Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development: the COVID-19 Pandemic Triggered the Largest Global Economic Crisis in More Than a Century, Leading to a Dramatic Increase in Inequality Within and Across Countries

Human Rights Council Concludes Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

The Human Rights Council this afternoon started an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Saad Alfaragi, who presented a report on response and recovery plans and policies on COVID-19 from the perspective of the right to development at the national level.  The Council also concluded its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata.

Mr. Alfarargi said that the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered the largest global economic crisis in more than a century, leading to a dramatic increase in inequality within and across countries.  COVID-19 response and recovery plans were ultimately development plans, and as such they needed to be in line with the right to development.  Governments and decision makers should not resort to measures and policies that could reinforce or exacerbate vulnerabilities that already existed.  Persons, both individually and collectively, needed to be empowered to decide their own development goals and their preferred methods of reaching them.

In the discussion on the right to development, some speakers said the right to development was rooted in the universality, indivisibility, interrelation, and interdependence of all human rights, and human rights and good governance were key to the achievement of inclusive and sustainable development.  The global COVID-19 pandemic had brought unprecedented challenges to human rights and democracy, exacerbated inequalities and challenged the overall realisation of sustainable development worldwide.  The response and recovery to COVID-19 and the execution of the right to development were intrinsically linked and should support the 2030 Development Goals, and the international community should work in concert to fill the existing equality gaps in respect of achieving the right to development for all.  It was up to States to ensure that, even in the toughest times, human rights were maintained and protected.  One could not hope for the full realisation of human rights without achievement of the right to development.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue with Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences.

Mr. Obokata said that all international actors needed to incorporate anti-slavery measures into humanitarian responses.  The international community needed to hold those responsible for slavery to account.  Victims often did not have access to justice, so there was a need for increased judicial training and judicial support for victims.  National human rights institutions played an important role in preventing slavery.  Mr. Obokata encouraged States to support civil society efforts to prevent slavery.  Slavery continued to be a serious issue across the world, and international cooperation was needed to tackle it.

In the discussion on contemporary forms of slavery, some speakers said slavery and human trafficking were a sad reality of today’s times, with over 40 million victims of forced labour across the world, an intolerable situation which could not be allowed to endure.  Global progress had stagnated, with millions of children engaged in child labour, trapped in hazardous forms of labour that directly threatened their health and happiness.  The business community had a key role to play in ensuring that due diligence took place in supply chains, ensuring that no parts of that chain were involved in slavery.  One speaker said the report had been used in a politicised manner against some countries. 

Speaking in the interactive discussion on the right to development were Lithuania on behalf of a group of countries, European Union, Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the Group of African States, State of Palestine on behalf of the Group of Arab States, Egypt, Sierra Leone, France, Djibouti, India, Luxembourg, Cuba, Iraq, Germany, Maldives, Mauritania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Russian Federation, Namibia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, China, Mauritius, Syrian Arab Republic, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Saudi Arabia, Bolivia, Nepal, Tanzania, Oman, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Botswana, Mozambique, Togo, Sudan, Malawi, Cambodia, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, and South Africa.

Also speaking was Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII.

Speaking in the interactive discussion on contemporary forms of slavery were Switzerland, Colombia, Morocco, United Nations Children’s Fund, Senegal, Costa Rica, Iraq, Australia, Venezuela, South Africa, Russian Federation, China, Malaysia, United States, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Belgium, UNESCO, Mali, Uganda, Cuba, Bahrain, Malawi, Iran, and Japan.

Also speaking were Action pour la Protection des Droits de l'Homme en Mauritanie, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education, Alliance Defending Freedom, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Anti-Slavery International, International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, Minority Rights Group, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Amnesty International, and Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

Speaking in right of reply at the end of the meeting was China.

The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here.  All meeting summaries can be found here.  Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-first regular session can be found here.

The Council will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 16 September, when it will conclude its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development.  It will then hold an interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, followed by an interactive dialogue on the right to privacy.

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

The interactive dialogue with Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, started in the previous meeting and a summary can be found here.

Discussion

In the discussion, some speakers said that persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities still remained the victims of intersecting discrimination, exposing them to increased risk of contemporary forms of slavery, including the forced marriage of girls of ethnic minorities.  It was vital to put an end to discrimination to ensure that members of minorities were not left behind in the realisation of the 2030 Agenda.  Slavery and human trafficking were a sad reality of today’s times, with over 40 million victims of forced labour across the world, an intolerable situation which could not be allowed to endure.  Global progress had stagnated, with millions of children engaged in child labour, trapped in hazardous forms of labour that directly threatened their health and happiness.  The consequences of slavery remained devastating, even after its end for those who had experienced it.

