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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
Paragraph
Strengthening voluntary standards for businesses on preventing and combating trafficking in persons and labour exploitation, especially in supply chains 2017, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Corporate codes of conduct and the voluntary standards set by multi-stakeholder initiatives and industry coalitions typically include a reference to trafficking in persons or forced labour. The trafficking in persons, or forced labour, standard is normally based on international human rights instruments and labour standards. However, the reference is often limited to a mere prohibition of the use of forced labour or trafficking in persons and is not further developed into specific indicators to help identify risk practices and define what forced labour or trafficking in persons may look like in practice.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Strengthening voluntary standards for businesses on preventing and combating trafficking in persons and labour exploitation, especially in supply chains 2017, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- In 2012, an executive order aimed at strengthening protections against trafficking in persons in federal contracts was signed in the United States. The new amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation include further due diligence measures in respect of contractors and address key risk indicators, such as the use of unethical recruitment practices, in particular by prohibiting contractors from charging recruitment fees to workers and from denying employees access to their personal documents.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Strengthening voluntary standards for businesses on preventing and combating trafficking in persons and labour exploitation, especially in supply chains 2017, para. 61g
- Paragraph text
- [Participants identified several other actions and interventions, listed below, which have also helped the Special Rapporteur define areas for further engagement and work under the mandate in strengthening the strategies implemented by multi-stakeholder initiatives and industry coalitions to detect and tackle trafficking in persons:] New and better data on the risks of forced labour and trafficking in supply chains, disaggregated by region, sector and industry, is needed. Companies and auditors should be encouraged to share anonymized data from audit results;
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 43 (Goal 8.)
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes the following goals:] Goal 8. Increase the collection and analysis of disaggregated data on migration and mobility
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- In order to respond to the complexity of human mobility, as explained above, States are required to develop a long-term strategic vision of what their mobility policies will look like in a generation from now, with precise timelines and accountability benchmarks. Such a long-term vision is similar to the strategic planning of States for policies on energy, environment, trade, food security, public transit, infrastructure and industries, in order to determine the investments needed to achieve the objectives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur envisions an agenda that, building on target 10.7, outlines how human mobility can be facilitated effectively and underlines the importance of taking a long-term strategic approach to developing more accessible, regular, safe and affordable mobility policies and practices that will place States in a better position to respond to the significant demographic, economic, social, political and cultural challenges that lie ahead.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Although some bilateral agreements have been signed between countries of origin that are not parties to the 1993 Hague Convention and receiving countries, they often do not meet the standards of the Convention and delay accession to it by non-States parties. Moreover, the existence of such agreements increases the risk of undue pressure from the receiving country on the country of origin to ensure that intercountry adoptions occur regardless of the actual need.
- 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
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- States have adopted various measures to regulate and control adoption processes with the aim of preventing and addressing illegal acts and illicit practices. Most of the measures covered in the present section apply to intercountry adoptions and reflect the efforts of both countries of origin and receiving countries to tackle the numerous illegal acts and illicit practices affecting such adoptions.
- 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
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Central authorities in receiving countries have sometimes strengthened efforts to conclude adoptions from countries of origin that are not parties to the 1993 Hague Convention, where regulations and procedures may be less strict. That approach involves major increases in intercountry adoptions from the countries concerned until it is deemed necessary to take measures to address the illicit practices that stem from it.
- 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
- Harmful Practices
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 38b
- Paragraph text
- [Such facilitated mobility would have obvious advantages, including the fact that it would:] Enable all security checks by intelligence agencies to be made in a timely manner and mostly in the destination country;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- The undue payment of intermediaries both in the context of domestic and intercountry adoptions is a major issue, as shown in the country profiles maintained by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the United States Department of State, which describe the practice of unofficially expediting the transfer of money or unexpected fees, as well as donations, to several countries of origin.
- 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
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- Mobility and diversity are already and will increasingly be the hallmark of contemporary societies, especially in dynamic urban areas which welcome most of the world’s migration. Often at opposite ends of the social spectrum, the arts community and the business community know that diversity and mobility contribute to the dissemination of creativity, innovation, ideas and know-how and to wealth production.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Such systemic issues create an environment that enables illegal adoptions and that Governments, both in countries of origin and in receiving countries, are allowing or promoting through laws and policies, often taking advantage of them.
- 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
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. 43 (Goal 3.)
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes the following goals:] Goal 3. Ensure respect for human rights at border controls, including return, readmission and post-return monitoring, and establish accountability mechanisms
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Strengthening voluntary standards for businesses on preventing and combating trafficking in persons and labour exploitation, especially in supply chains 2017, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- Unfortunately, the regulation of labour recruiters and elimination of unethical recruitment practices are far from homogenous at a global scale and the level of ratification of the ILO Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181) is low. Some national jurisdictions do not regulate the activities of labour recruiters, allowing a flourishing “informalization” of the industry and permitting practices such as the payment of recruitment fees by jobseekers. Furthermore, in some jurisdictions, workers contracted through employment agencies are not offered the same level of social protection as direct employees, creating a second class of workers and exacerbating the potential negative impact of the lack of regularization of this sector.
