A/79/159 I. Introduction 1. Workers’ organizations, including trade unions, are commonly established and run by workers in order to protect and advance their labour rights. Globally, they aim to secure access to decent work and advocate for gender equality, non -discrimination and the well-being of workers and their families. The International Labour Organization (ILO) engages with workers’ organizations as one of its three core constituencies under the tripartite structure. This report is aimed at complementing the important work undertaken by ILO, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and workers’ organizations at the local and national levels in addressing contemporary forms of slavery directly or indirectly. 2. To inform his research, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, issued a call for input to a wide range of stakeholders, including Member States, workers’ organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, United Nations entities and regional human rights bodies. He wishes to thank all entities and individuals who responded and welcomes the engagement demonstrated in the process. 1 The Special Rapporteur also drew on information gathered from desk research and consultations with multiple stakeholders. II. International and regional human rights and labour standards on workers’ organizations 3. International human rights law recognizes workers’ organizations as entities that play a vital role in promoting and protecting workers’ rights. In that regard, their rights to function freely, establish national federations or confederations, and form or join international workers’ organizations are clearly spelled out in article 8 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The right of everyone to form and join workers’ organizations and to strike is also affirmed in the same article. That means, among others, that workers must be able to freely join organizations of their choice, including those that are independent from the Government 2 and not face criminal prosecution and punishment for taking part in lawful activitie s. 3 Regionally, these rights are recognized in article 11 (1) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights), article 8 of the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 27 (2) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Human Rights Declaration, and article 35 (1) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights recognize these rights. 4 4. Article 8 should be read in conjunction with articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant. In this regard, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has clearly acknowledged the fundamental role of workers’ organizations in defending the right to work at local and national levels, particularly for disadvantaged and __________________ 1 2 3 4 24-13043 All submissions received are available at https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2024/callinput-role-workers-organisations-preventing-and-addressing-contemporary. E/C.12/CHN/CO/3, para. 56; and E/C.12/BLR/CO/7, para. 28. E/C.12/KAZ/CO/2, para. 33. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights does not explicitly codify the right to form and join trade unions; however, according to the Guidelines for National Periodic Reports, States should report on the right to form and join trade unions, the right of trade unions to function freely and the right to strike in the periodic reports required under art. 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. See Guidelines for National Periodic Reports, available at https://achpr.au.int/en/documents/1989-04-14/guidelines-national-periodic-reports. 3/21