 157,050 women and girls living in Rasuwa and Nuwakot district have been impacted by the recent flash flood. 1,080 plus people have been identified as displaced. The full scale and the gender profile of the displacement remain unknown. Displacement and the disruption of search and rescue are raising the risk of gender-based violence, family separation, and trafficking, particularly for women, girls, and unaccompanied children. As highlighted by the Special Rapporteur, the destruction of livelihoods resulting from the adverse effect of climate change and environmental degradation drive precarious migration and displacement, as well as the adoption of harmful coping strategies such as sexual exploitation, child labour and child early and forced marriage. We express our deep concern for the situation. In line with the priorities outlined by the Special Rapporteur, we recommend Member States to apply an intersectional response addressing how gender, age, disability, displacement, and poverty increase trafficking risk. Prioritize prevention by addressing climate-related displacement, livelihood loss, poverty, and inequality as structural drivers of trafficking. Integrate anti-trafficking measures across disaster response, climate, health, and migration policies through multi-sectoral coordination. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:18:37]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to-- Not present. I give the floor to Fortify Inc.


Fortify Inc. [1:18:53]:

Our Ukrainian partners from Truth Hounds documented and published a full report on how Bangladeshi men were deceived, trafficked, and coerced into joining Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. These men were promised civilian jobs, but instead of finding a legitimate employment, they were brought to Russia, made to force, forced to sign contracts they could not understand, and then sent to the front lines in Ukraine, often with little or no military training. One survivor told Fortify Rights he was informed that he had been bought to fight. These men suffered serious injuries. Others are missing or have been killed. Their families are often left searching for answers while struggling with significant recruitment related debt. Some men who knowingly signed military contracts still had their passports confiscated, wages withheld, and faced threats and abuse. These practices constitute human trafficking under international law and must be stopped. We ask the Special Rapporteur to give attention to this issue and to support Bangladesh to investigate and prosecute trafficking networks, prevent further recruitment, and ensure protection and repatriations for survivors. Ukraine should systematically screen foreign prisoners of war for trafficking indicators and ensure survivors receive protection. And Russia must immediately end its illegal war on Ukraine. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:20:22]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to not present. I give the floor to Takudu.

Tumuku Development and Cultural Union has the floor. Microphone, please.


Tumuku Development and Cultural Union [1:21:02]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Bangladesh faces a complex trafficking problem that includes both international exploitation and the cross-border trafficking of Bangladeshi nationals. As situations in which people are trapped through deception, threats, violence, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, or restriction of the freedom. The major forms include forced labor, debt ******* sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, child trafficking, and exploitation linked to the irregular migration. One of the most important forms of the competitive slavery affecting Bangladesh is the labor trafficking, practically involving migrant workers. Bangladesh is a major labor sending country, especially to the Middle East and parts of Asia. Recruitment agents are informal. Subagents may charge substantial fees causing prospective migrants to borrow money before leaving the country. The debt can subsequently be used to pressure workers to the exploitative employment conditions. This creates a workers may experience contract substitution, expensive working hours without wages, confiscation of documents, restrictions of movements, threats and debt-based coercion. Mr. Vice President, sex trafficking of women and children remains a serious concern.


HRC · Vice-President [1:22:39]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Video statement.


Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul [1:22:50]:

Mr. President, we welcome the report of the Special Rapporteur on.

Slavery and trafficking in person to mark the centenary anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

A century after the.

Adoption of slavery convention, contemporary form of slavery remains a critical challenge in all regions of the world, with an estimated approximation of 50 million people subjected to modern slavery in 2021. To engage intentionally with the combat against slavery, the Daughters of Charity will locate straight and amplify the need for deeper study and reflection of the current documents on slavery and trafficking in person. Identify some practical and actionable pathway to work for positive outcomes. Adopt the document as a campaign and advocacy tool.

At grassroots with our field representatives in the African and Asian continents.

Collaborate with like-minded organizations to prevent and reduce the impact of modern slavery.

I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:24:19]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Sambali Trust. Not present. I give the floor then to RSKS. Not in the room. I give the floor video to the Shanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association.


Shanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association [1:24:46]:

Organization of the Patriotic.


Speaker 101 [1:24:54]:

Pack, we thank the Special Rapporteur. The feeders in the system are clear. I've got the report. points out that the United States, traditionally a major refugee-receiving country, issued an executive order in January 2025 to terminate most of its refugee resettlement programmes. That act of shirking international responsibilities has directly undermined the global refugee protection system, forcing a massive number of women and children into dangerous irregular migration routes. where they become prey to human trafficking syndicates. The report reveals bilateral repatriation agreements signed by the US with other countries to forcibly transfer migrants to third countries. This practice of We have noted that, while the US pursues geopolitical interests in issues such as the DRC, it turns a blind eye to the fact that its immigration policies are creating new humanitarian disasters. As a representative of civil society, we believe that it is sheer hypocrisy to loudly proclaim human rights while practically closing the doors to asylum and pushing refugees into the abyss. We urge developed countries, including the US, to shoulder their historic and current responsibilities and to provide safe and orderly pathways for children. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:26:18]:

I give the floor to the International.

Movement to Get Out of All Forms of Discrimination and Racism.

International Movement to Get Out of All Forms of Discrimination and Racism:.


IMADR [1:26:26]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to draw the Council's attention to the continuing marginalization of the Sri Lankan Malay Tamil plantation community, who still lives in a form of slavery. This is not simply a question of poverty. It is a question of structural discrimination and denial of equal rights. A recent Amnesty International investigation based on interviews with estate workers has documented abuses that correspond to several indicators of forced labour, including intimidation and threats, debt ******* restrictions, movement, violence, and abusive working and living conditions. This is particularly disturbing because it demonstrates that what an earlier UN report described as slavery-like conditions has not disappeared. Rather, its forms have evolved within a system in which workers remain economically dependent on the estates for employment, housing, and basic necessities. For generations, these workers have produced enormous wealth for Sri Lanka while remaining in a state of slavery. among those with least access to land, secure housing, social protection and political decision-making. The plantation community must therefore not be treated merely as a labour force or as beneficiaries of welfare programmes. They are citizens, they are not slaves. The dignity of plantation workers must no longer be postponed. The Council should follow up on its earlier reports. Their equal citizenship must become a miserable reality.


HRC · Vice-President [1:27:57]:

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Madam Schwartz for her concluding remarks, having now finished the list of speakers. You have six minutes and 45 seconds. You have the floor.


UN · Special Rapporteur [1:28:16]:

Thank you, and I wish to express my deepest gratitude for the engagement and interventions from the floor and online today, and for the more than 450 contributions to the consultations that underpin this inaugural report. It is clear that despite the uniquely challenging operating context, the commitment and will to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons from every part of the world remains firm. And I welcome specifically the recognition among delegates of the importance of a coordinated, intersectional, interconnected, human rights-based approach to tackling these issues that foregrounds both prevention, addressing structural drivers, and critically, survivor voice and survivor expertise. As we all know, no country is immune from the problems and challenges of contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, and therefore eradicating these phenomena require a response from all states and for all states to work together to address the transnational dimensions of these violations. And I wish to express an offer of technical assistance and support on behalf of the mandate to all in your efforts to continuously improve across all of the issues raised today. That's true in regard to country visits, it's true in regard to communications and constructive dialogues that we may have in the course of the mandate, but it's also true of wider bilateral engagement and any issues you wish to raise, please do feel free to reach out. I wish to respond to a few of the key threads that have emerged in the comments today, and then again to reiterate the offer for ongoing conversations and constructive dialogue to address some of these critical issues. With regard to victim protection and support, and some examples of both good practice and some of the biggest gaps in practice, I wish to affirm the critical importance of national referral mechanism architecture, both as a mechanism for a coordinated response across sectors, but also to link victims and survivors to critical support. And that includes critically linking up to social support services in the wider context. It's important that victim assistance and protection and support are embedded in states' legal frameworks, and particularly that the non-punishment principle is enshrined in domestic law to ensure that victims and survivors of slavery and trafficking are never criminalised or punished for acts committed as a direct result of their experience of exploitation. It's also particularly critical that no state's legal frameworks permits exception to the application of protection and the fulfillment of obligations of support and assistance to victims and survivors, regardless of their migration status or other identity characteristics. And it's also important when we think about victim protection and support that we remember that the aim of justice in slavery and trafficking cases cannot only center around a criminal conviction of a perpetrator, but it must also center around the recovery and sustainable reintegration of those subjected to the violations. In order to make a slavery and trafficking violation resolved, we cannot only respond to perpetrators, we must also respond to the needs of justice for the survivors. I want to pick up on the important thread around the role of technology in this space and the double-edged sword that technology presents in the current landscape. This is a critical issue raised by many in the room today. And it's important that when we think about technology, we think not only about the risk it presents, but also the potential it provides to help build constructive solutions and change the way that we identify and support in cases of slavery and trafficking. We need to be thinking more about proactive prediction and early warning systems instead of waiting for perpetration trends to emerge. We need to be building safety by design into technological platforms and digital infrastructure engaging therefore the responsibility not only of the state to provide a protective infrastructure around digital environments, but also of technology platforms and companies to build resilient architecture that does not enable human exploitation. And we also need to ensure that we're building robust data systems and research into these spaces to respond effectively. And that also engages the wider role of business in this space. The majority of forced labour exists in the private economy, and therefore it is not only the responsibility of states to respond, but also the responsibility of businesses and private sector actors to take action to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons from their operations and supply chains. And all states should be considering implementing more robust regulation to ensure that businesses step up to the plate and take action. Slavery and trafficking are generating profit. They are not a value neutral activity. But currently, they are generating profit and wealth in the hands of perpetrators and denying the fruits of labor to those being exploited. We need to be making the economic case also for eradicating contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons, which are proven to be a drag on country's economy, while freedom returns an economic dividend that pays back to the state. Coordination is absolutely critical in this space, as we've heard from many delegates today. And that's true at the international level, it's true of the regional architectures that have been critical in advancing efforts to address slavery and trafficking globally and within their specific context, and it's true at the domestic level. And we need to see within that specifically integrated data and information systems so that we can share knowledge and awareness and track abuses across contexts. And bilateral engagements should be embedding labor rights and human rights concerns within those frameworks. Lastly, on migration governance, it's critical that we ensure evidence-based solutions that are driven by what works and not by political rhetoric that is not based on fact. I wish to close particularly by reaffirming that the past 100 years has crystallized international commitments and normative architecture for the eradication of contemporary forms of slavery. But the centenary should also force us to confront some difficult questions. Why, despite these firm commitments, does slavery and trafficking continue to proliferate? And how do we change our ways of working so that our commitments can finally become reality? And those are challenges that can be informed specifically by survivor expertise and voice in the coming decades and century.


