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Article 12: Freedom of movement 1999, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- States parties should provide the Committee in their reports with the relevant domestic legal rules and administrative and judicial practices relating to the rights protected by this article, taking into account the issues discussed in this General Comment. They must also include information on remedies available if these rights are restricted.
- Body
- Human Rights Committee
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 1999
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Comparative study of enabling environments for associations and businesses 2015, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- States often dedicate significant resources to helping their nationals conduct business abroad. For example, the United States Department of State, via its embassies abroad, offers "problem-solving assistance to United States companies" and "dialogue with the United States private sector to ensure that business concerns are factored into foreign policy". The Special Rapporteur is not aware of similar services offered for associational activities. Canada has been criticized by civil society for using its Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development to promote the interests of Canadian companies abroad at the expense of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Mapping and framing security of tenure 2013, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Another issue is the lack of coherence and harmonization among the multiplicity of laws and regulations bearing upon urban security of tenure, leading to legal uncertainty, lack of implementation of key provisions, even unwanted impacts such as evictions. Rights of adverse possession provided for by law might also be limited or denied by subsequent regulations, or in implementation. In addition, even when planning laws provide for the regularization of informal settlements, questions of sustainability relating to the increase of land prices and full availability of services remain.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global migration governance 2013, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- At the same time that bilateral and regional processes may contribute to global migration governance, global governance may also improve regional and bilateral processes if States agree on global standards and practices and bring those to the regional or bilateral level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Human rights of migrants in the post-2015 development agenda 2014, para. 96k
- Paragraph text
- [Indicators for such a target should include:] Adoption and implementation of regional free movement agreements and/or labour mobility schemes;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- The Uruguay round of negotiations (1986-1994) ambitiously sought to expand the competence of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade into new areas, such as trade in services, capital, intellectual property, textiles and agriculture, but focused almost exclusively on persons linked to a commercial presence (intra-corporate transferees) and high-skilled labour. Limited mention of labour in the multilateral system occurs in the General Agreement on Trade in Services, mode IV, specifically article I:2 (d), which covers the mobility of "natural persons who are service suppliers of a Member, and natural persons of a Member who are employed by a service supplier of a Member, in respect of the supply of a service". According to the annex on movement of natural persons supplying services under the Agreement, mode IV does not concern itself with individuals seeking access to the employment market in the destination country, nor does it affect processes regarding citizenship, residence or employment on a permanent basis.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- With a few languages dominating the online environment, language barriers can also be a further impediment to access online content. However, the Special Rapporteur notes the increasing number of sophisticated online translation services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global migration governance 2013, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- While other regions have already implemented, to varying degrees, free movement zones, the European Union's free movement for citizens of European Union member States can serve as an illustrative example for other regional organizations in terms of exploring how to enhance free movement within their region.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Recruitment practices and the human rights of migrants 2015, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Countries of origin can add to their nationals' difficulties as missions may show reluctance to support their pursuing judicial remedies, so as not to impact their competitiveness on the international labour recruitment market.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Private and independent adoptions are initiated and processed without the oversight of competent authorities, and therefore often involve illicit practices. They are incompatible with the 1993 Hague Convention. Many such adoptions, however, occur in countries of origin that are not parties to the Convention, where procedures and systems may fall below international standards. Some receiving States also permit private and independent adoptions when they are carried out from countries of origin that are not parties to the Convention. This may spur those determined to adopt at any cost to turn to non-States parties to the Convention.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Overview of main observations of five years fact-finding and research 2010, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- The principle of non-refoulement is an important principle codified in several international instruments, considered part of international customary law and reflected in international jurisprudence prohibiting the return or extradition of a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would face the risk of being tortured. States are thus not only prohibited from subjecting persons to torture but also from sending them to States where they face that risk, or through indirect or "chain" refoulement. The sending State is therefore responsible for undertaking a proper risk assessment of the situation in the receiving State.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Prevention of trafficking in persons 2010, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- While these standards do not specifically refer to trafficking in persons, businesses cannot shy away from this issue. Businesses are a significant part of the human trafficking chain, as they could be directly linked to it through the recruitment, transport or receipt of workers for purposes of exploitation. They can also be indirectly associated with trafficking through the actions of others, such as suppliers, subcontractors, business partners, labour brokers or private employment agencies. The active participation of businesses in the fight against trafficking has a number of advantages. To the extent that human trafficking involves many stakeholders and cannot be addressed by a single one of them, the participation of businesses will enhance partnerships and cooperation among all concerned. Such partnerships can, in turn, facilitate the mobilization of resources. Taking part in preventing trafficking is also beneficial for businesses, as it promotes a better corporate image and demonstrates leadership in the area of corporate social responsibility.