- 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
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- In 2008, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking convened a workshop on human trafficking for the removal of organs and body parts, at which it was stressed that the Protocol does not take trafficking in human organs into full consideration: it addresses trafficking in organs only for the purpose of organ removal. It does not cover the transfer of organs (for profit) alone, a situation that is analogous to the trafficking of body parts of persons with albinism.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- The existence of intercountry adoptions from countries of origin that are not party to the 1993 Hague Convention is linked to a higher risk of illegal adoptions. Some major States of origin, such as Ethiopia, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, are not yet party to the Convention, which means that many intercountry adoptions do not benefit from its guarantees and safeguards. States parties to the Convention, in their relations with non-contracting States, are expected to apply as far as practicable the standards and safeguards of 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
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Trafficking in persons in conflict and post-conflict situations 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- The international legal framework around trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations is a composite one that draws on multiple branches of law, including transnational criminal law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, refugee law and human rights law. In some cases, common and overlapping rules operate to ensure that certain protections (e.g., against slavery and forced labour) are applicable in all situations, including international and non-international armed conflict. In other cases, particular rules and protections will apply depending on the nature of the situation under consideration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Trafficking in persons in conflict and post-conflict situations 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Other accepted sources of international law, such as State practice, custom and the decisions of international tribunals, can also be relevant when determining exactly what is required of States with respect to their response to trafficking in situations of conflict. In relation to custom, for example, the prohibition on slavery is recognized to be a part of customary international law, binding on all States irrespective of whether they have actually become party to one or more treaties that specifically prohibit slavery in all situations, including in conflict. The prohibition on forced labour of civilians has also been identified as a rule of customary international humanitarian law (see para. 53 below). Examples of judgments of international tribunals that have helped to shape the international legal framework include Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia, decided by the European Court of Human Rights in 2010, which is relevant to State responsibility to investigate and prevent trafficking, and the decision by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in Prosecutor v. Kunarac et al. (2001) convicting the defendants of enslavement as a crime against humanity.
- 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
- 2016
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
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Despite a global boom in labour mobility agreements during the 1990s, geographic biases prevailed, reinforcing power imbalances between sending and receiving States, rather than remedying them. States members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) registered a fivefold increase in the number of bilateral labour mobility agreements and Latin American countries doubled their numbers; countries in Asia and Africa, on the other hand, failed to register the same figures.
- 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
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- A recent shift towards incorporating mobility in framework agreements, memorandums of understanding and declarations of mutual cooperation has resulted in States treating labour mobility agreements as informal and non-binding. In Asia, almost 70 per cent of labour mobility arrangements employ the informal framework provided by memorandums of understanding, compared with 3040 per cent in Africa, Europe and the Americas.
- 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
- 2016
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 114
- Paragraph text
- IOM already works very closely with the United Nations, including as a member of the Global Migration Group, and in many countries IOM is part of United Nations country teams. Integrating IOM into the United Nations would thus allow the United Nations to benefit from its vast experience and expertise.
- 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.
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Trafficking in persons in conflict and post-conflict situations 2016, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- An overview of the international legal framework around trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations, which draws on multiple branches of law, including transnational criminal law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, refugee law and human rights law, is provided by the Special Rapporteur in her report to the thirty-second session of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/32/41, paras. 44-55). The report also covers the laws and instruments that address specific violations related to trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations.
- 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.
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Agenda setting of the work of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur will continue to build on the work of the mandate in that field and capitalize on the momentum created by new legislation and initiatives from businesses and civil society to free the supply chains from trafficking, forced labour and slavery. On the basis of her global mandate, international standing and expertise on issues relating to trafficking in persons, the Special Rapporteur intends to continue engaging with businesses in order to encourage the establishment and effective implementation of self-regulatory action (codes of conduct and other similar mechanisms) by the private sector, with the aim of increasing awareness of the risks that trafficking entails, and encouraging them to take action to eradicate trafficking from their supply chains. That would entail the mandate holder bringing together businesses in a number of selected sectors to exchange experiences and practices among themselves, review their assessment protocols through the lens of trafficking prevention, pilot the use of the benchmarks and indicators and encourage multi-stakeholder initiatives, where they exist, to operationalize the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights.
- 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
- 2015
Paragraph
Prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment from an extraterritorial perspective 2015, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Extraterritorial State acts (or omissions) - whether lawful or unlawful - often have a significant impact on the fundamental rights of individuals outside their borders, thereby implicating States' responsibilities under international human rights law. State actions that produce significant extraterritorial effects merit analysis through the prism of international human rights law. Such actions can include cross-border military operations or use of force (A/68/382 and Corr.1); the occupation of foreign territories; anti-migration and anti-piracy operations; peacekeeping, policing or covert operations in foreign territories; the practice of detaining persons abroad; extraditions, rendition to justice and extraordinary rendition; and the exercise of de facto control or influence over non-State actors operating in foreign territories. All these scenarios can involve the commission or risk of torture or other ill-treatment as defined by the Convention, international humanitarian law, international criminal law or customary international law. Of particular concern are States' attempts to undermine the absolute legal prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment by evading or limiting responsibility for extraterritorial acts or effects by their agents that contravene their fundamental legal obligations; to narrowly interpret treaty jurisdictional provisions; and to dilute well-established obligations to ensure and fulfil positive human rights obligations whenever they exercise control or authority over an area, place, individual(s) or transaction.
- 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
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
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
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
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
Paragraph