HRC · Vice-President [1:35:19]:

Thank you very much. With that, we have concluded our interactive dialogue. I'd like to thank Ms. Katarina Schwarcz for her participation. We will now begin the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development.


Speaker 107 [1:35:39]:

Play all songs of the Kapil Sharma Show.


HRC · Vice-President [1:36:18]:

Well, let's begin now our interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. And it's a pleasure for me to welcome the mandate holder, Mr. Suria Deva. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. I now give the floor to Mr. Dever to present the report. Please go ahead.


UN · Special Rapporteur [1:36:42]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I'm honored to present my report to the Council, and report focuses on participation in development, taking the right to development seriously. I will also be reporting on a country visit to Germany conducted in November 2025. Mr. Vice President, Active, free and meaningful participation in development-related decision-making is a key component of the right to development. The right to development does not focus merely on outcomes, rather the process of development matters equally. However, what I'm often witnessing is top-down decision-making with tick-box consultations conducted by states and companies to provide legitimacy to decisions already made. The report therefore calls for a shift from symbolic consultations to genuine participation of individuals and communities in development governance. The report elaborates on the meaning of active, free and meaningful participation. Active participation means that decision makers recognize the agency of people and provide them an opportunity as well as an enabling environment to influence decision making at all stages. Free participation implies people's ability to act voluntarily in accordance with their own will, and meaningful participation entails people having the power to shape both the process and the outcome of decisions affecting them. I also explain in the report how participation is different from consultation. Unlike consultation, participation requires states and companies sharing power with people, giving individuals and communities the right to choose their development priorities, and creating an enabling environment to facilitate the co-designing of development-related policies, programs, and projects. Distinguished delegates, the participation of people and communities in development governance adds value to both the process and the outcome of decision making. Participation facilitates the pooling of expertise for informed decision. Participation of people also ensures that development is both inclusive and sustainable, Moreover, people's participation in decision-making plays a preventive role by allowing an identification of potential harm to human rights or the environment. In fact, both states and companies should see participation as a form of insurance against opposition to development projects and consequent delays. Mr. Vice-President, in my report, I outline eight conditions to achieve free, active, free and meaningful participation. For example, decision makers should involve people from the early stages and throughout the life cycle of development projects. Accurate and objective information should be shared in an accessible form. People should be involved in decision-making processes of participation. Moreover, states should preserve civic space because people need freedom from fear to participate in development governance. It is also critical that states and other actors learn from and share good practices. I would therefore like to establish an online open access participation hub that features good practices related to participation in development governance. Distinguished delegates, in my report, I offer concrete examples of how participation in development governance may look like at local, provincial, national, regional, and international levels. Moreover, my report provides practical guidance on achieving participation in development for key actors, namely states, national human rights institutions, UN entities, multilateral development banks, companies, and civil society organizations. Mr. Vice President, I also have the pleasure to present the report of my country visit to Germany conducted in November 2025. During this visit, I met with the representatives of federal and state-level government ministries, municipalities, and Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable Development. I also met with representatives of the German Institute for Human Rights, the Youth Advisory Council and CSOs. I express my gratitude to the Government of Germany for its cooperation and to the representatives of various stakeholders for their valuable input. The German Government has taken various steps and established institutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Germany has been a major provider of official development assistance and climate finance. It also applies a feminist development policy. At the same time, I saw evidence of socioeconomic inequalities in Germany, especially affecting groups in vulnerable situations, such as minorities, persons with disabilities, migrants, and refugees. Despite progress, gender inequality persists in the country. I would like the government to take proactive steps to reduce inequalities and eliminate intersectional discriminations. The government should revisit its strategy of increasing defence spending to the detriment of ODA spending and maintain a human rights-based approach to the ODA. It should also pay special attention to improving the conditions of refugees and asylum-seeking children. Rather than caving into business lobbying, the government should show leadership in effective mandatory human rights due diligence regulations at the national level as well as at the EU level. I'm looking forward to working with the government in implementing my recommendations. Thank you very much for the kind attention, and I look forward to the interactive dialogue.


HRC · Vice-President [1:42:59]:

Thank you very much. According to our practice, we shall start by hearing the delegation of the country concerned. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany. You have five minutes.


Germany [1:43:16]:

Mr Vice-President, Mr Special Rapporteur, We thank the Special Rapporteur for his visit to Germany. Germany grants a standing invitation to all special procedures of the Human Rights Council. We are glad that you had open and constructive discussions with various authorities on the federal as well as on the state and municipal levels. We welcome your report and will carefully study the recommendations issued therein. This year, we mark the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. The declaration established the right to development as inseparable from the full respect of all human rights, civil, cultural, economic, political, and social. At the same time, sustainable development, democracy, good governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights reinforce each other. Germany strives to incorporate this respect for all human rights into its domestic and development policies. Both at home and abroad, Germany is committed to human rights, gender equality, the protection of vulnerable groups, and the protection of the environment. The German Supply Chain Act, to give one example, is a bold step towards making businesses more accountable for upholding human rights and environmental standards. Moreover, with an official development assistant volume of around 29 billion US dollars in 2025, based on preliminary figures, Germany is one of the world's largest providers of ODA, as you mentioned. The stated goals of German development cooperation remain to overcome hunger, poverty, and equality, to support peace and stability, and to support sustainable growth. The Human Rights Strategy for German Development Policy defines its human rights-based approach and sets binding requirements for governmental development cooperation. We believe that development cooperation should be based on a mutual interest between partner countries. Recognizing legitimate interest does not mean that development policy becomes merely transactional. We understand the concern raised in your report about the share of ODA in the federal budget shrinking. The budget reflects difficult fiscal choices in a period of substantial domestic and international pressure. But Germany is not abandoning its international responsibility. Germany's development cooperation remains effective and predictable for partners. We are grateful for the Special Rapporteur's expertise and constructive recommendations. We encourage all member states to welcome country visits by Special Rapporteurs as an opportunity to share views and experiences and to learn from each other.


HRC · Vice-President [1:45:59]:

Thank you.

Thank you very much. The list of speakers is now closed. I now invite interested delegations to ask questions of the Special Rapporteur and make comments on his report. The speaking time is one minute and 30 seconds for all. I give the floor, first of all, to the distinguished representative of Iceland, speaking on behalf of a group of countries.


Iceland · Nordic-Baltic states [1:46:38]:

Mr Vice-President, I have the honour to deliver the statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report on participation and development and appreciate the distinction made in the text between real participation and symbolic consultation. All too often, communities are consulted only after key decisions have been made, leaving limited room to meaningfully shape outcomes. Structural barriers such as limited access to information, shrinking civic space and unequal power dynamics prevent individuals and communities from full, equal and meaningful participation in decisions that directly affect their development. Preserving civic space, including the freedom of association and assembly and freedom of expression, are important preconditions for meaningful engagement by communities and civil society. We underline that development processes should be inclusive, participatory and firmly grounded in respect for human rights of all, and share the Special Rapporteur's view that genuine participation of right holders add real value for development outcomes. Mr. Special Rapporteur, what are the most effective approaches for states to move from consultation to genuine participation before development projects are launched? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:48:02]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.


Pakistan · OIC [1:48:12]:

Mr. Vice President, the OIC Group takes note of the Special Rapporteur's report. The group reaffirms its commitment to the realization and enjoyment of the right to development by everyone, everywhere. The Special Rapporteur has rightly emphasized participation as an essential element of the right to development. Genuine participation requires that individuals and peoples, including those under foreign occupation, have the agency to shape decisions affecting their lives, starting with the inalienable right to self-determination. As the natural and fundamental group unit of society, the family should be at the center of models of participation to ensure the realization of the right to development. Meaningful integration of the right to development into the international human rights framework remains key to upholding the indivisibility, interdependence, and interrelatedness of all human rights. The UN Covenant on the Right to Development remains the best way to address deep-seated challenges and should therefore be considered for adoption without delay. International cooperation and development support remain pillars in pursuit of all human rights, sustainable development, and freedom from discrimination. The voices of developing countries must be accorded due weight in global economic decision-making to ensure the participation of their peoples. Reform of the international financial architecture is therefore essential to ensure that peoples can participate in development as envisioned by the 1981 declaration.