The root causes - namely poverty, exclusion and all forms of discrimination - needed to be tackled in order to eradicate this scourge, some speakers said.  It was vital to have disaggregated data on populations in order to do this, as it allowed to identify demographic and labour trends, thus allowing States to better target their policies.  Political will and comprehensive national approaches were critical to end slavery, and it was also important to integrate survivors, their communities, and all involved groups, including national human rights institutions and trade unions, in elaborating these.  It was important to tackle the deep-rooted cultural and societal attitudes that drove this phenomenon.  Governments must foster inclusion in order to combat the racism that allowed the exclusion to take place that allowed for trafficking and exploitation of human beings.  The international community must work together to combat all contemporary forms of slavery.

One speaker said that the report had been used in a politicised manner against certain countries, urging the Special Rapporteur to follow his duties more exactly, avoid perpetrating this situation, and cease using his work for politicised ends.

Interim Remarks

TOMOYA OBOKATA, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, said that he was encouraged by stronger human rights due diligence implemented globally.  Efforts to link human rights to free trade agreements were having an important impact on the ground.  Businesses were also increasingly guided by the principles of human rights.  He commended the efforts of civil society organizations.  One issue was how to regulate the informal economy.  The Special Rapporteur urged stakeholders to take this issue more seriously.  There was a need to tackle root causes such as poverty, inequality and discrimination.  All countries were in this together, and the international community needed to work together. 

Mr. Obokata said that all international actors needed to incorporate anti-slavery measures into humanitarian responses.  The international community needed to hold those responsible for slavery to account.  Victims often did not have access to justice, so there was a need for increased judicial training and judicial support for victims.  National human rights institutions played an important role in preventing slavery.  Mr. Obokata encouraged States to support civil society efforts to prevent slavery.  Enhancing representation of minorities at leadership levels of governments was important for widening the civic space and building trust with minority communities.  Efforts to tackle child labour needed to be intensified.

Discussion

Some speakers said eradicating contemporary forms of slavery required a whole of Government and a whole of society approach, at the multilateral and bilateral levels.  It was important to develop a pathway for all involved to combat labour exploitation and human trafficking, in a context of multilateral cooperation. One speaker said that the International Labour Office had announced today that 10 million more people were living in a context of slavery in the year 2022, which was unacceptable.  States should facilitate the full participation of survivors in developing policies to ensure that this phenomenon was eradicated.  Poverty, limited access to quality education, and socio-economic conditions were the main drivers of the scourge.  Migrants in particular were vulnerable to forced labour and sexual exploitation, and business owners should prioritise humanity over profits. 

The report of the Special Rapporteur came at a judicious time, and the international community should adopt legislative measures to combat all forms of slavery, some speakers said.  The fate of migrants was very different to those of minorities when talking about slavery.  Modern slavery often stemmed from different forms of discrimination that were deeply rooted in society, and included the unequal concepts of men and women.  The pandemic and the world economic crisis were impacting heavily on children across the globe, causing them to drop out of school in order to work to support their families, increasing their vulnerability to forced labour.

The recommendations listed in the report were welcomed by many speakers, including countries with experience of slavery dating back to pre-colonial times, as they demonstrated the challenges faced by many Governments with regard to slavery and its consequences.  Slavery often went beyond minority issues, and was rooted deeply in systematically maintained poverty, carried on exclusively in order to maintain slavery.  The business community had a key role to play in ensuring that due diligence took place in supply chains, so that no parts of that chain were involved in slavery.  A level playing field should be created in this regard to ensure international cooperation and enforcement.  Human rights such as democracy, human dignity and the rule of law should be respected in all countries.

Concluding Remarks

TOMOYA OBOKATA, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, said it was important to consult with victims regarding measures to tackle slavery.  There was a heightened need to protect migrant workers, who were at greater risk of slavery.  Mr. Obokata welcomed States’ efforts to combat slavery, and called on them to cooperate with his country visits and share information with him.  Slavery continued to be a serious issue across the world, and international cooperation was needed to tackle it.

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development

Report

The Council has before it the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to development on response and recovery plans and policies on COVID-19 from the perspective of the right to development at the national level (A/HRC/51/30).

Presentation of Report

SAAD ALFARARGI, Special Rapporteur on the right to development, said his annual thematic report examined the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of the right to development, primarily at the national level.  The COVID-19 pandemic had triggered the largest global economic crisis in more than a century, leading to a dramatic increase in inequality within and across countries.  The economic impacts of the pandemic had been especially severe in emerging economies.  Global poverty was estimated to have increased for the first time in a generation, with disproportionate income losses among disadvantaged populations.  The economic crisis brought upon by the pandemic had significantly reduced the fiscal capacities of Governments worldwide.  There had been a marked increase in gender-based violence in a number of countries.  The pandemic had also exacerbated pre-existing structural barriers to accessing adequate healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health care. 

