VICTIMS OF FORCED LABOUR LOSE OVER $20 BILLION PER YEAR IN EARNINGS, FINDS UN STUDY

VICTIMS OF FORCED LABOUR LOSE OVER $20 BILLION PER YEAR IN EARNINGS, FINDS UN STUDY
New York, May 12 2009 1:00PM
Victims of forced labour lose an estimated $20 billion ever year in unpaid earnings, according to a new report by the United Nations labour agency, which calls for increased action to eradicate the scourge.

The report by the International Labour Organization (<"http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/Press_releases/lang--en/WCMS_106219/index.htm">ILO), entitled "The Cost of Coercion," also details the growing number of unethical, fraudulent and criminal practices that can lead people into situations of forced labour, and charts progress in tackling the crime.

"Forced labour is the antithesis of decent work," said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. "It causes untold human suffering and steals from its victims. Modern forced labour can be eradicated, providing there is a sustained commitment by the international community, working together with government, employers, workers and civil society."

The report estimates that the "opportunity cost" of coercion to the workers affected by these abusive practices, in terms of lost earnings, now reaches over $20 billion. "This presents a powerful economic argument, as well as a moral imperative, as to why governments must now accord higher priority to these concerns," the agency stated in a news release.

Based on a 2005 ILO study, at least 12.3 million people worldwide were in some form of forced labour or bondage, of which 8.1 million were exploited by private agents, outside the sex industry.

"Our main concern is with the human cost of coercion, both to the victims and their families in terms of the untold misery they endure through forced labour, and to society at large," said Roger Plant, head of ILO's Special Action Programme to combat Forced Labour.

"In the midst of a global economic and financial crisis, in which there is a real risk that the poorest and most vulnerable will bear most of the cost, we want to draw public attention to a less publicized but equally serious crisis on labour markets," he stated.

The current report shows a mixed picture of global efforts to combat forced labour. While most countries have introduced legislation that deals with forced labour as a criminal offence and the issue itself is no longer hidden or taboo, others are finding it difficult to identify cases of abuse, let alone define the adequate policy responses.

"We must never forget that forced labour is a serious criminal offence that requires criminal punishment" said Mr. Plant.

"But we must also remember that forced labour is often poorly defined in national legislation, making it difficult to address the multiple subtle ways in which workers can be denied their freedom. The challenge is to address these problems in an integrated way, through prevention and law enforcement, using both labour and criminal justice."
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GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IMPERILS HUMAN RIGHTS – UN

GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IMPERILS HUMAN RIGHTS – UN
New York, Feb 23 2009 2:00PM
The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution today highlighting the threat posed by the global financial and economic crises on the realization of human rights and development goals.

Adopted by a vote of 31 for and 14 abstentions, the resolution <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/68B23EF8AD14281EC1257566004856F4?opendocument">stressed the need to set up an equitable, transparent and democratic international system to broaden developing nations' participation in decisions regarding the economy.

The 47-member body, meeting in its <"http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/10/index.htm">10th Special Session, also expressed grave concern that the twin crises could jeopardize progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight ambitious anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.

Stressing that the worldwide recession does not detract from Governments' responsibilities in promoting human rights, the Council appealed to the international community to establish and improve safety nets to protect the most vulnerable people.

An open, fair and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system could accelerate strides in development and contribute to the attainment of human rights for all, it added.

Last week, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed that the world's poor and disadvantaged are bearing the brunt of the suffering resulting from the current global financial crisis and ensuing economic turmoil.

Navi Pillay appealed to States and the corporate world to ensure that their policies and practices do not jeopardize people's human rights, in an address to the Council's Special Session.

She warned that the downturn in economies around the world is likely to "undermine access to work, affordability of food and housing, as well as of water, basic health care and education."

In a related development, over 100 top Government officials and representatives of workers' and employers' organizations will convene tomorrow at a meeting of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva to discuss the impact of the economic crisis on the more than 20 million people working in the financial sector worldwide.

According to an ILO report prepared for the two-day gathering, some 325,000 people in the sector have lost their jobs between August 2007 and February 2009. Nearly 40 per cent of these losses – totalling 130,000 jobs – were cut since last October, showing how job losses have gathered speed in recent months.

"As the global economy sinks further into recession, and financial institutions' assets experience even greater impairment, the industry's job losses can be expected to rise even faster," said Elizabeth Tinoco, Chief of ILO's Sectoral Activities Brance.