By Joy Ngozi Ezeilo
Ladies and gentlemen. I thank and congratulate the United Nations General Assembly that in its wisdom has set aside July 30 to mark the world day against trafficking and the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking. I especially thank Belarus and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for this Special High Level Event devoted to the first observation of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons. I’m indeed honoured and privileged to be part of this epoch gathering to mark the momentous, but sobering first occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (WDATIP) and kick start a series of events around the world in commemoration of the upcoming WDATIP.
In April 2012, I was in Cambridge University, the United Kingdom to meet with the students’ research team supporting the work of my mandate. I used the occasion to visit St. John’s College, Cambridge and was taken round to view the Statues erected in honour and recognition of prominent roles played by Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce both members of St. John’s College in the movement that culminated in the abolition of slavery in 1807.
As I stood to take photograph in between the portraits of these two great men I wondered what they would think of our world today where the impunity of slavery in the form of human trafficking-modern day slavery continued unabatedly. The abolitionist movement to end the slave trade predates the League of Nations and also the United Nations. However, the history of slavery and its repercussions were not lost as every UN human rights treaty has reinforced over the years- the right of everyone to freedom from slavery, torture, forced labour, discrimination, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Importantly, the right to dignity of human person, right to liberty, freedom of movement, including right to decent work and livelihood.
Trafficking in persons or trafficking in human beings or human trafficking as it’s popularly known negates all of these recognized human rights and unfortunately continues to threaten our civilization and basic humanity. Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce will certainly turn in their graves were they to know that slavery still exists over two hundred years after its abolition.
The day set aside to mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is indeed a milestone in our collective efforts to end human trafficking. It’s a day not only to re-affirm political and economic will to fight this ugly phenomenon and heinous crime of human trafficking violating a host of human rights but to take action as UN Member States towards eradication of this modern day slavery. It’s a day of action for States, for non -State actors, corporations and for individuals to stand up and stop the trafficking in persons. It’s a day to give the victims back their dignity- a basic and fundamental human right.
In the Course of my work as the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the last six years I have come face to face with thousands of victims and survivors, including women, girls, men and boys trafficked. I can tell you without equivocation that human trafficking is real and is thriving and knows no borders. Victims are hidden in communities and for every one victim found, I want to say that there are 100 or more undetected and some may never live to tell their tales of woes.
An occasion like this calls for action to strengthen protection and assistance to persons who are trafficked, and importantly to take measures that would enhance swift and accurate identification of victims and to bring succor to those affected. Trafficking in persons is also not declining because the push and pull factors, and root causes are escalating in the face of socio-economic crisis, extreme poverty, wars, inequalities, discrimination and gender based violence. Ignoring these root causes and failure to squarely confront them through international cooperation and development paradigm would amount to paying lip service to efforts to combat and prevent trafficking in persons.
In my work over these years on this global mandate as the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, I have emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach, which informed my strategic vision in 2009 of 11 pillars of intervention of 5 P’s, 3 C’s and 3 R’s to fight human trafficking. These eleven pillars formed the fulcrum and mantra of my work namely: the 5Ps (protection, prosecution, prevention, punishment, promotion of international cooperation), three victim-centered Rs (redress, rehabilitation and reintegration) and three Cs (capacity, coordination and cooperation).
A comprehensive approach to trafficking requires action geared towards addressing all forms of trafficking, focusing on victims and adopting a human-rightsbased approach; a child-centred approach; while paying greater attention to causes and vulnerability factors and measures to prevent trafficking in persons. As we unite to begin the final battle to make human trafficking a thing of the past. I urge all concerned to take action to end human trafficking.
As a member of the comity of nations, I urge you to ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. It’s the minimum action any government can take to become part of the global movement, therefore I expect governments to have appropriate legislative frameworks and mechanisms at the national level to combat the phenomenon and provide effective remedies for trafficked persons. If you’re a corporation/business take action to ensure that your supply chain is free of human trafficking that no one is held in forced labour. If you’re an individual take action, buy responsibly and avoid becoming part of the human trafficking chain. We must break the chain of human trafficking, the chain of slavery-this is my message to us all. Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce did it, you can do it and we can do it and working together end human trafficking that shames humanity.
The theme of this first ever world day against trafficking: “Dignity for Victims of Human Trafficking” couldn’t have been better chosen. My inspiration, passion and enthusiasm for my work globally in the last six years countering trafficking in persons, comes from victims of this heinous crime. Consequently, I want to use this occasion to launch and dedicate this publication resulting from a stock-taking exercise I initiated to assess the work and impact of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children a decade after its establishment (2004-2014).
In 2004 when the Commission on Human Rights appointed a Special Rapporteur with the mandate to “focus on the human rights aspects of the victims of trafficking in persons, especially women and children” (decision 2004/110), it proved to be a milestone, affirming on behalf of the international community two key principles: first, that the human rights of trafficked persons should be at the center of all efforts to combat trafficking; and second, that anti-trafficking measures should not adversely affect the human rights and dignity of all persons concerned. It is in this spirit that I have carried the task to entrusted on me by this Council, promoting a human rights-based, victim centered approach to fighting trafficking in persons and guiding the Member States in ensuring that all aspects of national, regional and international responses to trafficking are anchored in the rights and obligations established by international human rights laws.
This is to you! To all victims of all forms of trafficking in persons! You’re in my prayers and thoughts daily and my sincere hope is that your human dignity would be restored and that you will find justice at last. I commit to continue to fight for your dignity and rights beyond my tenure as Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, which comes to an end on July 31st, 2014. My work is not done yet and for all of us in this room and stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking our work is far from being done until every human being held in slavery gets back this or her dignity and enjoy their human rights to live freely and not in enslavement. Thank you!
Professor Joy Ezeilo, UN Special Rapporteur (2008-2014) delivered this speech at the commemoration of the first UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, New York, July 14, 2014.
