Oral Statement on the "Right to Remedy"

Joy Eziebo, Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children

FI delivered a joint oral statement with Global Alliance against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) to coincide with the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, releasing her report on the ‘Right to Remedy’ during the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in May.

The statement highlighted two main concerns on countries granting assistance (financial, medical, shelter, legal) to trafficked persons: firstly that trafficked persons, particularly migrants, are often prevented from getting assistance because of discrimination; secondly that many countries offer assistance that is conditional upon the victim cooperating with law enforcement authorities, thus denying assistance and justice to those unwilling or unable to cooperate, including those fearing reprisal.

FI called on the HRC to urge all countries to ensure that the human rights of migrants and trafficked persons are upheld at all times and to repeal any policy that make assisting them conditional. FI further called on the Special Rapporteur to pay attention to discrimination as a cause of trafficking and a barrier to allowing trafficked persons to access their full human rights.

Read the Joint Oral Statement below.