UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

Accelerating action to end forced labour, human trafficking, modern slavery and child labour; experiences from Alliance 8.7 pathfinder countries

News | 22 July 2019
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) took place in New York from 9 to 18 July 2019 under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with the overall theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”. As adopted by Member States in the 2030 Agenda, HLPF is mandated to carry out regular voluntary reviews of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will entail Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth this year.

The dedicated review of SDG 8 during this year’s HLPF, provided an ideal opportunity to showcase countries’ commitment and action to achieve Target 8.7.

Sponsoring countries and ILO jointly organized an event in the margins of the HLPF “Accelerating action to end forced labour, human trafficking, modern slavery and child labour; experiences from Alliance 8.7 pathfinder countries”, which took place on 17th July 2019.

The objective of the event was to launch the Global Digital Report on Pathfinder Countries and to provide a platform for selected Pathfinder Countries to share their experiences and challenges in the process and identify ways forward in terms of policies, partnerships and coordinated actions at all levels.

Mr Guy Ryder, ILO Director General, launched the Pathfinder Countries eReports, in the presence of Ms Anousheh Karvar, Chair of Alliance 8.7, Ministry of Labour and Employment, France; H.E. Mr Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development; and Ms Graciela Guzman, Deputy Chair of Alliance 8.7, Secretary of State, Ministry of Production and Labour, Argentina.

It was followed by the Panel on “Experiences from Pathfinder Countries: Accelerating Action at National Level”, which discussed how pathfinder countries have been able to accelerate action and to bring innovation at the national level to reduce child labour, forced labour and child trafficking. Panel participants were H.E. Ms Janat Balunzi Mukwaya, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda; H.E. Mr Moctar Ould Diay, Minister of Economy and Finance of Mauritania; H.E. Mr Puspa Raj Kadel, Vice-Chairman, National Planning Commission, Nepal; and Mr Fernando Arab Verdugo, Deputy Minister of Labour, Chile.

A second Panel was on “Regional and Global Responses to Emerging Challenges”, which focused on the role of regional and global initiatives to address emerging phenomena such as migration, global supply chains, climate change and their impact on child labour, forced labour and child trafficking. Panel Participants were H.E. Mr Dag-Inge Ulstein, Minister for Development, Norway; H.E. Ms Sylvia Cáceres Pizarro, Minister of Labour and Promotion of Employment, Peru; Mr Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary for International development, United Kingdom; H.E. Mr Tijmen Rooseboom, Ambassador for Youth, Education and Work, the Netherlands; Mr Roberto Suárez Santos, Secretary-General, International Organization of Employers; and Mr Mamadou Diallo, Deputy General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation.

 

The event concluded with remarks from Mr António Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino, Director-General, IOM; Mr Maximo Torero, Assistant Director-General, FAO; Mr John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs, UNODC; and Ms Anousheh Karvar, Chair of Alliance 8.7, Ministry of Labour and Employment, France.