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional and subregional cooperation in promoting a human rights-based approach to combatting trafficking in persons 2010, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- ECOWAS and ECCAS decided to combine their efforts and, in July 2006, adopted a joint biregional plan of action for the period 2006-2008, together with a resolution and a multilateral cooperation agreement. This biregional plan of action reaffirms the ECOWAS Initial Plan of Action and extends efforts to combat trafficking into the Central African region. It emphasizes that member States should ensure the ratification and implementation of relevant international instruments, and sets out seven strategies in the following priority areas: legal framework and policy development; victim assistance and protection; prevention and awareness-raising; collection and analysis of information; training and specialized capacity-building; travel and identity documents; monitoring and evaluation of implementation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional and subregional cooperation in promoting a human rights-based approach to combatting trafficking in persons 2010, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- In the Mekong region, six Governments (Cambodia, China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam) established the COMMIT Process in 2004. The COMMIT Subregional Plan of Action for 2008-2010 contains eight key activities: Training and Capacity Building; National Plans of Action; Multilateral and Bilateral Partnerships; Legal Frameworks, Law Enforcement, and Justice; Victim Identification, Protection, Recovery and Reintegration; Preventive Measures; Cooperation with the Tourism Sector; and Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation. Activities are being implemented in partnership between relevant government departments and non-government entities, whether United Nations agencies or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP), which was established in 2000 with a mandate to facilitate a stronger and more coordinated response to trafficking in persons in the Mekong region and beyond, acts as secretariat to COMMIT.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional and subregional cooperation in promoting a human rights-based approach to combatting trafficking in persons 2010, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- Regional mechanisms have a key role in facilitating the development and strengthening of bilateral cooperation mechanisms between countries of the same region. In this regard, ASEAN has facilitated the conclusion of bilateral meetings to combat trafficking between countries, in particular between Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic and between Cambodia and Viet Nam. COMMIT, when assisting countries in the development of bilateral mechanisms on human trafficking, particularly insists on the inclusion of effective implementation and monitoring mechanisms, and follows up with the organization of regional seminars to that effect. It also insists on the importance of integrating the agreement into governmental mandates and budgets.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional and subregional cooperation in promoting a human rights-based approach to combatting trafficking in persons 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Similarly, the EU Action Oriented Paper provides that, in response to a new trend or pattern, for instance a noticeable increase in the number of victims of trafficking from a similar area or travelling route, it may deem it necessary to develop a joint effort in partnership with a third country, region or organization. For this purpose, Swift Action Teams (SATs) may be established, composed of experts from Europol and Frontex. A SAT can be deployed to support a specific third country, region or international organization, for example to assist third countries in identifying victims of trafficking at airports before they board and providing training on the identification of victims and forged identity papers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to an effective remedy for trafficked persons 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The draft basic principles are based on existing international human rights law and standards and do not represent new norms of human rights. They are designed to bring clarity to the concept of the right to an effective remedy and to elaborate specific factors to be taken into account when this right is applied to trafficked persons. For example, the draft basic principles explicitly spell out that States have obligations to ensure that adequate procedures are in place to enable quick and accurate identification and that trafficked persons are not subjected to discriminatory treatment in law or in practice, as these are preconditions in exercising the right to an effective remedy in the context of trafficked persons. Further, reflecting the complex nature of the crime of trafficking, the draft basic principles specify that restitution may require States to provide trafficked persons with temporary or permanent residence status where a safe return to the country of origin cannot be guaranteed or is otherwise not in the best interest of the trafficked person. With respect to recovery, the draft basic principles provide that States shall ensure that trafficked persons' access to assistance and other benefits are not dependent on their cooperation in legal proceedings, as this is a common obstacle for trafficked persons in accessing such assistance and other benefits. Lastly, the draft basic principles provide that States have a duty to ensure that trafficked persons are allowed to lawfully remain in the country in which the remedy is being sought for the duration of any proceedings, having regard to the fact that trafficked persons are often treated as irregular migrants subject to detention and deportation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- The restricted scope of the present report is a reflection of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. It also reflects an appreciation of human exploitation for the purposes of organ transplantation, primarily from living sources, as a discrete problem that requires specific solutions. It is important, however, to acknowledge that this issue cannot be fully separated from broader questions around transplantation, including those relating to equitable allocation of organs and approaches to dealing with organ shortages. The exploitation of human beings for purposes of organ transplantation is also linked to other commodification practices, such as transnational commercial surrogacy, which hold special dangers for the rights and dignity of the world's poorest and most vulnerable, and to broader questions of justice and rights that arise in the context of medical tourism.