Agenda Item 3, Clustered Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on trafficking persons (and the Special Rapporteur on physical and mental health)
As delivered by Patrick Connally
32nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Geneva,
June 15, 2016
The United States welcomes this opportunity to thank the Special Rapporteurs for their work, and wish to focus our attention in this interactive dialogue on human trafficking. We appreciate that Ms. Giammarinaro’s report focused on trafficking and conflict, including the trafficking of persons internally displaced by conflict, as these are critically important issues that need more research. The United States welcomes this opportunity to thank the Special Rapporteurs for their work, and wish to focus our attention in this interactive dialogue on human trafficking. We appreciate that Ms. Giammarinaro’s report focused on trafficking and conflict, including the trafficking of persons internally displaced by conflict, as these are critically important issues that need more research. We look forward to welcoming the Special Rapporteur to the United States for an official visit in December 2016.
Instability resulting from armed conflict can increase and intensify vulnerability to human trafficking. Those populations most affected often face a lack of government protections, including concrete and timely solutions to address their increased vulnerability, especially in protracted crisis situations. Additionally, when victims are not identified and referred to appropriate protection services, they remain vulnerable to re-victimization by the same or new traffickers.
When a country is overwhelmed by crisis, the normal functioning of its institutions may be disrupted or even halted, which can in turn precipitate or exacerbate the weakening of rule-of-law. Criminal networks and traffickers often take advantage of increased impunity and access to desperate and vulnerable people.
Question: Anti-trafficking strategies should be comprehensively integrated into humanitarian efforts. How does Special Rapporteur Giammarinaro believe we can raise awareness within the humanitarian community about the risks and consequences of human trafficking?