africa/global: FIGHT CONTEMPORARY SLAVERY BY ELIMINATING ROOT CAUSES ­, says UN OFFICIAL

FIGHT CONTEMPORARY SLAVERY BY ELIMINATING ROOT CAUSES ­ UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jun 17 2003 12:00PM

Contemporary forms of slavery cannot be eliminated unless the international
community goes beyond mere legal prohibitions to fighting its root causes
such as poverty, gender discrimination and violence against women,
according to the acting United Nations human rights chief.

"More than 50 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated
in its article 4 that 'No one shall be held in slavery or servitude;
slavery and slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms,' the
international community is fighting new forms of oppression ranging from
traditional chattel slavery, bonded labour, serfdom, child labour, migrant
labour and domestic labour, to forced labour and slavery for ritual or
religious purposes," Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand
Ramcharan said.

Opening the 28th session of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of
Slavery in Geneva yesterday, Mr. Ramcharan noted that victims of slavery
are characterized by their poverty and their vulnerability.

"Thus, combating slavery means not only its direct prohibition by law but
also fighting against poverty, illiteracy, economic and social disparities,
gender discrimination, violence against women and children, harmful
traditional practices and many other factors leading up to its contemporary
forms," he told the representatives of specialized agencies,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

Mr. Ramcharan, who is standing in for High Commissioner Sergio Vieira de
Mello during his four-month absence in Iraq as Secretary-General Kofi
Annan's Special Representative, praised the Group for two of its
initiatives ­ the establishment of the Special Rapporteur on Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and the Special
Rapporteur on Violence against Women.

He also noted that the group had highlighted the issue of trafficking for
many years before the international community acknowledged the gravity and
complexity of the matter and that it had been a pioneer in calling for free
compulsory primary education to combat exploitation, illiteracy and poverty.

The session continues through Friday.

UN News Service