UN Human Rights Council 60: UK Core Group Statement to introduce Item 3 Resolution on Slavery and Trafficking

Thank you, Mr President.

I am honoured to present draft resolution L.8 on behalf of the core group consisting of Argentina, Australia, Germany, Jordan, the Philippines and my country, the United Kingdom.

An estimated 50 million people globally are living in modern slavery of which 27.6 million people are in situations of forced labour. Yet this is likely only the tip of the iceberg, with abuses hidden and underreported. The challenge before us is both stark and urgent.

Mr President,

This draft resolution is not only a response to this challenge but a landmark achievement in this Council's history. It merges the roles of two existing Special Rapporteurs into a single, unified mandate.

This marks a significant step toward strengthening the Council's response to the overlapping yet distinct challenges of slavery and trafficking and sets a valuable precedent for how it can evolve to meet today's realities in a more efficient manner. We thank OHCHR for their support in implementing concrete efficiency gains.

We sincerely thank outgoing Special Rapporteur, Professor Obokata whose tremendous expertise and work have been instrumental in informing our global response to slavery.

I would now like to hand over to my esteemed colleague, Ambassador Sorreta of the Philippines.