Large-scale income loss combined with precarious social protection systems paved the way for severe economic hardships, asset losses, food insecurity, hunger and rising poverty, all of which were affecting women.  There was a growing gender employment gap globally, and only a fraction of the pandemic responses specifically targeted gender inequalities.  The numbers of children affected by poverty had increased.  Children from socially vulnerable groups could not be included in distance education because they lacked the necessary electronic equipment.  Persons with disabilities had lost jobs due to pandemic measures; and the lack of income affected their ability to cover extra costs and expenditures related to disability and pushed them more rapidly into poverty.  During lockdowns, indigenous peoples confronted significant challenges in obtaining an adequate supply of food. 

Mr. Alfarargi said that COVID-19 response and recovery plans were ultimately development plans, and as such they needed to be in line with the right to development.  Governments and decision makers should not resort to measures and policies that could reinforce or exacerbate vulnerabilities that already existed.  Persons, both individually and collectively, needed to be empowered to decide their own development goals and their preferred methods of reaching them.

Discussion

In the ensuing discussion, some speakers said the right to development was rooted in the universality, indivisibility, interrelation, and interdependence of all human rights, while human rights and good governance were key to the achievement of inclusive and sustainable development.  The impacts of the pandemic were further exacerbated by the current food and energy crises, as well as by climate change.  It was critical that recovery plans and policies put emphasis on individuals as central actors, drivers, and beneficiaries of development processes, and included the most vulnerable.  As States bore the primary responsibility for the full realisation of human rights, Governments should ensure participatory approaches that left no one behind, whilst refraining from actions that put human rights at risk.  Experience showed that economic and social development could go hand-in-hand with human rights.

The global COVID-19 pandemic had brought unprecedented challenges to human rights and democracy, exacerbated inequalities, and challenged the overall realisation of sustainable development worldwide.  The response to and recovery from COVID-19 and the execution of the right to development were intrinsically linked and should support the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, while the international community should work in concert to fill the existing equality gaps in respect of achieving the right to development for all.  The negative impact of the pandemic had been particularly heavy on developing countries.  The right to development at the national level should be inclusive and participatory, with the participation of all stakeholders, and with an according amendment of national and international legislation, and through global and regional partnerships.  To be effective and fair, the policies for recovery must be built on protecting respect for human rights - one could not function without the other.

The recommendations of the report were welcomed by some speakers.  One speaker pointed out that the worsening of structural instability and of economic wars waged by some States were significant blocks to achieving the right to development; economic and financial measures that were unilaterally applied impeded its full achievement.  It was vital to take advantage of the myriad painful experiences that had been left behind by the pandemic, and ensure that international cooperation emerged from it strengthened.  The full enjoyment of human rights for all lay at the heart of sustainable peace and prosperity.  It was up to States to ensure that, even in the toughest times, human rights were maintained and protected.
Interim Remarks

SAAD ALFARARGI, Special Rapporteur on the right to development, said that some of the biggest challenges for developing States were the limited fiscal capacity and lack of data.  States needed to gather disaggregated data on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make inequalities visible and identify those that had been left behind.  States also needed to enhance international cooperation for capacity building.  Technologies were available, but political will and funds were needed.  Climate change was inherently discriminatory, disproportionately affecting small island States.  States needed to uphold their commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance cooperation to tackle climate change.

Discussion

In the discussion, some speakers said that more policies and measures should be put into place to protect and promote human rights, including the right to development, in line with international commitments.  The promotion of the right to development was vital for the recovery of all societies, and the most vulnerable needed to be protected during and after crises.  The pandemic had impacted the lives of people across the globe, especially in developing countries, reversing progress made in human rights, bringing new challenges, and impeding States’ achievement of the right to development and the Sustainable Development Goals.  The international community must tackle joint response and joint solidarity efforts in order to meet the challenges that were before it.  International cooperation must be enhanced, with sustainable recovery measures developed through it.  

The global climate crisis, the financial crisis and the pandemic had all had a negative effect on the achievement of sustainable development.  All stakeholders, including women and people with disabilities, needed to be involved in order to achieve the right to development.  COVID-19 had led to a spectacular increase in inequality in and between countries, with an unprecedented worsening of poverty, in particular in developing countries.  Appropriate national policies needed to be created, on an ongoing basis, to cover the needs of the populations of developing countries without discrimination or gaps.  There should be stepped-up international solidarity in order to reduce the impact of poverty, which was a human rights issue.  The fair distribution of vaccines, in the context of the right to development, could have saved many lives in developing countries.

Challenges to recovery were greater, one speaker pointed out, when a country was subject to inhumane unilateral coercive measures, which impeded its achievement of the right to development, and made the vulnerable in its society even more endangered.  One could not hope for the full realisation of human rights without the achievement of the right to development.

Link: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2022/09/conseil-des-droits-de-lhomme-la-pandemie-de-covid-19-declenche