I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:49:40]:

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [1:49:46]:

Mr. Vice President, the EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report. Inclusive and meaningful civic participation in development is essential for upholding human rights, ensuring good governance, and achieving inclusive, sustainable development. EU upholds this principle and within the context of regional and urban development, public engagement is embedded directly into EU's own cohesion policy. Rather than letting development decisions be enforced from top down, the partnership principle legally requires authorities to involve local stakeholders and citizens in planning, managing, and evaluating EU-funded territorial projects. Citizens give a direct input, including on how regional infrastructure funds are allocated, with subsequent civic monitoring measuring whether the infrastructure actually satisfies public needs. Internationally, EU ensures participation in development by working through global partnerships. The Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Advisory Platform was established to ensure that this values-based strategy contributes to sustainable investment. It plays a vital role in shaping projects in full respect of fundamental values to the benefit of local communities. Monitoring and evaluation assesses inclusivity and ensures that no one is left behind. Mr. Special Rapporteur, throughout your report, you stressed the importance of states preserving civic space, which are the most promising mechanisms to ensure accountability when states and other actors fail to adopt such.


HRC · Vice-President [1:51:22]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Uganda on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.


Uganda · NAM [1:51:31]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the NAM. The Non-Aligned Movement welcomes the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Mr. Suryadevara, and thank him profusely for presenting a very rich report. The NAM remains firm in the support to the fulfilment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, which is an important addition to the work of this Council in advancing the right to development. We echo the urgent need to make the right to development a reality for everyone and call upon the OHCHR to prioritize the promotion and protection of the right to development for all people. In this regard, the NAM recalls the urgent need to adopt a legally binding instrument, which is the Covenant on the Right to Development, that will enhance cooperation among states and set an enabling environment for states to hold each other accountable in delivering the right to development for all. Mr. Vice President, once again, NAM appreciates the participation of the Special Rapporteur and his important report in this meeting, which continues to spotlight the importance of the right to development and its close link to the enjoyment of human rights for all. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:52:41]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the GCC.


Bahrain · GCC [1:52:51]:

Said Rais.

Mr. Vice President, we took note of the report of the Special Rapporteur regarding participating in development and the importance of the right of development and the need to take it seriously. We agree with him that effective participation improves the policies and programs in the field of development and in guaranteeing better responses to the needs of various groups within society. This is why the GCC has adopted a number of practices that aim to promote participation and fulfill the right to development. The report of the Special Rapporteur mentioned some of them. This includes using digital platforms to improve the participation of youth and develop institutional apparatuses in family affairs. This is in addition to adopting a community-based approach in designing and implementing cooperation and development programs. We reiterate our commitment to fulfilling the right to development through comprehensive and sustainable development programs and plans. The GCC reaffirms that improving participation in development must be done within the contexts and national priorities of states in order to ensure best service for sustainability. This is why we call for technical support and exchange of best practice and expertise in such a way as to better serve the fulfillment of the right to development. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:54:15]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group.


Kenya · Africa Group [1:54:22]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The group reaffirms its strong support for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and appreciates the presentation of his comprehensive report on participation in development and its practical guidance for taking the right to development seriously. The Africa Group recognizes that the right to development concerns not only development countries, but also the process through which development is pursued. We therefore underscore the importance of ensuring the active and meaningful participation of individuals and people in shaping development policies, programs, and projects. For Africa, meaningful participation is essential to ensuring that development responds to national realities, priorities, and needs. African countries continue their efforts in pursuing inclusive and people-centered development through national policies and strategies in line with Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda. Participation must also extend beyond the national level. International decisions on trade, investment, finance, debt and taxation directly affect developing countries. Mr. Special Rapporteur, how can the United Nations and multilateral institutions better support developing countries in strengthening national capacities for meaningful participation while ensuring a more equitable and representative international governance system that enables developing countries to effectively participate in decisions affecting development. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:55:49]:

Thank you very much.

I call upon the distinguished representative of Iraq on behalf of the Arab Group. Thank you.


Iraq · Arab Group [1:56:06]:

The Arab Group would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and is firmly committed to the right to development. as a basic inalienable right. Nowhere is it more apparent than it's a belief that it is interdependent. We continue to meet the aspirations of our people to face the challenges, modern day challenges. And this involves peace, security, social justice by promoting gender equality and promoting the establishment of innovation and facilitating civilization renewal. The Arab Group reaffirms that realizing the right to development, it calls for, in addition to international efforts, increased international solidarity, sufficient funding for the development process, the transfer of technologies, capacity building, so as to address the structural challenges that developing countries face. This will enable them to attain the SDGs in relation to their goals. The Arab State, together with ESWA has drawn up the 2045 vision. This is a plan of action, a strategic document to realize sustainable development in the Arab region by simulating regional cooperation in line with the development programs by 2030. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:57:36]:

I give the floor to.

Gracias, senor.


Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations [1:57:40]:

Thank you very much, sir. We are making this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. The Group of Friends reaffirms that the right to development is a universal and inalienable human right, whose full and effective realization is crucial to ensure that all peoples can participate, contribute and benefit from economic, social, cultural and political development on an equal footing and in dignity. Almost four decades after the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, Significant headway has been made in its recognition and promotion. Nonetheless, substantive challenges remain to reflect this recognition into its full and effective realization, including the adoption of an international legally binding instrument on the right to development. The persistent gaps between developed and developing countries, amongst other factors, meet historically unequal economic relations and inequitable exploitation of resources of the countries of the South, as well as an international system which has promoted the concentration of wealth and has perpetrated poverty and inequalities. To this we can add UCMs, which directly hamper the realisation of the right to development and compliance with the 2030 agenda. Development cannot continue to be a reserved privilege of the few. Rather, it must become a reality for all peoples, based on equality, cooperation and international solidarity. Thank you very much, sir.


HRC · Vice-President [1:59:08]:

Thank you.

I give the floor to the change representative of Algeria.


Algeria [1:59:20]:

Thank you, Vice President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting his report and we reaffirm our firm commitment to the right to development as a fundamental, inalienable, and universal right that is indivisible and is interconnected with political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights. Algeria looks at development as more than technical and managerial affairs, but it is part of a sovereign framework that belongs to peoples in defining their priorities and their development pathways in line with their aspirations and priorities. Comprehensive and equitable development requires good governance that places the human element at the heart of development and increases equal opportunity and social cohesion. Algeria reaffirms the importance of multilateralism and effective international cooperation on basis of respect of national sovereignty, and we insist on the importance of the recalibration of the international financial architecture. The right to development and the right to development go hand in hand for peoples under occupation. You cannot achieve sustainable and effective development while these peoples cannot exercise the right to self-determination in a free manner and to control their own natural resources and participate in the management of their social, political, and civil affairs. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:00:44]:

Gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zambia.


Zambia [2:00:53]:

Mr. Vice President, Zambia welcomes the Special Rapporteur's emphasis on active, free, and meaningful participation as integral to the right to development. Our constitution recognizes people's participation in democratic governance as an objective of local government and provides for the Constituency Development Fund. Zambia has sought to translate these principles into practice through accelerated decentralization and the transfer of functions and resources closer to communities. CDF allocations have been increased from 1.6 million kwacha per constituency in 2021 to 40 million kwacha in 2026. Through ward and constituency structures, communities participate in identifying and prioritizing their own development needs. This community-driven approach is producing tangible results, including new classrooms, health facilities, and maternity annexes, water and sanitation infrastructure, and feeder roads. Our experience demonstrates that participation becomes more meaningful when communities are not merely consulted, but are given both a voice in setting priorities and resources to translate these priorities into development outcomes. Zambia would welcome the Special Rapporteur's views on strengthening accountability while preserving genuine community ownership of decentralized development. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:02:15]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.


Syrian Arab Republic [2:02:23]:

Thank you, Vice-President.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for the report. We appreciate the fact he placed emphasis on full, entire, free and targeted participation in the development process, placing humans at the heart of the process. Syria continues To, along its process of development and reconciliation, align with, uh, national priorities and needs of society, and we want to promote participation of local communities, individuals, and this thanks to restoring basic services, relaunching production sector, job creation. establishing necessary conditions for sustainable development. In that regard, we want to say that national efforts, yes, are important, but they also require, uh, ideal, uh, ideal international setting to achieve sustainable development. Cooperation should be based on, respecting national priorities and partnership. That cooperation must mobilize resources and opportunities supporting development processes, and this as per the needs and conditions of each country. Syria aspires to expand its partnership perspective and investment in reconstruction, therefore, to rebuild infrastructure, relaunch the economy, create jobs, pave the way for sustainable development, because investing in recovery and development is investing in humans and in the stability of the country. Syria reiterates its commitment to pursuing its efforts to make the right to development a palpable reality for each and everyone, thanks to a development process that meets their priorities, expectations, and thanks to their participation and opening vast prospects of a much better future. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:04:00]:

I give the floor to Cameroon.