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- The following case study summaries provide some indication of the nature of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs and of the many countries that may be involved.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- With a few exceptions, regional intergovernmental responses to trafficking in persons for the removal of organs have been limited to the European system. Those responses have generally been on two tracks that mirror developments elsewhere: responses that have focused on trafficking in organs and responses that have included organ removal within definitions and instruments dealing with trafficking in persons. In relation to the second category, it should be noted that the major specialist instruments dealing with trafficking in persons within Europe (the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA) both include organ removal as a form of trafficking-related exploitation. In relation to the first category, the Council of Europe has been especially active. The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine articulated many of the principles affirmed in other instruments, including, in article 21, that "the human body and its parts shall not, as such, give rise to financial gain". An additional protocol to the Convention concerning transplantation of organs and tissues of human origin, adopted in 2001, extended its provisions to many issues associated with organ and tissue transplantation, including a prohibition on the (undefined) practice of organ trafficking. It has been noted that the practice infringes human rights, exploits vulnerable persons and undermines public trust in the transplant system. Consideration of this issue was extended in 2003 when the Parliamentary Assembly issued a recommendation on trafficking in organs in Europe.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Prohibition of trafficking in persons for removal of organs. States parties to the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, of which there are currently 157, are required to criminalize trafficking of persons for a range of purposes, including for organ removal. Most countries have enacted such laws, but not all have included trafficking in persons for the removal of organs within their scope. It is relevant to note that, within national legislation, the offence of trafficking in persons often has a broad jurisdictional basis that enables prosecution for offences occurring outside the country involving a citizen as either a victim or a perpetrator, thereby opening up a potential avenue to prohibit and prosecute practices relating to transplant tourism. The offence may bring such practices within the operation of other national laws, such as those relating to transnational organized crime, corruption and money laundering. Conduct relating to trafficking in persons for the removal of organs may also be subject to prosecution through the application of criminal laws dealing with matters such as assault, fraud and falsification of identity or travel documentation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- Outside of the rules and standards that apply to trafficking in persons, the international legal framework around many of the practices examined herein is extremely weak. For example, as shown above, there is no clear international prohibition against transplant tourism and very few States have succeeded in legislating effectively in the area. Commercialization of transplantation is subject to strong censure by WHO and professional groups and has been banned by many countries, but international law is silent on this issue. This lacuna creates gaps and weaknesses that prevent strong national responses, inhibit cross-border and international cooperation and obscure the very real human rights issues that lie at the heart of transplantation-related exploitation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- This is confirmed by many of the case studies examined by the Special Rapporteur that meet the following three elements of the crime and human rights violation of trafficking in persons: the act (individuals were recruited, harboured and/or received, often also transported and transferred); the means (the acts were secured through fraud (relating to payment, effects, follow-up care, etc.), sometimes also through force and coercion, often through abuse of a position of vulnerability); and the purpose (the acts were undertaken for purposes of exploitation by removal of an organ). It is certainly possible that some of the cases may fall within the various non-legal and non-binding conceptions of trafficking in organs. There can be no doubt, however, that they are, first and foremost, situations of trafficking in persons. Critically, provided that one or more of the means are established, whether victims have consented to the procedure or have received payment for undergoing the procedure is irrelevant.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- As has been noted previously, characterizing practices such as organ commercialization or transplant tourism as trafficking in persons for the removal of organs has a substantial effect on the nature of State obligations and on individual rights that arise as a result of those obligations. For example, States parties to the Trafficking in Persons Protocol are, pursuant to article 5, under a clear international legal obligation to criminalize trafficking in persons for the purpose of removal of organs as well as attempting, participating in, organizing and directing other persons in the commission of trafficking in persons for the purpose of removal of organs. They are also required to establish liability in respect of both natural persons and legal persons, thereby extending the reach of criminal and civil law to the medical and other establishments that are so often involved in trafficking in persons for the removal of organs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The issue of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs 2013, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- The broader legal framework around trafficking in persons includes international human rights law. The importance of a rights-based and victim-centred approach to trafficking in persons has been well established and the parameters of such a response have been fleshed out in detail in the reports of the Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly (see A/65/288 and A/HRC/20/18) and in the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking (E/2002/68/Add.1). Very little attention has been paid, however, to how such a response would be developed and applied in the context of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs. In general, it appears that the procedures and approaches developed to date do not take full account of the particularities of trafficking in persons for the removal of organs, including the needs of victims. This