RES/6/14 Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery

Human Rights Council

Resolution 6/14. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that no

one shall be held in slavery or servitude and that slavery and the slave trade shall be

prohibited in all their forms,

Recognizing the Slavery Convention of 1926, the Supplementary Convention

on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to

Slavery of 1956 and International Labour Organization Convention No. 29 on Forced

Labour of 1930, as well as other relevant international instruments which prohibit all

forms of slavery and call on Governments to eradicate such practices,

Recalling that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action strongly

condemned the fact that slavery and slavery-like practices still exist today in parts of

the world and urged States to take immediate measures as a matter of priority to end

such practices, which constitute flagrant violations of human rights,

Acknowledging that contemporary forms of slavery is a global issue which

affects all continents and most countries of the world,

Deeply concerned that the minimum estimate of the number of people in

slavery is over 12 million and that the problem appears to be increasing,

Recognizing that broad international cooperation among States, as well as

between States and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations is

essential for effectively countering contemporary forms of slavery,

Taking note with great appreciation of the work, reports and recommendations

of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery of the former Sub-

Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, since its

establishment in 1975,

Considering the proposals to replace the Working Group on Contemporary

Forms of Slavery with a Special Rapporteur as a mechanism for better addressing the

issue of contemporary forms of slavery within the United Nations system which were

made in May 1998 in a review of the implementation of the conventions on slavery

for the twenty-fourth session of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of

Slavery; in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’

report “Abolishing slavery and its contemporary forms, 2002” (HR/PUB/02/4); and in

the recommendations of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery itself

at its thirty-first session in 2006,

Recalling Human Rights Council decision 5/1 “Institution-building of the

United Nations Human Rights Council” of 18 June 2007 and its annex, which stated

that the Council would decide at its sixth session on the most appropriate mechanisms

to continue the work of the Working Groups on Indigenous Populations, on

Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Minorities, , as well as Human Rights Council

resolution 5/2 “Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-holders of the

Human Rights Council” of 18 June 2007 and stressing that the mandate-holder shall

discharge his/her duties in accordance with these resolutions and their annexes,

Bearing in mind that 2007 marks the two hundredth anniversary of the

beginning of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade,

Convinced that the mandates of existing Special Rapporteurs do not

adequately cover all slavery practices, and that the issue of contemporary forms of

slavery needs to be given greater prominence and priority within the United Nations

system if these practices are to be eradicated once and for all,

1. Decides to appoint, for a three-year period, a Special Rapporteur on

contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and its consequences, to replace

the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery;

2. Decides that the Special Rapporteur shall examine and report on all

contemporary forms of slavery and slavery-like practices, but in particular those

defined in the Slavery Convention of 1926, and the Supplementary Convention on the

Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery

of 1956, as well as all other issues covered by the Working Group on Contemporary

Forms of Slavery including forced prostitution and its human rights dimensions; in

the discharge of his/her mandate, the Special Rapporteur will:

(a) Focus principally on aspects of contemporary forms of slavery which

are not covered by existing mandates of the Human Rights Council;

(b) Promote the effective application of relevant international norms and

standards on slavery;

(c) Request, receive and exchange information on contemporary forms of

slavery from Governments, treaty bodies, special procedures, specialized agencies,

intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations and other

relevant sources, including on slavery practices and, as appropriate, and in line with

the current practice, respond effectively to reliable information on alleged human

rights violations with a view to protecting the human rights of victims of slavery and

preventing violations;

(d) Recommend actions and measures applicable at the national, regional

and international levels to eliminate slavery practices wherever they occur, including

remedies which address the causes and consequences of contemporary forms of

slavery, such as poverty, discrimination and conflict as well as the existence of

demand factors and relevant measures to strengthen international cooperation;

3. Requests the Special Rapporteur, in carrying out his/her mandate:

(a) To give careful consideration to specific issues within the scope of the

mandate and to include examples of effective practices as well as relevant

recommendations;

(b) To take account of the gender and age dimensions of contemporary

forms of slavery;

4. Calls upon all Governments to cooperate with and assist the Special

Rapporteur in the performance of the tasks and duties mandated, to supply all

necessary information requested by him/her and to give serious consideration to

responding favourably to the Special Rapporteur’s requests to visit their countries, so

as to enable him/her to fulfil his/her mandate effectively;

5. Encourages the United Nations, including its specialized agencies,

regional intergovernmental organizations, Governments, independent experts,

interested institutions, and non-governmental organizations to cooperate to the fullest

extent possible with the Special Rapporteur in the fulfilment of his/her mandate;

6. Requests the Special Rapporteur to cooperate fully and effectively with

other existing human rights mechanisms and treaty bodies, including, but not limited

to, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children,

the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child

pornography, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial

discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Special Rapporteur on

violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Representative of

the Secretary-General on children in armed conflict, and the Special Rapporteur on

the human rights of migrants as well as the Board of Trustees for the United Nations

Voluntary Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, taking full account of their

contribution while avoiding duplication of their work;

7. Also requests the Special Rapporteur to submit annual reports on the

activities of the mandate to the Human Rights Council together with

recommendations on measures that should be taken to combat and eradicate

contemporary forms of slavery and slavery-like practices and to protect the human

rights of victims of such practices;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to give the Special Rapporteur all

necessary human and financial assistance for the effective fulfilment of his/her

mandate.

[Adopted without a vote] 21st meeting

28 September 2007

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