Cameroon [2:04:03]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Cameroon aligns with the statement by the African Group. We thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting his report on the participation in development, my delegation shares the idea whereby the right to development shouldn't be reduced only to economic results. In Cameroon, this approach is part of implementing its national development strategy 2020-30, which aims at lasting sustainable economic growth. Cameroon is also continuing its dialogue with the UN system in the context of preparations for the next programming cycle particular emphasis on inclusive growth, peace, empowerment of youth and women, and job creation. Vice-president for developing countries participation, however, cannot fully bear fruit in an international setting unless it is favourable, with adequate access to financing, concessional financing resources, access to technology and capacity building at national level. Rapporteur, what specific measures do you advise so that the international financial institutions can focus more on the right to development, bringing on the active participation of people in decisions on their financing, particularly in the developing countries? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:05:28]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda.


Uganda [2:05:33]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We align with the statements of the African group and the NAM. Thank you, Special Rapporteur, for your report. We also welcome your report and the recommendations proposed therein, especially regarding the participation of all concerned in early stages of development decisions. The right to development is indeed a fundamental human right and is an integral pillar to achieving the tenets of the 2030 Agenda and the realization of the enjoyment of the rights for all. We underline that effective participation applies across borders and should indeed go beyond national jurisdiction. For effective outcome, states need to engage constructively without underlying biases on the issues of the right to development. Participation is not only within. We believe it can be across, internationally, and beyond. And on this premise, we invite all states to participate constructively in the upcoming resolution that will be tabled by the Non-Aligned Movement on the right to development, as well as in the process of adopting the Covenant on the Right to Development. We all owe this to our people in our respective states. We need to drop the biases, and hence the question to the Special Rapporteur. Mr. Surya, what is the best way forward to inform a meaningful and constructive participation amongst states in negotiating legally binding information and documents free from deep-rooted differences on core principles that shape the right to development?

I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:07:04]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen. Video statement.


Yemen [2:07:13]:

Vice President, we to congratulate and welcome the report from the Special Rapporteur. Realizing the right to development is essential for social justice, stability and the enjoyment of all human rights. The development process in Yemen has suffered major setbacks owing to the coup d'etat and the war waged by the Houthi, which has seen infrastructure, economic infrastructure, being destroyed. Millions of mines have been planted, and ports have been disrupted. petrol, oil infrastructure and shipping lanes have been targeted in the Red Sea. This has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and has denied millions of people a source of livelihood. We call on the international community, our partners and donors, to move from emergency assistance to a path that bolsters sustainable economic recovery. institutional reconstruction and the right of the NMA people to peace, development and reconstruction. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:08:32]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the South Centre.


South Centre [2:08:38]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The South Centre thanks the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development for the report presented to the Human Rights Council. I'll discuss during the biennial panel on the right to development, making 40 years to the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development. We must move from declarative commitments to binding implementation. In his report, the Special Rapporteur highlights that participation cannot be a formalistic tick box exercise. It must be active, free, and transformative, ensuring individuals and communities participate on an equal basis. Yet, structural poverty and systemic discrimination render the freedom to participate in economic and development decision making an illusion. Unilateral coercive measures, undermine the right to development by crippling economies and shrinking fiscal space, increasing structural inequalities, and reducing affected countries' participation in the benefits of global development. At the same time, an asymmetric international financial architecture on sustainable sovereign debt, ongoing international conflicts, and the triple planetary crisis systematically silence the most vulnerable, limiting their space to participate, contributing or enjoying the benefits of development. Structural exclusion and discrimination often derive from the lasting impacts of past dispossession. Historically, marginalized and vulnerable groups should not only participate, but also shape their own development processes, which requires a substantive justice framework. To achieve these objectives, the Covenant on the Right to Development has enormous potential to establish an enforceable legal or binding instrument that ensures meaningful participation, redress historical injustices, and guarantees development as an inalienable human right for all.


HRC · Vice-President [2:10:14]:

Thank you. Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.


Iran (Islamic Republic of) [2:10:25]:

Mr. Vice President, distinguished delegates. Iran aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the groups to which it belongs. We thank you.

The Special Rapporteur, for his important report, particularly his emphasis on active, free, and meaningful participation and agency in development. For decades, the United States has sought to constrain Iran's development through extensive unilateral coercive measures. More recently, it has resorted to direct military aggression, attacking the very foundation upon which development built on.

When infrastructure and civic space within human habitats are targeted, the consequences go far beyond physical damage.

Health, education, and human capital and years of development investment are compromised.

Economic coercion and military aggression may.

Employ different instruments, but both deprive people, including thousands of lost lives and leaders' will, my country's right to development.

Mr. Vice President, this brings us to the emerging concept of Southphobia, a pattern whereby the technological, scientific.

And development aspiration of countries of the Global South are increasingly viewed through a security.

Lens rather than recognized as a legitimate expression of their right to development. Such asymmetric trust has real consequences. We therefore ask the Special Rapporteur, how can the right to development framework address?

Of the legitimate development aspect.


HRC · Vice-President [2:11:59]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.


Sierra Leone [2:12:05]:

Vice President, the Sierra Leone Alliance, with the statements of the African group, and thanks especially, rapporteur, for the informative report. Sierra Leone maintains that the right to development is an active and dynamic process that cannot be realized without the full and meaningful participation of individuals and communities. Nationally, Sierra Leone has pursued policy and institutional reforms to enhance inclusive governance, including decentralization initiatives that expand regional and urban governance structures to promote citizen participation at the local and national levels. Sierra Leone's medium-term national development plan, launched in 2023, outlines the country's primary development goals to five strategic visions, the big five game changers. One is feed Salone, which is food security. The second is human capital development. The third is youth unemployment and infrastructure. And fourth, technology and innovation. And finally, transforming public service architecture. Along with five enabling pillars, the plan provides a unified framework that aligns with development and human rights to drive national transformation. We welcome the report's recommendation that all economic development governance actors transition from consultations to the participation of people and communities to ensure that rights holders can make informed decisions about development. We will continue to take concrete measures to strengthen inclusive governance and promote participatory approaches in all development sectors. And I thank you, Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:13:39]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [2:13:46]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Venezuela welcomes the presentation of the report and shares the importance given to active, free and meaningful participation of people and communities as an essential element for full realization of right to development. We agree that people should occupy a central role not just as beneficiaries of the right but also as protagonists in defining their priorities and in making decisions that affect their well-being. We welcome the fact the report recognizes the Venezuelan experience and the role of communal councils and communes in formulating and following up on community development projects. Nonetheless, truly effective participation also requires an international setting that enables states to have the necessary resources and capacities to further their development priorities. Venezuela reiterates that the right to development should be made effective through international cooperation, respect for sovereignty and eliminating obstacles that limit its realisation. obstacles like UCMs. We will continue to promote an inclusive, participative, and human-focused development model that enables our peoples to define on a sovereign basis their priorities and to participate fully in the benefits of development. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [2:15:05]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Djibouti.


Djibouti [2:15:12]:

Thank you, Vice-President. My delegation aligns with the statement made by the African Group. We thank the rapporteur for presenting his report on the need to take the right to development seriously, I want to share the central idea of the report that development shouldn't be considered solely through its economic results, but also through the active participation of populations in decision making. For Djibouti, effective realization of the right to development must be part of an approach which takes into account national realities, priorities and needs of populations, as well as structural, economic and social constraints that developing countries face. This means establishing policies and strategies tailored to national contexts, based on equity, solidarity and the principle of shared responsibility. We believe that moving from consultation to genuine inclusive participation can bolster the legitimacy of development policies, their ownership by populations and their long-term effectiveness. Mr. Rapporteur, what measures do you recommend to states and international institutions to guarantee effective, meaningful participation of populations in decision-making when it comes to development, while ensuring that those requirements don't constitute an additional burden for countries with limited capacities. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:16:31]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mozambique.


Mozambique [2:16:40]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the African Group, and thanks to the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of his report. For Mozambique, the right to development is an inalienable human right, and development must be inclusive.

Equitable, sustainable, and centered on human dignity.

We recognize that the active, free, and meaningful participation of individuals and communities is essential to its realization.

In this regard, the government of Mozambique established the Community-Based Fund for Economic.

Development and the Women's Empowerment Fund.

These instruments support small business and productive initiatives, promote employment and income generation, and create opportunities, particularly for young people and women entrepreneurs.

They truly.

Reflect our vision of the benefits of decentralization and the importance of empowering, investing in the communities as active partners in development.

However, national efforts must be complemented by removing unfair international rules in finance, trade, investment, and taxation. These structural constraints hinder progress towards the full realization of human rights and sustainable development goals.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.


HRC · Vice-President [2:18:10]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Gambia.

Gambia has the floor.


Gambia [2:18:32]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. Vice President, thank you. The Gambia thanks the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Sohrabuddin, for his report on active, free and meaningful participation in development. The report resonates with our own experience in national development planning. In preparing our YR1 National Development Plan 2023-2027, The Gambia undertook an extensive participatory process, which for the first time reached all 120 wards across the eight local government areas in the country. Communities were given the opportunity not only to identify their development needs, but also to propose solutions and influence national priorities. We are also working to strengthen the link between participation in planning and actual implementation at community levels. Through the programme for accelerated community development, community priorities are increasingly being translated into investment in areas such as water, electricity, rural roads and productive infrastructure. Local councils are also being supported to align their strategic plans with national development priorities, alongside ongoing reforms amid strengthening decentralized governments, accompanying and service delivery. Our experience, therefore, reinforces the importance of ensuring the participation that participation produces visible outcomes for communities. Mr. S.R., what practical safeguards would you recommend to ensure that priorities identified through participatory planning are consistently reflected in local budgets?


