Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata on Contemporary Slavery
Human Rights Council – 54th Session
Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
As Delivered by Reid Creedon
Thank you, Mr Vice President.
Thank you, Special Rapporteur Obokata for your report analyzing the intersection of homelessness and contemporary forms of slavery. It is essential that we recognize the challenges faced by persons experiencing homelessness and the effects on their communities.
The United States shares your concerns about the vulnerability to homelessness of women, children, and members of underserved or marginalized racial, ethnic, and Indigenous communities. People subject to homelessness are at increased risk of exploitation, including sex trafficking. This is an ongoing challenge for us as well as in many places across the globe.
We appreciate the report’s spotlight on best practices and the positive efforts taken by countries including Georgia, Cameroon, and Mexico, in eliminating forms of homelessness among vulnerable groups.
The international community must do more to advance the human rights and fundamental freedoms of those susceptible to contemporary slavery. Ending homelessness requires a whole-of-society approach that breaks down barriers and addresses intersecting forms of discrimination to ensure equitable access for all.
Professor Obokata, how can governments and civil society work together more effectively to protect vulnerable populations susceptible to contemporary forms of slavery?
I thank you.
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