Thank you, Mr. President,

I deliver this statement on behalf of the Benelux countries, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Luxembourg and my own country, Belgium. We align ourselves with the EU statement and thank the Special Rapporteur for his activities over the period and his excellent report on contemporary forms of slavery as affecting currently and formerly incarcerated people. 

The Benelux underscores the need for further improvements worldwide regarding compulsory labour and the fight against sexual exploitation during incarceration. We reiterate the importance of providing access to justice and the need for accountability when incarcerated individuals suffer from exploitation. Challenges in accessing justice should be addressed.

Furthermore, we underline that labour during incarceration should not have a punitive purpose, but should support reintegration into society. Discrimination against formerly incarcerated individuals, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, is real and should be addressed as part of this effort. This will reduce the risks of exploitation after incarceration.

Mr. Special Rapporteur, 

Could you reflect on measures States should take to effectively ban products originating from forced labour, including forced prison labour?

Thank you.