Willie Penrose
Question:107 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action the Government intends to take on bonded labour and child labour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23747/01]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude: slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms". Full adherence to the absolute values enshrined in the declaration is of paramount importance. The concept of slavery has broadened from the traditional concept of the slave trade and now includes practices such as bonded labour and child labour.
The Government is committed to the active promotion of full observance of universal human rights standards, including opposing and seeking the elimination of all contemporary forms of slavery. Contemporary forms of slavery include practices such as bonded labour, the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography, the exploitation of child labour, the sexual mutilation of female children, the use of children in armed conflicts, debt bondage and trafficking in persons. We voice our concerns wherever possible in partnership with other like-minded countries, in inter national fora such as the UN General Assembly, the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. While the issue of bonded labour or child labour has not so far been discussed at the UN Security Council, we remain vigilant for opportunities to pursue the issue in the context of ongoing discussions on specific issues.
Efforts to eliminate contemporary forms of slavery involve a wide spectrum of international organisations, NGOs and governments. Slavery and human rights issues in general are normally considered by the UN bodies which have a specific role and expertise in this area, notably the Commission on Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation, ILO.
The Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, an inter-sessional working group of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, is the UN body which has responsibility for the study of all aspects of slavery. At its twenty-fifth session in June 2000 in Geneva, it devoted priority attention to the question of bonded labour and debt bondage.
My colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. Tom Kitt, led the delegation to the Eighty-ninth International Labour Conference in Geneva in June of this year. He raised the issue of bonded labour, in the course of the discussion at the plenary session of the conference where he put forward a number of practical measures to address this specific problem.
Minister of State, Deputy Kitt's proposals received the strong support of the majority of his EU member state colleagues. Mr. Juan Somavia, the Director-General of the ILO made specific reference to Minister of State's call for special measures to deal with the problems of bonded labour. Accordingly, the Minister of State looks forward to the governing body of the ILO, at its meeting in November next, approving a substantial four year technical co-operation programme in this area.
The protection and promotion of the rights of all human beings is the first responsibility of every government. The persistence of contemporary forms of slavery, a most fundamental abuse of human rights, presents a challenge to all governments. Highlighting and addressing this issue is a priority for the Government.