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

March 14

Good afternoon colleagues and friends,

I want to thank the organizers of this event for inviting my country to co-host this event, it is an honor for me to participate in this event with such important personalities.

Argentina has a fundamental commitment in the eradication forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking, all of which affect women and girls in a disproportionately way.

In this vein, last November Argentina hosted the IV Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour that counted with the participation of more than 3,800 persons and the representation of 134 countries including 45 Ministers of State.

The main objective of the Conference was to take stock of progress made since the III Global Conference that took place in Brasilia, in 2013 and most importantly to agree on measures to accelerate the eradication of child labour and forced labour and promoting decent work for all.

The IV Conference concluded with the successful adoption of the Buenos Aires Declaration, which had been negotiated in Geneva with the participation of Governments; employers and unions, and includes 91 concrete pledges, commitments to action. An interesting aspect is that these pledges also included coordinated actions, for example Argentina and the African Union agreed to cooperate in order to strengthen their national and regional capacities aimed at preventing and eradicating child labour.

In the Declaration it also reflected the recognition of the importance of area-based and community interventions for eradicating child labour, as well as the important role of civil society.

During the Conference this disproportionate vulnerable situation on girls and women was addressed, with special sessions discussing the importance of giving priority to the eradication of girls’ child labour as well as throughout the BA Declaration, with is a transversal emphasis to the situation of girls and young women.

During our current presidency of the G-20 we also are giving a special attention to these issues, both by the transversal gender-empowerment approach as well as having the future of work as one of our priorities.

Given the interlinkages of these phenomenon, we also give high priority to ensuring the right to education for children, the only job of a child should be to go to school. For the first time the G 20 will have the participation of Ministries of Education, because economic inclusive growth based on decent work cannot be achieved if we don’t boost the educational system.

We already have the international legal framework and instruments to fights these crimes, however they are still amongst us, we need to deepen the political will and keep this matter as a priority. I am certain that the current momentum is an unprecedented opportunity in order to move forward towards the complete eradication of Forced Labour, Modern Slavery, and Human Trafficking whilst empowering women and girls.

Thank you very much.