United Nations Human Rights Council
59^th session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children

23 June 2025

EU Statement

Mr President,

The European Union would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for the report and presentation today.

No person should ever be treated as a commodity. Unfortunately, this simple statement remains a utopia in many cases, as your current report lays out. Trafficking in human beings comes in many shapes and forms – and often affects those in the most vulnerable situations. We therefore particularly welcome the focus of this year’s report on the legal situation of migrant domestic workers. Often women and girls from different socio-economic backgrounds or from minority communities. Often secluded from the public eye, they can be particularly exposed to exploitation and abuse.  

The EU is deeply concerned about your findings, in particular that many women migrant domestic workers endure sexual harassment, sexual and gender-based violence, and are prone to the risk of being trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour or domestic servitude. 

All states, whether countries of origin, destination or transit, have a responsibility to take measures to prevent and fully eradicate trafficking in human beings, including by countering impunity for all perpetrators involved, and to improve on the situation of victims - by effectively combatting criminal networks, by identifying, protecting, assisting, supporting and empowering victims and survivors of human trafficking and by raising awareness and providing help to those in need. These measures also lie at the core of the EU’s Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings and we call on others to join in on these efforts. 

Madam Special Rapporteur, what would be the most urgent steps States should consider undertaking to uphold the rights of migrant domestic workers and protect them from the risk of trafficking?

Thank you.