HRC51 - NB8 statement - SR on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences

Human Rights Council – 51st session

Item 3 - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences

Nordic – Baltic Statement, delivered by Norway

15 September 2022

Mr President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and my own country Norway.

We welcome the report from the Special Rapporteur focusing on contemporary forms of slavery particularly affecting persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. Persons belonging to minority groups are in some countries still suffering from deep-rooted intersecting discrimination. In some cases, the discrimination is State-sponsored and institutionalized in the national legislation.

We are deeply concerned about the continued existence of different forms of contemporary forms of slavery, such as chattel slavery, forced and bonded labour, child labour, child and forced marriage, domestic servitude and sexual slavery in all regions of the world. Several of these are linked to discrimination based on gender and descent. Migrant workers globally face a disproportionate risk of being subjected to forced labour.

Mr. Special Rapporteur, in your report you also outline some positive developments in protecting minorities from contemporary forms of slavery, highlighting new legislative measures and requirements of human rights due diligence in supply chains. We would like to ask you to further explore what have been the driving forces for the positive changes that have taken place in certain countries?