– As delivered –
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Farrukh Khan, Chef de Cabinet on behalf of the President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
13 July 2021
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is not only a pleasure, but it was a very informative discussion that I joined join you today and deliver concluding remarks behalf of the President of the General Assembly who could not join you today due to his engagements abroad.
Allow me to start by thanking those who have made today¡¯s meeting possible. I am particularly grateful to Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵODC, and her team, for their remarkable efforts which were integral to the success of today¡¯s hearing.?
I would also like to thank my colleagues at DGACM for their contributions and their work that they have done. I would like to especially express my regret that some of the participants could not speak today due to the challenging circumstances with the technology ¨C I would have loved to hear you, as I was mesmerised by the interventions, analyses and insight.
Ladies and gentlemen,
You will recall that at the start of this meeting, the President called on all participants to make the most of this Multi-Stakeholder Hearing, and I am pleased to note that you have done so.
This is a critical meeting to discuss a grave violation of human rights that is trafficking in persons.
Trafficking inflicts both visible and invisible scars upon survivors, permanently altering lives; devastating families; and fracturing communities.
As we have acknowledged today, there is no easy solution. As such we must pool our experiences and ideas in advance of the upcoming intergovernmental negotiations on the Political Declaration.
For the past four hours, over forty experts from around the world have shared their insights to equip us to address the plague of trafficking.
Once again I regret those who could not participate and deliver their important remarks.
We have heard today from people working directly on issues of domestic, regional, and international policy, and those instrumental to humanitarian responses to trafficking in persons.
We have heard from representatives of Member States, as well as civil society organizations, academics, and the private sector ¨C all of whom are engaged in the fight against trafficking in persons. This has been a critical forum to exchange views, and learn from one another, as we pursue our common goal of combating trafficking in persons.
Needless to say, efforts are ongoing, I heard many participants, including Member States, outlining measures they are taking. For example, just a few: Bahrain has established a national institution for research on trafficking; civil society in India is using radio to communicate the message far and wide to people including in villages; many, including Belarus on behalf of the Group of Friends Against Trafficking, have emphasised the need to engage survivors as key to forging prevention; a participant also highlighted the need to engage religious leaders and the key role they can play in prevention.
Overall, this meeting addressed a series of cross-cutting issues, including:
- trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, trafficking for the purposes of forced labour;
- building the evidence base on trafficking in persons, as well as non-punishment of victims of trafficking in persons;
- the misuse of information and communication technologies to facilitate trafficking;
- trafficking in persons for the purposes of organ removal;
- and of course, trafficking in persons in the context of COVID-19;
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we have heard, most of the speakers today reflected on the repercussions of COVID-19 in the context of trafficking in persons. To summate: the challenge that lies before us requires even more urgent action now.
Despite a comprehensive Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Global Plan of Action, it is evident that we are falling behind in forging a cohesive response that ranges from ¡°prevention to conviction¡±. Many of our panelists today pointed to gaps including legislative lacunas, enforcement deficiencies to the varying availability of financial and technical resources at the disposal of the law enforcement agencies.
Speakers have stressed that traffickers have moved from the street corners to the digital space. This has resulted in exploitative networks that have become adept at manipulating technology, the internet, and social media. This digitalisation of trafficking disproportionately impacts women and children as well.
Poverty as a result of the COVID-19 related socio-economic fall-out, as well as the public health related restrictions have also created opportunities for traffickers. It is critical that human rights are upheld and the enforcement of the rule of law is promoted at the national, regional, and international levels.
Universal human rights are indivisible, and this must be recognised if we are to combat trafficking in persons. For the violation of an individual¡¯s right to an adequate standard of living, healthcare, education, and justice increases one¡¯s vulnerability.
Social protection systems and equal access to public services is thus a critical element in our fight to end human trafficking. I trust that this hearing will enable us to craft an even better response to the challenge that has become increasingly complex due to rapid technological developments.
It was mentioned throughout proceedings, and I avail of this opportunity to once again reiterate the importance of engaging with civil society organizations that have on-the-ground knowledge of trafficking in persons.
Before I conclude, allow me to express my personal gratitude to each of you. I thank you for sharing your knowledge with this international audience, and contributing to our shared expertise. Above all I thank you for your work, your indefatigable and selfless dedication to making the world a more equal, just and safer place. Your interventions to prevent trafficking in persons, rehabilitation services for survivors of trafficking, and data collection is saving lives.?
Your perspectives have enriched today¡¯s captivating discussions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This meeting is only the start of a broader conversation which will take place this year on how to advance our efforts against trafficking in persons. The discussion will continue as we prepare for the High-level Meeting on the appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, which will be convened on 22-23 November 2021.
A summary of today¡¯s discussions will be circulated in due course and will be made available on the website of the President of the General Assembly. I trust that Member States will use this summary and reflect upon the lessons learned and key recommendations that have been shared today.
The Office of the President of the General Assembly stands ready to support you throughout the preparations, and I don¡¯t want to miss thanking Ambassador Manalo and Ambassador Conde for their leadership in this process.
With these few remarks I have the pleasure to give the floor to Dame Julie Okah-Donli, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons¡¯.
I thank you.