Background

The Special Rapporteur will focus his next thematic report to be submitted to the 51st Session of the Human Rights Council on the protection of minorities from contemporary forms of slavery. For the purpose of the report, he will examine the experiences of persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities discriminated on the basis of work and descent. The Special Rapporteur will also examine the situation of migrant workers as most tend to belong to minority ethnic communities.

Objectives of the report

The report aims to assess to what extent persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities are subjected to contemporary forms of slavery such as forced labour, bonded labour, worst forms of child labour, sexual slavery, domestic servitude, servile forms of marriage or descent-based slavery. The report also aims at identifying best practices in preventing/addressing contemporary forms of slavery affecting persons belonging to minority communities while it will also highlight persisting protection gaps. On that basis, the report will provide practical recommendations on how to better protect persons belonging to minority communities from contemporary forms of slavery.

Key questions and types of input sought

1. Is there evidence of minorities being subjected to contemporary forms of slavery (e.g. forced labour, bonded labour, forced/child marriage, descent/caste-based slavery and related practices) in your country/community? If so, please provide information relating to the profiles of victims and the nature and extent of their exploitation and abuse. What additional traits and characteristics, including gender, age, sexual orientation and disabilities, have made them more vulnerable?
2. What types of personal, situational and structural factors push minorities into contemporary forms of slavery in your country/community?
3. Are there wider political, economic, social, religious and cultural factors making persons belonging to minorities vulnerable to these practices?
4. What has your government done at the local, national, or regional levels to protect minorities from being subjected to contemporary forms of slavery in your country? Please share examples.
5. What have non-governmental entities, including businesses and educational institutions, done to provide equal access to decent work and quality education in your country? Please share examples.
6. What has been the role of civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, trade unions, and human rights defenders in protecting minorities from being subjected to contemporary forms of slavery? Please share examples.
7. What has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on minorities, including the related adopted measures and its social or economic effects with regard to contemporary forms of slavery? What actions has your government taken to protect them?
8. What are persisting obstacles/challenges in preventing minorities from being subjected to contemporary forms of slavery? What mechanisms exist in your country to report instances of contemporary forms of slavery as affecting members of minorities? How actively are such mechanisms used by members of minorities and to what extent have they been able to access justice and remedies? What are the main obstacles/challenges in this regard?
9. What mechanisms exist in your country to report instances of contemporary forms of slavery as affecting members of minorities? How actively are such mechanisms used by members of minorities and to what extent have they been able to access justice and remedies? What are the main obstacles/challenges in this regard?
10. What recommendations do you wish to propose in order to effectively address these ongoing challenges and protect minorities from contemporary forms of slavery?