HRC · Vice-President [2:20:10]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.


Egypt [2:20:18]:

Thank you, Vice-President.


Gambia [2:20:21]:

We've taken note of the report. Active participation is crucial for the right to development. That right is a right for one and all, and everyone should be able to contribute to economic and social development and benefit from it. We need a more inclusive approach. There are economic challenges at a global level that are growing, which is why development projects should be aligned with national priorities and national development plans so as to realise development for all. The right to development is an inalienable right. All rights are indivisible and interdependent. They need to be tackled equitably, without preference for any one specific category. There is a need for society to be able to contribute to participation processes. However, there are challenges in that regard. We would like to know whether there has been any practical experience in that sphere and what approach we can adopt to assess the level of that participation and its impact on the development process.


HRC · Vice-President [2:21:40]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.


Saudi Arabia [2:21:50]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We have studied with interest the Special Rapporteur's report on the right to development. The report refers to the Saudi experience when it comes to national participation in the development process, as well as participation in decision making on issues regarding family issues. The report refers to the participative approach for the development and implementation of the Saudi development programme and the Yemen recovery. We set great store by social participation in decision making. We have established a platform called Istitla to allow all stakeholders to formulate comments on ongoing projects on economic and development issues. We should always seek to take into account national priorities when it comes to participation. There needs to be international cooperation, and we need to bolster capacities to attain development. We will be continuing our efforts to realise the right to development, which is a fundamental right.


HRC · Vice-President [2:23:05]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Fiji.

Fiji, you have the floor.

Not in the chamber. So we'll continue then with the distinguished representative of Nigeria.


Nigeria [2:23:41]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Nigeria thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting his report on participation in development. The report rightly emphasizes that people should not be passive beneficiaries of development, but active participants in decisions affecting their lives. Nigeria agrees that participation can improve development outcomes, strengthen public ownership, and help identify concerns at an early stage. Participation, however, must be inclusive, practical and responsive to national circumstances. It should enable people and communities to contribute meaningfully to decisions affecting them, at the same time recognising the responsibility of states to balance different interests and pursue the common good. For participation to be meaningful, people must also have access to timely, clear and accessible information. Mr. Vice President, Nigeria particularly welcomes the report's attention to participation at the international level. Decisions relating to finance, public debt, trade, investments, and taxation have direct effects on developing countries, yet they remain inadequately represented in global financial institutions. This further reinforces the need to reform the international financial architecture to give developing countries a stronger voice while ensuring greater access to grants and affordable long-term financing. In conclusion, how can developing countries have stronger voice in global decisions affecting their development? I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:25:04]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to Mr. Dever to respond to some of the comments and observations and questions put so far.


UN · Special Rapporteur [2:25:14]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice-President. I would also like to thank all the delegations for their appreciation of the report and its recommendations. Friday afternoon is a complicated time in the week to discuss participation, and I appreciate that the delegations are still in the room and asking questions and providing feedback on the report. So I would like to respond to some of the specific questions. Let me start with Iceland. I think the question that how can we improve, let's say, move away from consultation to participation before development projects are launched, the solution is very simple. people, both individuals and communities, must have that participatory role in the core designing of development projects. The real challenge is that development projects are typically designed in capital of a country The government officials and private actors and multilateral development banks come together, they decide, okay, let's have a mine, let's have a shopping mall, let's have this infrastructure project. And then the people are consulted after the decisions are made. That mindset has to change. Participation requires that you consult people first. What is it that they want? What is development for them? And then you take it, the bottom-up approach. Then there was a question from EU delegation about what are the accountability mechanism if there is no rights-based approach and there is no participation. I think there are a number of tools that are available. Special procedures are one of those tools. We have national human rights institutions in countries. If they are independent, they can be powerful tool. Then we have the UN mechanism, other mechanism, including Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that can be leveraged, and we have the courts. at different levels, both national level and regional level that can be leveraged to deal with those particular issues. There is a question from Djibouti about that how do we ensure that the participation is there but without putting extra burden on the capacity of countries? And I would suggest that there is no one-size-fits-all. Every country has to look at the local context and circumstances to implement what participation should look like in practice. Technology can play a crucial role, because technology can be harnessed to reduce the cost of participation, accessibility can be improved, for instance, technology can be used to translate documents easily. So I think those tools can be used and once we have a process established, that process can be replicated elsewhere. So the cost of facilitating participation will come down and I highlight that particular element in my report as well. Several delegations raised, in my view, an important question about international financial architecture and what does participation should mean in that particular relation. It was a question from Cameroon. but it was also raised by Pakistan, it was raised by Algeria, as well as South Centre. There could be others, but at least these I remember. And as the report makes it very clear, we should not see participation merely at the local level or the international level. We should see participation as a cross-cutting principle of good governance, as well as a key component of right to development. So if you look at the international institutions, these are neo-colonial in nature, let us face it. Whether it is Security Council, or this is World Bank, or International Monetary Fund, they do not provide an adequate representation of the Global South. And that must change. How can people of the Global South participate in these financial institutions if they don't have a seat on the table, or they do not have, let's say, a fair seat on the table? So that must change. That is very clear, and because the policies of World Bank and IMF have direct implications on development goals and priorities, I will be engaging with World Bank and IMF because they have their annual meeting taking place in Bangkok next month. So I hope to participate and engage with these institutions, and maybe if time allows, I would also like to do a specific report on the reform of international financial architecture going forward. Then there was a question about accountability raised by Jambia about if the community participation is not respected. I think that question again can be addressed by dealing with a variety of institutions that have to exist at the national level. Whether these are companies or multilateral development banks or estates, they should have an accountability mechanism built in as part of participation, and my report highlights this as one of the eight conditions. one of the eight preconditions how this can be implemented in practice. There was a question from Uganda about participation in the covenant process. I think, uh, concrete steps can be taken. One could be, Virtual consultations can be organized because often states are negotiating these international instruments, but where are people? Because ultimately we are negotiating these instruments for the benefit of people. So virtual consultations can be organized at the national level, regional level, to build consensus. Informal consultations can take place in New York. And I very much hope that this 40th anniversary provides necessary foundation to move towards crossing the line and adopting this covenant as soon as possible. There was also a question from Gambia about priorities reflected in local budgeting. I think the whole idea of budgeting should also be participatory. How much money is collected by the government and how that money is going to be invested for different particular projects, people should have a say because ultimately taxpayers are funding the money. The government has no money. The money comes from taxpayers. So taxpayers must have the participatory role in that particular perspective. In terms of the question from Egypt, assessment of participation, there are some studies that are indicating that effective participation improves not only the outcomes of development but also the process. So member states can definitely leverage those possibilities, in my view, going forward. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:31:43]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I would like to inform your excellencies and distinguished delegates that we will go beyond 15 minutes, 15, so as to conclude this interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. And, of course, with my thanks to the interpreters. Let us resume the list of speakers, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe.


Zimbabwe [2:32:20]:

Mr. President, Zimbabwe welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur The right to development means distribution of wealth, resources and basic needs fairly among all people. Reality, however, is that people still live in poverty, lack safe housing, food, health and fair work. High debt, global conflicts and unfair trade rules are still blocking developing nations from moving forward. Zimbabwe's commitment to operationalise this right is anchored in our constitution, which obligates the state to facilitate rapid, balanced and equitable development. ensuring citizen participation in policy formulation and community entitlement to local resources. Our national development strategies prioritize inclusive economic growth, food security, infrastructure development, value addition, and devolution, leaving no one and no place behind. However, the full realization of the right to development remains severely constrained by unilateral coercive measures, which hamper access to global capital, technology, and international trade. We reiterate our call for the unconditional removal of these sanctions to ensure a fair global environment for sustainable development. Zimbabwe reaffirms its commitment to a people-centered development. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:33:44]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of the Holy See.


Holy See [2:33:52]:

My delegation would like to express its gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report on participation in development, which is based on the principle that nobody should be a passive recipient of decisions made by others, and which also highlights concerns that consultation can easily become a mere formality with outcomes already predetermined. Participation is not simply a technique for achieving better or more efficient outcomes. Rather, it is a duty to be fulfilled consciously by all, with responsibility and with a view to the common good, rooted in the God-given dignity of the human person who is the author and center and end of development. Such participation is best understood through subsidiarity with decisions taken as close as possible to those affected and with higher authorities complementing but never supplanting families, communities, and intermediary bodies of society. Properly understood, participation pertains to persons as subjects of deliberation and responsibility. Placing the person at the center does not restrict participation, rather it affirms that the corresponding duty rests with the individual who is bound by conscience to care for all elements of creation. Pope Leo XIV affirms that for individuals as well as for nations, development is both a duty and a right. Minimum conditions are required for enabling every person and people to flourish in accord with their dignity without being kept in a state of dependence or excluded from access to necessary goods. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:35:17]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Kenya.