state of affairs has contributed to marginalization of victims and their rights, including within broader policy discussions around transplantation and transplantation-related exploitation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Integration of a human rights-based approach in measures to discourage the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, especially women and children, and which leads to human trafficking 2013, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- As stated in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, factors that make people vulnerable to trafficking and demand must be addressed in the strategies to prevent trafficking. This is further reinforced by the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking. Principles 4 and 5 and guideline 7 provide that strategies to prevent trafficking shall address demand as a root cause and States shall ensure that their interventions address the factors that increase vulnerability to trafficking, including inequality, poverty and all forms of discrimination. States may be held legally responsible for their failure to take adequate measures to prevent trafficking in persons, including measures to discourage demand. States in which exploitation of persons occurs or is alleged to occur have a particular responsibility to take action to discourage demand.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Stocktaking exercise on the work of the mandate on its tenth Anniversary 2014, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- The participatory and collaborative methodology adopted by the mandate holders has enabled them to benefit from engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including international, regional and subregional bodies working on trafficking issues; the private sector; and persons and institutions with particular expertise, such as the medical and transplant communities. Greater visibility of the mandate, through cooperation and partnership with States and stakeholders, was further identified by a number of States and stakeholders as an element which enables the mandate holder to fulfil the role of the moral voice for trafficking in persons in an independent manner. Interaction with victims of trafficking has also been critical, drawing from real experiences and ensuring that the measures taken to address trafficking benefit those in need; that unintended harmful consequences are anticipated and avoided; and that opportunities for change and improvement are identified in a timely way.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The first decade of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children 2014, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- During the first decade of the mandate, the mandate holders have consistently sought to identify those factors that contribute to increasing the vulnerability to trafficking of an individual or a group. The work of the mandate has revealed consistency across all regions and all manifestations of trafficking with regard to the factors that include human rights violations associated with (a) poverty and inequality, (b) migration and (c) discrimination, including through gender-based violence. Critically, there is almost never a single root cause; as the Special Rapporteur has noted, "it is the combination of multiple factors that may place certain individuals at a higher risk of being trafficked" (A/65/288, para. 26). The Special Rapporteur has maintained throughout that States have a legal obligation to work to prevent trafficking by addressing vulnerability. That obligation is part of international treaty law and has been regularly affirmed by the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, as well as by the human rights treaty bodies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The first decade of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children 2014, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Public awareness. Awareness-raising campaigns can be an important method of prevention on two levels: first, by working with at-risk communities to warn them of the dangers of trafficking and second, by sensitizing the public in countries of destination to the plight of trafficked persons and informing them about their in role in prevention. However, the Special Rapporteur has noted that public awareness campaigns are sometimes crude in conception and execution, employing sensationalist scare tactics or designed simply to stop people from moving. There has also been very little critical examination of the effect of such campaigns, including the unintended negative effects that have been anecdotally noted by the Special Rapporteur in the course of her work, pointing to a need for all countries to monitor and regularly evaluate the impact of their prevention efforts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Due diligence and trafficking in persons 2015, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- Human rights due diligence on trafficking is also relevant in the activities of non-State actors, such as business enterprises, trade unions and employer organizations. As with all other non-State actors, States have an obligation to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and punish trafficking through their laws and policies toward business entities. This includes, for example, general rules requiring that businesses respect human rights and mandating that they undertake some form of human rights due diligence, as well as specific conditions on how States will conduct commercial transactions with business enterprises, including in their public procurement activities (e.g., by including a zero tolerance policy towards trafficking in contractual clauses and more generally revising public procurement procedures to prevent abusive and fraudulent recruitment). Other good practices include that in Brazil, where the Government "maintains public records of individuals and corporations identified by labour inspectors to be using or to have used slave labour", who then subsequently "face financial sanctions, including fines and denial of national subsidies, tax exemptions and loans from State banks." Disclosure requirements in domestic legislation that mandate companies to make their anti-trafficking policy, if they have one, transparent, is a recent form of State practice that could be strengthened by mandating that companies have such anti-trafficking policies in place and report on their implementation. Recruitment agency licensing to regulate recruitment practices and to require that workers are not charged recruitment fees can be a particularly effective form of State practice to reduce the vulnerability of migrants to trafficking. For example, "some countries in the Americas, including Peru, have explicitly prohibited recruitment agencies from engaging in trafficking and from charging workers any recruitment fees". Additionally, Indonesia and Nepal, "alongside a licensing process, there is a system by which workers can report abuses committed by recruitment agencies to the government."
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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