The United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Siobhán Mullally, is preparing a report on trafficking of persons for purposes of forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, or servitude, in the agricultural sector.

The objective of the report is to examine the limits of current legal and policy frameworks that contribute to risks of trafficking in persons in the agricultural sector. The Report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2022.

To inform her report, the Special Rapporteur welcomes contributions from States, local and regional governments, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, academics, UN agencies and other stakeholders, on the following issues:

Key Issues:

• Migrant seasonal workers and migrant worker visa regimes; gaps, challenges and proposals for reform.
• Gender, migrant workers and exploitation in the agriculture sector.
• Enforcement:
  • Gaps in enforcement of labour standards, limited scope of labour standards, and role of labour inspectorates in agricultural sector.
  • Ethical recruitment and monitoring of recruitment agencies.
  • Strengthening human rights and labour rights due diligence in supply chains – what is working, and what is not working?
• Accountability:
  • Effectiveness of trade sanctions in combating trafficking in persons in the agricultural sector
  • Ensuring effective investigations, prosecution and international cooperation to combat impunity in the agricultural sector
  • Challenges in the implementation of current prevention programmes: measures to enhance access to justice and ensure effective remedies
• Trafficking of persons from minority communities, indigenous peoples, internally displaced persons and refugees in the agricultural sector.
• Rights of persons with disabilities and trafficking in the agricultural sector: effective prevention, protection and partnership measures.
• Child trafficking in the agricultural sector: effective prevention and protection strategies.
• Sustainability, climate change and human trafficking in the agricultural sector.
• Roles of trade unions, workers’ associations and civil society in combating trafficking in the agricultural sector.
• Promising practices to combat human trafficking in the agricultural sector.

More on information on the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children and the activities of the mandate.

Twitter @UN_SPExperts; @smullallylaw