Kenya [2:35:24]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Kenya aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the African Group and welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on participation in development. Kenya recognizes that the right to development requires people and communities to be active participants in shaping their development priorities, rather than merely beneficiaries of development outcomes. Tenya's own experience underscores the importance of institutionalization, public participation in governance and development, anchored in our constitutional framework and supported by national legislation. Meaningful participation must, however, extend beyond national decision making. As highlighted in the report, development prospects are increasingly influenced by decisions taken internationally on finance, trade, investment, public debt, and taxation. Developing countries and their peoples must therefore have an effective voice in the institutions and processes where such decisions are made. Kenya reiterates its call for strengthened international cooperation and political will to advance the effective implementation of the right to development. Participation at the national level must be accompanied by a more inclusive international environment that enables developing countries to meaningfully shape decisions affecting their development pathways. Special rapporteur, how can developing countries be better represented in international institutions that make decisions affecting their development? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:36:52]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tunisia.


Tunisia [2:36:59]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. My delegation associates itself with the statements delivered by the groups it belongs to. Tunisia would like to thank the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development for the instructive report and expresses its full support to his mandate. Tunisia renews its position as to the right to development being an intrinsic right that is indivisible, and to realize it requires the right national and international environment. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to development. Tunisia supports every effort to reach an international covenant on the right to development because it will be an instrument that supports the legal status of such a right and institutes clear legal obligation on the states in line with the rest of the rights. At the national level and based on our commitment to the right to development, Tunisia has been continuing its implementation of the 2030 Action Plan, which is part of our development efforts. In addition to our Vision 2035, which responds to national priorities to elevate social justice and the equitable development of various regions. The current global challenges leads to further attention to the right to development. This is why we call for more multilateralism and international cooperation and fulfillment of obligations related to the right to development, as well as promoting technological transfer and capacity building, as well as supporting environmental and...


HRC · Vice-President [2:38:33]:

Thank you very much.


South Sudan [2:38:37]:

Mr. Vice President, South Sudan aligns itself with the NAM and African Group statements and take notes of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to development and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein. We fully agree with the Special Rapporteur that the right to development requires people's active, free, and meaningful participation in development-related decisions affecting their lives. But we also think that it also requires equality, access to resources and opportunities, and enabling environment. The relationship between conflict and right to development is direct and mutually reinforcing. Therefore, peace, development, and human rights challenges facing some countries, including my country, South Sudan, must be addressed as mutually reinforcing priorities. South Sudan calls for the international cooperation, predictable financing, technology transfer, and capacity building consistent with the principles of international solidarity. We also call upon the Special Rapporteur to continue highlighting the particular development challenges least developed and conflict-affected countries and to promote practical measures that enable them to build resilient institutions and accelerate progress towards the sustainable development. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:40:08]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nepal.


Nepal [2:40:15]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Nepal appreciates the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to development,

Mr. Srivastava, which emphasizes that development must be grounded in active, free, and meaningful participation of people. We believe that individuals and communities must not be treated as passive recipients of development, but as right holders empowered to meaningfully shape the policies and decisions that affect their lives. The constitution of Nepal recognizes that right to development as a fundamental right. As a landlocked and climate vulnerable

country, Nepal recognizes the importance of local actions completed by national support and international partnership.

In addition, accessible, adequate, and predictable climate finance and conducive international financial architecture are essential to enable

developing countries to pursue inclusive development.

In this regard, we would like to hear from the Special Rapporteur on how can international partners better support climate-vulnerable developing countries in strengthening community-led development and climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:41:35]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.


Ethiopia [2:41:43]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Ethiopia aligns with the African Group in NAM's statement and thanks the Special Rapporteur for his timely and insightful report. Ethiopia reaffirms that the right to development places the human person as the center of development, not merely as a beneficiary, but as an active participant and contributor to the development process. Active, free and meaningful participation is therefore indispensable to inclusive, sustainable and people-centered development. Ethiopia recognizes the important progress achieved through its ongoing efforts to promote participatory governance and development, including through decentralized structures, community engagement and national development planning. We remain committed to strengthening inclusive participation and ensuring that development policies and programs respond to the priorities and aspirations of our people. At the same time, national efforts require an enabling international environment characterized by genuine international cooperation, equitable economic relations, adequate development financing, and respect for country sovereignty, national ownership, and policy space. We therefore support a balanced approach that recognizes both national responsibilities and the collective responsibilities of the international community. Ethiopia calls upon all stakeholders to move beyond symbolic consultation toward this meaningful participation. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:43:15]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.


Bangladesh [2:43:22]:

Mr. Vice President, Bangladesh thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report and takes note of its focus on active, free, and meaningful participation in development. The right to development is closely linked to our national experience of poverty reduction, social progress, economic transformation, and resilience in the face of climate vulnerability. Our experience reinforces the conviction that development must be people-centered, inclusive, equitable, with community able to shape decision affecting their life. We share the views that participation should move beyond symbolic consultation. Particular attention should be given to ensuring the effective participation of women, youth, and persons in vulnerable situations throughout the development process. Meaningful participation must also extend to the international level. Discussion on trade, finance, debt, climate action, greatly affect the development prospects and policy space of developing countries. Therefore, their fair representation and effective participation in global economic and financial governance are indispensable. We underscore the importance of greater access to grants and concessional finance for developing countries. Finally, we would value the Special Rapporteur's views on measures to ensure the equitable participation of developing countries in international decision-making process affecting their development parties. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:44:47]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the representative of Pakistan.


Pakistan [2:44:53]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the OIC group and the non-aligned movement. Pakistan thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. We appreciate the distinction drawn by the SR between consultation and participation in national decision-making processes. Pakistan's constitutional framework provides a foundation for participatory governance. Our local government system and development planning and budgeting processes are all designed to bring decision-making closer to the people it affects. The respect to participation, significant challenges remain, particularly at the international level. In this regard, we note that the suggestion by the SR on participation of climate-vulnerable communities in the development and implementation of climate finance and loss and damage funds for such communities and countries declining ODA, even as climate change intensifies, reflect an absence of political commitment and a fear in global governance and relevant decision-making processes. We request SR to weigh in on how can the voices of communities on the front lines of climate change carry weight in the far away conferences, multilateral development banks, and international financial markets where decisions are often made, but where their participation does not extend. I thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [2:46:18]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of Vanuatu.


Vanuatu [2:46:28]:

Mr. Vice-President, Vanuatu thanks the Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Mr. Surya De Silva, for his report and recommendation. We welcome the report's emphasis on inclusive, sustainable, participatory development and on the importance of international cooperation in realizing the right to development. For Vanuatu, the right to development cannot be separated from the climate crisis. Climate change is increasingly undermining the ability of developing countries, particularly small island developing states, to achieve sustainable development and fully enjoy economic, social, cultural, and political rights. For communities on the front line of climate change, development gains are being eroded by extreme weather events, rising sea level rise, food and water insecurity, and the loss of livelihood and cultural heritage. Climate change, therefore, represents not only an environmental challenge, but a fundamental challenge to the realization of the rights to development. We particularly welcome the Special Rapporteur recognizing that official development assistance remains critical for Small Island Developing States and his recommendation on climate financing, debt swaps, technology transfer, technical assistance, and capacity building. Vanuatu also emphasized that development cooperation must be rights-centered. response to national priorities and grounded in active and meaningful participation of affected communities. As we advance discussion on the right of development, we must ensure that climate vulnerable countries have the means to realize this right, including true, adequate, and accessible finance, technology, and capacity building. Vanuatu remains committed to multilateral system and...


HRC · Vice-President [2:48:05]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the State's representative of Jordan.

Jordan has the floor.

They appear to be absent. I give the forward to the DRC. Please go ahead.


Democratic Republic of the Congo [2:48:32]:

President, my delegation would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and associates itself with the statement made on behalf of the groups to which it belongs. In the DRC, the right to development is guaranteed by Article 58 of the Constitution, which compels the State to equitably distribute national resources and to promote its rights to all citizens. To establish this principle, the DRC has underpinned the participatory approach as part of its national policy, particularly the 454 territories across the country. This is based on local communities to identify, plan and follow up the building of basic infrastructure adapted to their needs. In addition, the government recently launched a programme to include youth and people in as part of entrepreneurship projects and sustainable development. However, in the east of the DRC, marked by the border with Rwanda, the implementation of development projects where eligibility of programs is hampered. In face of this security issue and humanitarian consequences. The resolve of the Congolese people is to return to the restoration of the rule of law, the respect for the territorial integrity of the DRC, and a better management of natural resources, which have been currently plundered by Rwanda and its accomplices, to ensure the fundamental right to development. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:50:07]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.


Mexico [2:50:14]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting his report, and we welcome the fact that our good practices have been taken up in that study. For Mexico, development is not something that is handed over to people, but rather it is something that is built up with them. That is why we have social witnesses and social oversight mechanisms, which enable citizens to directly monitor public hiring procedures and federal social programs. Similarly, following the 2024 constitutional reform, indigenous peoples have the right to direct budgeting. They themselves decide on how public resources are allocated to their communities. And this isn't something as a consultation that happens after the event, but rather it's a decision that happens from the outset. That same logic guides our programs for wellbeing, where programs are not only beneficiaries, but also co-participants in their design, implementation, and assessment. These practices are not examples of just good governance, they're the way in which we render the right to development effective as an inalienable human right. whereby all persons can participate, contribute and benefit. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:51:31]:

Thank you.

I'd like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives.


