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    The Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery held its twenty-fifth session from 14 to 23 June 2000 at Geneva. As decided in 1998, the WG devoted a priority attention to the question of bonded labour and debt bondage.

    Other items on the agenda included: Election of the Chairperson and adoption of the agenda; Review of the implementation of and follow-up to the conventions on slavery; Review of developments in the field of contemporary forms of slavery and measures to prevent and repress all contemporary forms of slavery, including the consideration of corruption and international debt as promoting factors of contemporary forms of slavery; Economic exploitation (Child labour, migrant and domestic workers); Sexual exploitation (traffic in persons, sexual exploitation of children); Other forms of exploitation; and activities of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery.

    The Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery is an inter-sessional working group of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights composed of five of its members. Its members are designated by the Sub-Commission.

    Ms. H. Warzazi (Morocco) was re-elected Chairperson of the Working Group. The other members of the WG were: Mr. R. Goonesekere (Sri Lanka), Mr. M. Alfonso Martinez (Cuba), Ms. A. Motoc (Romania), Mr. D. Weissbrodt (United States of America).

Bonded labour and debt bondage

    At the beginning of the 21st century, bonded labour and debt bondage are still a practice that keeps millions of men, women and children throughout the world in servitude. Thus, it was an important point of discussion for the Working Group, which heard on this issue a large number
of Statements from States and non-governmental organizations, as well as testimonies of individuals. The Voluntary Trust Fund of Contemporary Slavery provided financial assistance to about 20 non-governmental organizations, enabling their representatives to participate in
the deliberations of the WG.

    The WG recommended that the issue of bonded labour should be regarded as a priority issue by the governments of States concerned by the issue and called upon them to clear away all obstacles to abolish bonded labour and debt bondage. The members of the WG strongly
recommended to States to introduce laws explicitly prohibiting debt bondage or bonded labour, and to ensure the effectiveness and application of these laws. The WG further recommended that States set up monitoring committees to investigate reports of debt bondage and to generate the number of victims. The WG was convinced that primary education was a key element to enable bonded labourers to escape from servitude and to prevent the perpetuation of this practice.

Economic Exploitation - Child labour, migrant and domestic workers

    Migrant workers are frequently subject to discriminatory rules and regulations which undermine their human dignity. They are sometimes unpaid and deprived of all their rights, being often forced to live separately from their spouses and their minor children. The WG condemned the unequal treatment of migrant workers. It urged governments to ensure protective regulations and to provide for safe working conditions, with a view to ensure their development and participation in their community.

    During the meeting, a former "Restavec" (children who reportedly are used as house servants by well-to-do families, and who receive no pay and are kept out of school) named Robert Cadet, gave testimony about his life in servitude and the exploitation of children in Haiti. He
further explained that their situation was a result of the economic situation of the country.

    Zenabu, a girl from Niger, gave testimony of her sufferings as a child domestic worker. The WG was concerned about the abusive treatment of girls and women as domestic workers and was convinced that compulsory and free primary education was an essential tool to combat
child labour. It therefore urged States to enact and implement laws to ensure free and compulsory primary education.

    The WG noted with concern the gender discrimination prevailing in situation of exploitation. As a matter of example, girls are more vulnerable as domestic workers and potentially more exposed to sexual abuse. The States were therefore urged by the WG to eliminate child labour
and all discrimination against girls in education, skills development and training.

Internet and sexual exploitation

    The Internet is a valuable medium of communication, but also promotes various new and traditional forms of sexual exploitation. The WG was alarmed that the Internet was used for prostitution, pornography, live sex shows, as well as paedophilia, rape videos, mail order brides and other forms of sexual exploitation.The WG suggested to governments to prevent the misuse of the Internet by legal means and called for stronger cooperation of governments and national law enforcement bodies. The WG invited the States to set up of a mechanism for a better legal control of the Internet.

Sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

    The members of the WG were very concerned about the sale of children and the growing number of children subjected to prostitution and pornography. Being aware of this situation the WG decided to consider the issue of exploitation of children as a priority at its 27th session
in 2002. It further requested the Secretary-General to invite all States to inform the WG about the measures taken to implement all relevant conventions, declarations and programs of action.

    The WG noted the recent adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRC), as well as the concern expressed by various participants, concerning the protocol's potential to weaken protection for children in comparison with the provisions of the CRC.

    In that regard, the WG invited States to consider the establishment of a Voluntary Trust Fund aiming at assisting the Committee on the Rights of the Child in a strengthened implementation of the optional protocol, in harmony with the provisions of the CRC.

Poverty and Corruption

    Many NGOs and members of the WG stressed the role of corruption, and poverty at the national level, as main causes for the continuation of slavery and slavery-like practices. Even though adequate legal framework may exist, corruption at different levels, can pervert the rule
of law and stop any law from producing positive results. The WG therefore urged governments to take adequate steps to eradicate corruption and encouraged international agreements to improve training and professionalism of law enforcement personnel.

Trafficking in persons

    An important part of the debate was devoted to trafficking in persons. The WG was alarmed at the rapid expansion of the global sex industry and recognized that women and children, as well as minorities, refugees, migrants and indigenous people were especially vulnerable to trafficking and related forms of exploitation, especially sexual exploitation. Concern was expressed in view of new types of trans-border trafficking and of the connection between globalization, national immigration policies and trafficking.

    In this context, the WG urged Governments to ratify all relevant conventions and to introduce plans of action and it also encouraged them to ensure that victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation are not subjected to criminal proceedings. In view of the main causes of trafficking, namely poverty and corruption, the WG strongly recommended that States ensure the effectiveness of the rule of law and prosecute criminals involved in these acts.

    The WG further recommended that States provide victims of trafficking with social services, including medical care, shelter, legal services, education, job training and employment, as well as safe return to their country, if they so wish. Community-based prevention programmes,
were considered by the members of the WG, as valuable instruments to educate people and thus reduce the risks of trafficking and sexual exploitation. The WG called also for an exchange of information between national enforcement agencies to prevent actions of traffickers. It also
called for the implementation of the 1949 Convention on the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others.

    Some NGOs and some of the members of the WG expressed their concern about the proposed definition of "trafficking" in the present version of the draft Protocol to the new Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime addressing Trafficking in Person, especially women
and children. This definition, if kept as it is, would move the burden of proof to the victim of trafficking, which would have to prove that he/she did not give his/her consent.

    In view of the importance of the issue and ongoing initiatives at the national and international levels, the WG decided to consider the question of trafficking in persons as a priority issue at its next session in 2001. In its report, the WG invited all interested governments, NGOs,
specialized agencies and others, to contribute to the next session and to participate in the debate.