Human Rights Council 38: Discrimination Against Women
This UK statement was delivered at the 38th session of the Human Rights Council during the clustered ID with UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking, held on 21 June 2018.
The Human Rights Council takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
The United Kingdom welcomes today’s session and commends the work of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking and the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women.
We believe that all forms of gender-based violence including the most hidden are unacceptable and must be addressed.
We must also remain unified in our belief that girls’ education and women’s economic empowerment remain the key to unlocking a world free from violence and discrimination – and a world which leaves no one behind. That is why we are committed advocates for 12 years of quality education for every girl across the globe.
We also wish to recognise the important work of the UN Special Rapporteur in seeking to combat trafficking in persons and protect the human rights of its victims. We welcome Dr Giammarinaro’s efforts to raise awareness of the particular experiences faced by some of the most vulnerable and disproportionality affected groups in the world today, such as women and girls, as well as the need to tackle the exploitative working conditions faced by millions in today’s global economy.
The commoditisation and exploitation of human beings is an affront to human dignity. We have collectively acknowledged that forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking have no place in the 21st Century. Yet, 70 years following the ground-breaking adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are faced with the reality that the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Declaration are still not universally enjoyed. We must work together to tackle the conditions that allow these abhorrent practices to thrive.
We would welcome further information from the Working Group and the Special Rapporteur on what their priorities are for the forthcoming year and how Member States can best support their work.