Maldives [2:51:38]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The Maldives thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report and expresses its full support for the mandate. Mr. Vice President, the Maldives strongly affirms that the right to development requires the active, free, and meaningful participation of individuals and communities in development processes. Over the past year, we have taken significant steps to strengthen the participation of women, persons with disabilities, and youth in national development. With youth comprising nearly 45% of our population, we continue to expand inclusive education and employment opportunities. Scholarships and student loans have been awarded to equip young people with skills aligned with our economy. Regulations were also enacted to promote employment of persons with disabilities. However, rising climate mitigation and adaptation costs place additional pressure on our limited fiscal space, constraining resources available for effecting the realization of the right to development. Against this backdrop, we ask the Special Rapporteur what practical measures can ensure that geographically dispersed and climate-vulnerable communities participate fully, meaningfully in national and international development decisions. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:53:04]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.


State of Palestine [2:53:09]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The State of Palestine thanks the Special Rapporteur for his reports. We fully support his call for states, institutions, and companies to embrace active, free, and meaningful participation throughout the life cycle of development, and for global governance institutions to be reformed to end structural exclusion rooted in the colonial past. Yet for the Palestinian people, the right to development remains not merely under-realized, but systematically obliterated. Genocide, illegal occupation, and illegal blockade, and the mass incarceration of Palestinians have entrenched what the Special Rapporteur and fellow mandate holders have themselves described as an apocalyptic reality. It is a reality built on the deliberate dehumanization and de-development of an entire people. Further, we reiterate that the future of Palestine must be in the hands of the Palestinian people not imposed by outsiders. Failing this, there can be no participatory, people-centered, sustainable, or inclusive development. Turning to the Germany report, we fully endorse the Special Rapporteur's recommendation that Germany ensure peaceful protesters, including those protesting against attacks in Gaza, do not face unreasonable restrictions, aggressive policing, or physical violence. We also endorse his call for an unconditional apology and genuine reparations, not mere development aid, for the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama people. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:54:38]:

Thank you very much. I call upon the Spanish representative of Cuba.


Cuba [2:54:46]:

Vice President, Cuba agrees with the Special Rapporteur on the need to promote free and meaningful participation of people and communities in decision-making processes which have a bearing on their development. The declaration on the right to development in article 2.1 clearly sets out that the human person is the key subject of development and must be the active participant and beneficiary of that right. It is vital to ensure the appropriate conditions so that this participation does not reproduce the persistent inequalities in the current international system. attributes sustainable development based on persons. Cuba agrees that it is vital to carry out a comprehensive and in-depth reform of institutions such as the Security Council, the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO, which do not promote development on an equal footing of all States. There should also be elimination of all UCMs, as well as any other form of coercion. These measures, in and of themselves, are a barrier to the participation in development processes and distribution of their benefits. We are grateful to the Special Rapporteur for his complaint of the devastating impacts of the hostile policy of the United States on the human rights of the Cuban people, in particular the blockade of fuel, which the mandate holder has described as an example of energy efficiency. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [2:56:18]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished

representative of the Lebanon.


Lebanon [2:56:26]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and we welcome his reaffirmation on the importance of active, free, meaningful participation as a key element of the right to development. We concur with the Special Rapporteur that participation must go beyond mere consultation. It must provide persons and communities a genuine opportunity to contribute effectively in designing development priorities, policies, and projects throughout the development cycle. This requires the provision of accurate and accessible information, more transparency, and a suitable civic space, as well as giving greater and special importance to women, youth, and persons in vulnerability or that are excluded. This acquires special importance in the context of armed conflict or instability, as the one that Lebanon is facing today, because peace, security, and stability are critical factors to preserve the gains of development, whereas the decisions on reconstruction, recovery, and peacebuilding can have lasting effects on the affected communities. The most affected people must have a meaningful voice in designing priorities as well as perspectives for the future. This is why we welcome the guidance on the possibility of participation in peacebuilding post-conflict. We ask the Special Rapporteur, what are some of the best ways to ensure the participation of affected communities in a meaningful way in designing the priorities of recovery, reconstruction, and peacebuilding?


HRC · Vice-President [2:58:00]:

Thank you very much. That was the last speaker that we were able to accommodate during this debate. We will now move to the list of national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. I give the floor to China Foundation for Human Rights Development, a video statement.


China Foundation for Human Rights Development [2:58:19]:

My name is Bochao Yang, and I speak on behalf of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development. The right to development is an inalienable human right and an essential foundation for the full realization of all human rights.

I would like to recall

the Special Rapporteur's emphasis that development is not only about outcomes but also about processes, and that individuals and peoples should be able to participate actively, freely and meaningfully in decisions affecting their development. The international community should uphold genuine multilateralism, place development high on the international agenda, and strengthen North-South cooperation, South-South cooperation, and triangular cooperation. Particular attention should be given to technology transfer, capacity building, and equitable access to digital opportunities. China has actively promoted international cooperation on artificial intelligence and digital capacity building, helping developing countries strengthen their ability to participate in and benefit from digital transformation. At the same time, we are concerned that some countries continue to impose technology restrictions, digital barriers, and discriminatory measures. Such practices risk widening the digital divide and depriving developing countries of legitimate development opportunities. Digital technologies should serve common development rather than become tools for maintaining technological monopolies or creating new inequalities.

Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:59:46]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to CNIE video.


CNIE [2:59:51]:

Dear participants, I'm Ding Yue from China Fisheries Association, member of CNIE. CFA was founded in 1954, covers the whole fisheries industry chain, safeguarding the rights and interests of fishermen. In recent years, marine plastic pollution has become a new challenge around the world. China has carried out substantial work to purify marine environment. Firstly, strengthening public awareness and education, launching the fishing net free initiative. Secondly, conducting practice on the recycling and reuse of discarded fishing gear. Thirdly, strengthening the infrastructure of fishing vessels and the ports, and improving the recycling system for discarded fishing gear. Although China has carried out many useful practice, we also face certain difficulties and challenges. Plastic pollution governance requires substantial capacity building support. The recovery of discarded fishing gear is difficult and costly, while the level of recycling technology is low and efficiency is poor. We call upon all countries and the relevant parties to share technologies and experience in marine plastic pollution governance. provide a fertile ground for fish and better conditions for fishermen so that to enjoy their rights to survive and develop. We call upon our countries and the relevant parties to actively respond to the call of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, leaving no one behind.


HRC · Vice-President [3:01:21]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Franciscans International.


Franciscans International [3:01:26]:

Mr. President, we support the conclusion of the Special Rapporteur with regard to a community's right to say no and withdraw consent from development projects. The report notes that communities should be at the forefront in conceiving and designing development projects, including those related to just transition. While we hope that critical minerals will ensure the right to development and lead to a just transition, where communities themselves not only consent to project, but equitably benefit from them. We are deeply concerned that critical mineral will be primarily used for developing artificial intelligence, deepening the military industrial complex and toward false solution for climate change. how many critical mineral agreements have ensured that communities impacted by extraction have actively, freely, and meaningfully participated in discussions leading to the signing of state agreements. We note the Special Rapporteur's mention of corporate capture, corruption, and business abuse. Next month, we will address states for the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Working Group toward a legally binding instrument on business and human rights. The proposed LBI aim and scope relate directly to the concern raised by the Special Rapporteur. We will call on our state in the process in good faith and ensure that the next LBI draft is robust, protect both people and the planet, and ensure continuity.


HRC · Vice-President [3:02:59]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Chunhui Children's Foundation intervention by video.


Chunhui Children's Foundation [3:03:05]:

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child confirms the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness.

And the rehabilitation of health. Chunhui Care Home partners with welfare institutions in China to bring infants and toddlers born with life-threatening diseases.

And defects to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for the best medical treatment available. Working with the institutions.

And China's top hospitals, CCH covers all areas of the children's medical treatment, including hospital register, physical checkup, hospitalization, surgery, pre and post-surgical care and discharge. The program serves more than 200 children fighting for their lives each year.

We train full-time loving Jomei Mamas to patiently provide the best follow-up care and emotional support so the children can recover, return to the institutions, and find a permanent adoptive family at the earliest possible date. As of today, the program has benefited more than 4,800 children.


HRC · Vice-President [3:04:26]:

Thank you very much.

I give the floor for a joint statement to ACPG 23.


APCG 23 [3:04:35]:

Mr. Vice President, the cosigning NGOs and the PG23 take note with appreciation of the report of the Special Rapporteur. Indeed, participation as enshrined in the 1986 UN Declaration is an essential role in realizing the right to development. Development is not merely a measure of economic output or infrastructure growth, it is a comprehensive human centered process aimed at improving the wellbeing of all individuals, true development cannot occur for people without being driven by people. Participation must be grounded in respect, transparency, and genuine empowerment. Too often, communities are consulted only to legitimize predetermined decisions, a practice that turns participation into manipulation. True participation means that people are not passive recipients, but active agents shaping policies and projects that affect their lives. It requires free access to information, inclusive dialogue, and shared decision-making power. The most marginalized peoples and groups should be included in the process. Development imposed without consent violates human dignity and undermines trust. Authentic participation ensures accountability, equity, and sustainability. Communities must have access to information, freedom of expression, and genuine opportunities to influence decisions that affect their lives and environments. When participation is inclusive, especially of women, youth, indigenous people, and persons with disabilities.


HRC · Vice-President [3:06:08]:

Thank you. I give the floor to Right Livelihood Award Foundation.


