Statement to the 93rd Session of the international Labour Conference by Mr. Helge Eide, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Geneva, 8 June 2005
08/06/2005 :: Mr. Chairperson,
Let me start by congratulating the ILO and the Director General for once again presenting a very topical and politically highly relevant Global Report to the International Labour Conference.
Traditional forms of forced labour - such as bonded labour in parts of South Asia, the debt bondage affecting mainly indigenous peoples in parts of Latin America, the residual slavery-related practices in West Africa and labour extracted by the State for economic or political purposes - are still prevalent.
As the Global Report rightly points out, however, these are increasingly supplemented and aggravated by newer phenomena, where not least trafficking in human beings linked to recent developments in technology, transportation and organized crime play an increasingly important role.
To me the challenge is clear: Through trafficking, we are facing the globalization of slavery!
Since the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work was adopted in 1998, we have seen encouraging developments in a number of member states. Action plans against forced labour, new laws and policies and ratification of the two ILO conventions on the subject are significant developments in the right direction.
However, in spite of positive indications, the report before us shows a rather depressing global picture.
The ILO estimate of at least 12,3 million victims of forced labour worldwide clearly demonstrates the need for action both at the national, regional and global level. Since almost 80 % of the victims are exploited by private agents, the adoption and strict enforcement of laws against forced labour and trafficking is essential at the national level.
Forced labour and trafficking must be treated as serious crime. Most countries have laws against forced labour, but offences are hardly ever prosecuted.
One difficulty, which we have also seen in my country, is that the victims, for example of trafficking for prostitution, are reluctant to come forward to provide testimony, due to fear of violent reprisals from their exploiters or action against them from immigration authorities. Good mechanisms for the identification, release and rehabilitation of forced labour victims is therefore an essential element of an effective law enforcement.
Mr. Chairperson,
Forced labour and trafficking in human beings is a complicated and multifaceted problem that requires a co-ordinated and interdisciplinary international response. Poverty, inequality, discrimination, illegal migration, lack of rule of law and judicial co-operation, insufficient border control, organised crime and corruption feed into the problem. Our response must involve the three Ps - Prevention, Protection of victims and Prosecution of perpetrators.
My government has a clear and firm political will to combat this unacceptable violation of human rights and human dignity. We launched in 2003 a national action plan to combat trafficking in women and children. This plan incorporates a broad spectre of measures, both within preventive work, investigation, prosecution and help to victims. A revised plan will be launched in a couple of weeks with a strengthened mandate and additional funding.
But our responsibility does not stop at our national borders. The problem is transnational and so must our response be. A joint effort by recipient countries, transit countries and countries of origin is absolutely essential to stop this development.
The government of Norway therefore very much welcomes your call for “A global alliance against forced labour”
Forced labour imposed directly by the State, as we have seen in the case of Burma, remains a serious problem. Because the nature of these cases varies from country to country they have to be addressed separately. In the case of Burma, Norway urges the Government to address immediately the serious issues referred to in the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards last Saturday.
We have carefully studied the proposed action plan against forced labour and we offer Norway’s full support to it. Programs for awareness raising, legislative reform and capacity building of law enforcement and labour market authorities are all very important elements of an action plan.
But above all, Mr. Chairperson, we must continue the global fight against poverty, because without a significant reduction of poverty we will never reach the objective of eradicating forced labour.
Official development assistance is crucial in this regard. I therefore urge all developed countries to make concrete plans to reach an ODA level of 0,7 percent of GNI, and to present such plans at the UN Summit for the five-year review of the Millennium Declaration in September.
Thank you.