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UN Advocacy

Our network amplifies the concerns of our network members, we do this through collaboration with our members to craft impactful joint statements submitted to the United Nations, magnifying our collective voice and advocating for meaningful global change.

The impact of climate change on the realisation of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl

1 March 2024

The report, authored by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), It's a Penalty, and Homes of Hope, responds to the call for inputs from the OHCHR to inform its forthcoming report on the impact of climate change on the realisation of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl.

 

The report:

  • emphasises the impact of climate change on girls' education and its intersection with modern slavery.

  • highlights increased risks such as trafficking and exploitation of girls due to climate-induced vulnerabilities.

  • identifies barriers to education including child labor, forced marriage, and limited access to schooling.

  • recommends integrated frameworks, preventive measures, and trauma-informed education policies.

  • advocates for gender-responsive climate policies, capacity building, and intersectional educational programs.

  • suggests establishment of reintegration programs and alternative livelihood opportunities for affected girls.

The use of technology in facilitating and preventing contemporary forms of slavery

14 April 2023

The report, authored by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Fifty Eight, and Ulula, responds to the UN Special Rapporteur's call on technology's role in contemporary slavery. 

 

The report: 

  • emphasises technology's dual role, both enabling and preventing slavery, highlighting examples like AI for victim identification and worker feedback mechanisms.

  • addresses challenges like the digital divide, data privacy, and bias in algorithms,

  • offers recommendations for strong legal frameworks, collaboration among stakeholders, tech company responsibility, and public awareness campaigns to combat modern slavery effectively. (The recommendations put forth have been formally incorporated into the final report.)

Children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change

 

The report, authored by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Defence for Children International Sierra Leone, It's a Penalty, and Youth Child Support Initiative Nigeria, responds to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s call for input on their ‘draft general comment on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on climate change’. 

 

The report:

  • emphasises the impact of environmental harm on children's rights, particularly Articles 19, 32, and 34 of the UNCRC.

  • highlights heightened risks, including violence and exploitation, due to climate change disasters, emphasising the vulnerability of women and girls.

  • offers recommendations on adding a dedicated section in the UN Committee's general comment and urged states to strengthen child protection systems during disasters.

15 February 2023

The adverse impact of forced marriage on the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights by all women and girls

31 October 2022

 

The report authored by, Anti-Slavery Australia, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, KIWOHEDE Tanzania, My Choices Foundation India, and MUWADA Uganda responds to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Right (OHCHR)´s call for inputs on the adverse impact of forced marriage on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by women and girls, to inform its report pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 48/6. 

 

The report:

  • highlights the adverse impact of forced marriage on the rights of women and girls. 

  • emphasises the global scale of the issue, its link to modern slavery, and its impact on women and girls by providing insights from Australia, India, Tanzania, and Uganda, discussing legal frameworks and age of marriage.

  • addresses the root causes of forced marriage, good practices implemented by stakeholders, and proposes recommendations to States.

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The report from the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery on his mission to Sri Lanka

15 September 2022

 

This statement authored by, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Foundation for Innovative Social Development (FISD), Blooming Bud Social Foundation, ChildFund Sri Lanka, OECRP, PMN, RAHAMA, SAFE Foundation, SAMADANA, and World Vision Lanka, responds to a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery on his visit to Sri Lanka conducted from 26 November to 3 December 2021.

 

The statement:

  • outlines the vulnerabilities suffered by children in Sri Lanka to become victims of child labour, including school drop out and school closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

  • notes other challenges in Sri Lanka, such as lack of information on public policies related to the eradication of child labour.

  • provides a series of recommendations to the government of Sri Lanka to address these challenges.

 Report on trafficking of persons in the context of climate change 

18 May 2022

 

The report authored by, The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, and Homes of Hope Fiji responds to a call for inputs from the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, to inform her report on trafficking of persons in the context of climate change, to be presented at the 77th Session of the General Assembly in October 2022.

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This submission:

  • reflects local experiences of climate change and its impact on human trafficking in the Pacific.

  • underscores how women and girls are particularly vulnerable to climate-induced trafficking,

  • highlights good practices,

  • proposes recommendations to ensure States comply with their human rights obligations.

Case study: Increased risks of contemporary forms of slavery for women and girls facing

climate change-related disasters in Pacific Island Countries and Territories

 

The report authored by, The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, Homes of Hope Fiji, and Pacificwin (New Zealand) responds to the call for inputs from the High Commissioner to inform her report on promoting, protecting, and respecting women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of human rights in humanitarian situations, to be presented at the 49th regular session of the UNHRC in February-March 2022.

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The report:

  • discusses the challenges faced by women and girls in Pacific Island countries and territories due to climate change-related disasters.

  • highlights increased risks of exploitation, including human trafficking, in the aftermath of such disasters.

  • emphasises the need for international cooperation, gender-sensitive approaches, and improved infrastructure to protect the rights of women and girls in humanitarian situations. 

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16 July 2021

Case study: Increased risks of exploitation for Bangladeshi Migrants

21 June 2021

 

The report authored by, The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and WARBE (Welfare Association for the Rights of Bangladeshi Emigrants) Development Foundation responds to the call for inputs from the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants to inform his report on the impact of COVID-19 on the human rights of migrants, to be presented at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021.

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This report:

  • focuses on labor exploitation in Bangladesh and among Bangladeshi migrant workers.

  • highlights the vulnerability of these workers to forced labor, debt bondage, and human trafficking, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • discusses emergency measures and their impact on migrants, emphasising the need for temporary, proportional, and rights-based responses

  •  recommends various actions to protect migrant workers and combat discrimination.

Inputs to the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery Country
Visit to Sri Lanka

29 April 2021

 

In support of the preparation for the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Sri Lanka, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative offers the following information:

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  • A list of our contacts in Sri Lanka who may be able to provide further information [removed from this version for data protection purposes]

  • A response to your questionnaire from the Foundation for Innovative Social Development

  • And a note from a contact at the Tea Leaf Trust

  • Relevant media coverage of CFS in Sri Lanka from the past year

  • Data and recommendations on Sri Lanka’s government response to CFS

Nexus between forced displacement and contemporary forms of slavery

15 March 2021

 

The Commonwealth 8.7 Network and CHRI submitted a joint response to the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery’s call for inputs on the nexus between forced displacement and contemporary forms of slavery. The statement included input from 5 Network members representing Australia, Canada, Nigeria and Vanuatu.

 

The response:

  • addresses how the marginalisation and lack of protection afforded to displaced persons increases their vulnerability to contemporary forms of slavery

  • notes the employment challenges faced by displaced persons and how this increases their risk of exploitation.

  • highlights the heightened risk of displaced children and adolescents, particularly those who are unaccompanied.

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