Intervention by the Permanent Representative of the Argentine Republic, Amb. Martín García Moritán

May 10

Good afternoon dear colleagues and friends,

My name is Martin Garcia Moritan, I’m the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations and I am very excited to be participation of the First Freedom Art Walk.

I want to congratulate the organizers, Street Art for Mankind, the Mayor’s Office, the New York Administration for Children’s Services and the ILO, for this initiative that help bring our commitment on ending child labour and trafficking and all forms of modern slavery to the people outside the UN. Last month I was also invited to inaugurate the beautiful mural that’s on the side of the West In on 42th st on eradication of child labour. With the ILO we have been partners on this fight for many years but I think that after these innovative campaigns people will be more conscious about this problematic that exists in all countries and regions.

As you may know, there are currently 152 million children - 64 million girls and 88 million boys - trapped in child labour, accounting for almost one in 10 of all children worldwide. 73 million of them work in hazardous conditions. More than 40 million people globally are victims of modern slavery, which consists of those in forced marriage, forced labour in the private economy, forced sexual exploitation of adults and commercial sexual exploitation of children, and state-imposed forced labour. 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children. Almost 25 million people are trapped in forced labour, in particular in domestic work, construction and agriculture.

It is imperative that we put an end to this human rights violation right now.

Thank you for participating of this important event and let’s strengthen our commitments from all areas, working together the artists, teachers, politics, diplomats, and everyone in order to move towards a world were no child works and even less are trafficked.

Thank you.