Right Livelihood Award Foundation [3:06:14]:

Mr. President, Right Livelihood welcomes the Special Rapporteurs and its recognition that the right to development requires active, free and meaningful participation. Participation is not meaningful when communities are consulted only after fundamental decisions have already been made. The experience of Right Livelihood laureates across the world demonstrate what is at stake. In the context of extractive and large-scale development projects, indigenous people and local communities continue to face dispossession from their lands, destruction of livelihoods and ecosystems, forced displacement, and threats to their cultural and spiritual heritage. These are not merely shortcomings in consultation. They represent a fundamental failure to put people at the center of development. States must guarantee meaningful and effective participation through the entire project lifecycle prior and informed consent as required under international human rights law. Companies also have responsibility to respect human rights. Neither state authorization nor investment interest can justify proceeding with projects while serious human rights and environmental impacts remain unaddressed. As the Special Rapporteur rightly emphasizes, communities must be able to shape both the process and its outcome, including the possibility to say no to a proposed project. We therefore ask the Special Rapporteur what recourse is available to communities when states and companies restrict or deny meaningful participation and choose to pursue their own interests despite community opposition, serious human rights concerns and environmental harm. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [3:07:39]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Amnesty International.


Amnesty International [3:07:45]:

Mr. President, Mr. Rapporteur, between 1904 and 1908, German colonial troops systematically executed and starved thousands of Herero and Nama men, women and children in Namibia. Until today, the genocide has caused irreparable damage and transgenerational harm for their descendants. Over 100 years later, the Ovaherero and Nama are still prevented from accessing some of their ancestral land and cultural heritage sites. We welcome the recommendation to Germany to offer an unconditional apology for the genocide against the Ovaherero and Nama peoples and to to return all human remains and artifacts of indigenous peoples displayed in German museums, universities, and private collections as a matter of urgency. Amnesty International shares the Special Rapporteur's concerns that, despite pledging funds for reconstruction and development programs in Namibia, German authorities continue to deny any legal obligation to provide reparations for the colonial crimes committed by German forces. Development aid is not a substitute for full and effective reparation. As several UN experts have warned, development aid risks perpetuating rather than disrupting colonial dynamics. We also echo the Special Rapporteur's concerns regarding the lack of meaningful participation of the Ovaherero and Nama peoples in the negotiations between the governments of Germany and Namibia. There cannot be true justice if those affected are excluded from the talks. The German government must guarantee the full, effective and meaningful participation of affected groups in any reparations negotiations. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [3:09:08]:

Muchas gracias.

I give the floor to the International Movement for Advancement of Education, Culture, Social and Economic Development.


International Movement for Advancement of Education, Culture, Social and Economic Development [3:09:21]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for the reports and welcome this interactive dialogue. As developed economies face labor shortage, skilled workers from developing countries are increasingly recruited to fill essential roles. This mobility can advance the right to development, participation, and shared prosperity. Yet as reports emerge, opaque and lengthy bureaucratic procedures for recognition of academic qualifications, language and integration barriers, and heightened vulnerability to forced labor and labor exploitation continue to undermine the right to development and participation. Addressing these barriers requires strict enforcement of labor protections. At the same time, governments cannot meet these challenges alone. Effective protection of migrant workers depends on strong cooperation between state institutions and civil societies, as NGOs often provide the first safe point of contact for victims. A positive example is Berlin, Germany, where the Landeskriminalamt Berlin works jointly with civil societies, offering counseling for mental health care, recovery of unpaid wages, anonymous accommodation, and specialized support for women affected by abuse. This coordinated model safeguards migrant workers' dignity and enables their meaningful contribution to host economies. Mr. Special Rapporteur, we call on Member States to strengthen rights-based migration governance, enable enhanced participation of civil societies in the migration process. Protecting the rights of migrant workers is not only a legal obligation, but it is a priority.


HRC · Vice-President [3:10:50]:

Thank you. I give the floor to Beijing Guangming Charity Foundation by video.


Beijing Guangming Charity Foundation [3:11:01]:

Distinguished Chair, I come from the Beijing Guangming Charity Foundation. Right now, the global development agenda continues to face challenges of imbalance and inadequacy. The vulnerable groups, in particular children, are often overlooked and marginalized. Children with autism possess unique perceptions, artistic potential, and creative gifts. They equally deserve the right to equal development, free expression, and full participation in social life. Leveraging digital technologies, we have built online platforms for art exhibition and creation. These platforms help children on the autism spectrum step out of isolation, see their talents can be seen, respected and recognized. Advocating inclusion and respect, we call for equal opportunities for them in education, cultural expression and social participation so that the right to development can be generally delivered to every vulnerable child. We call on the international community to pay attention to the right to development of neurodiverse persons, eliminate prejudice and social barriers, foster an inclusive and barrier-free environment, and support them to fully realize their potential and share the fruits of human progress. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [3:12:22]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to African Network for Development, Governance, and Human Rights.


African Network for Development, Governance, and Human Rights [3:12:29]:

Vice President, Special Rapporteur, the right to development is a right. It's not just an economic concept. It's an inherent right linked to human rights. Therefore, we want to share with you the situation of the Sahrawi in the Tindouf camp, who for decades have suffered. Sahrawi have suffered restrictions that impact the economic rights. restrictions on freedom of movement, jobs and integration outside the camp. Moreover, the Algerian authorities refuse the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights access to refugees to do a census. Whereas in the southern provinces of Morocco, we've witnessed a dynamic development process which places man at the heart of public policy, especially since a development model in the southern provinces was established in 2015 with investment of over $8 billion, covering all vital sectors. And this has been confirmed by UN reports. Vice President, we call on this Council to assume its responsibilities, its legal, human responsibilities, with a view to calling on the host state accountability, especially with a view to ensuring the inhabitants at Tindouf camp


HRC · Vice-President [3:14:06]:

The last speaker we can accommodate in this debate. I give the floor now to Mr. Deva for his concluding remarks. You have five minutes and 15 seconds.


UN · Special Rapporteur [3:14:18]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, and I also want to thank all the delegates for their interventions, questions, comments, and appreciations for the report. I think there is a complete consensus in the room about the value addition of this report and the recommendations. I believe delegations found them useful and I remain available to work with all the delegations to implement these recommendations at the national level, international level, at the regional level as well. So I'll be very brief because right to rest and leisure is also a human right under Article 24 of the UDHR. So it's Friday, late in the afternoon. I will club some of the specific questions. So there was a question from Bangladesh as well as a question from Kenya about participation in international institutions. I think the Pact for the Future is very clear that international institutions must be reformed. So we need to build consensus and political will. Collectively, we need to mobilize because if we do not reform the institutions, then There is a real risk that United Nations will be seen as a failure and there will be more and more pressure of creating institutions outside the UN framework, which will be unfortunate in my view. So we should reform international institutions, including World Bank, IMF, WTO, so that they represent the global structure fairly and equally. And that must be happening at an urgent basis in my view. Then, uh, there was a question from Pakistan and Maldives about the voices of communities impacted by climate change and how they can participate in negotiations that are happening, let's say, at COP or, uh, Loss and Damage Fund. And I think here the delegations can use a more dynamic way. They can take video messages, for instance, from capital. If communities cannot participate because of resource limitations and all that, delegations can bring short and sharp video testimonies to these negotiations because they will be very powerful to inform those negotiations, in my view. So that could be a concrete step going forward. I completely agree about the point of technology transfer that was made by several delegations, including South Sudan. And in my report, I highlighted that participation has to be seen at the international level. And ODA is crucial, but also we need technology transfer and other processes where development can be supported. Several delegations, let's say Lebanon, and South Sudan and others drew the connection between peace and development. I would like to remind that I have written another report, which I will present to the Third Committee next month. It is Peace for Development. It is A/81/187. I will encourage delegations that this report encourages that we must move away from funding war economies to contributing to a peace economy. That will mean investing in human rights and sustainable development goals rather than in arms and weapons and conflicts. So hopefully that report will answer some of those questions. Critical minerals agreement, yes, there is hardly any participation of communities and I think that must change. States should ensure that. In terms of access to remedy, I already answered that question that there are various tools, not always effective, but the various tools are available, judicial, non-judicial to to provide some remediation if communities are not consulted. And in fact, there are cases decided by the African court and African commission where the court and commission has highlighted that because of lack of participation, the project approval is vitiated. So I think there are those tools available. Nepal asked question about international support for climate justice, and I should offer my condolences because Nepal experienced very serious tragedy recently, which could be linked to climate change as well, I believe. And I think that's where my report on peace economy becomes crucial. The world spent $2.9 trillion on arms and weapons last year. But when it comes to funding for the loss and damage fund, it is so tiny. So we must use the money for war to peace, development and human rights. And we all of us will be a better place. for the world. Thank you, everyone, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration. Thank you also to the Vice President, as well as to the interpreters for extending beyond 6:00 p.m. Much appreciated.


HRC · Vice-President [3:19:07]:

Thank you. This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue. I thank Mr. Devo for his participation. Excellencies, dear participants, this brings us to the end of this meeting. We will reconvene on Monday at 10 am to hold an interactive dialogue with the expert mechanism on the right to development, followed by an interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Before closing, I want to express my gratitude to the interpreters, the webcast team and the sound engineers for granting us the additional time. With that, the eighth meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council is adjourned. Thank you.