A/HRC/33/46
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
4 July 2016
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-third session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of
slavery, including its causes and consequences
Note by the Secretariat
The Secretariat has the honour to transmit the report of the Special Rapporteur on
contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, prepared pursuant to
Human Rights Council resolution 24/3. In the report, the Special Rapporteur investigates
the issue of debt bondage as a key form of contemporary slavery across the world. She
outlines the legal definition of debt bondage, before discussing trends in prevalence within
different regions. She then goes on to discuss the key drivers of debt bondage and
challenges in eradicating it. Finally, the Special Rapporteur outlines her vision for an
integrated, human rights-based approach to the full eradication and prevention of debt
bondage and develops recommendations for Member States on the implementation of such
an approach.
GE.16-11363 (E)
180716