NGOs call for action against slave labour and for approval of the bill on human rights and businesses
A speech given at the UN Human Rights Council calls for international efforts against labour analogous to slavery and for approval of the National Benchmark on Human Rights and Businesses
Ginásio em Bento Gonçalves (RS) vira alojando para trabalhadores resgatados em vinícolas. Foto: Divulgação
On Friday (17), during the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Conectas, Adere-MG (Articulation of Rural Workers in the State of Minas Gerais), Business Human Rights Resource Center and Oxfam Brasil asked the international community to reject goods produced in Brazil, through labour that is analogous to slavery and under poor working conditions.
At the beginning of 2023, hundreds of workers were rescued from conditions analogous to slavery in Rio Grande do Sul. The organisations drew attention to a common factor in all these cases: “the vast majority of these workers are black and work in global value chains, which in itself demonstrates that this, the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, is still, in the 21st century, adhering to a rationale of slavery and colonialism.”
Read more:
In the speech, the organisations also highlighted the importance of passing bill of law 572/22, which provides for the National Benchmark on Human Rights and Businesses and sets out guidelines for promoting public policies on the subject. The bill of law is awaiting the appointment of a rapporteur on the Economic Development Commission in the Chamber of Deputies.
