Thank you, Mr President.

Women and girls have been disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of COVID19. Not only are they over-represented in some of the worst-hit sectors, but they also undertake a bulk of unpaid care work. Redistributing, recognising and reducing women and girls’ unpaid care contributions, and investment that allows women to reach their full potential, protects their human rights, promotes stronger more inclusive growth, and ultimately benefits everyone.

The unequal division of unpaid care responsibilities in the home and low pay for paid care work also limits women’s empowerment, social and economic participation and leadership. The UK works with partner governments, multilaterals, and the private sector to address care in partner countries. We are encouraging the private sector to create better quality, more flexible work, and investors to seek opportunities to strengthen the care economy. We will join the Global Alliance for Care and share best practice on addressing unpaid care, and paid care for children and the elderly. We will encourage collection and analysis of sex and age-disaggregated data worldwide, with which to better monitor and improve policies, programmes and investments in care. By taking such action employers will reduce time and income poverty, improve working conditions and wages for unpaid and paid care workers, and provide care at all stages of life.

Mr President

We would like to ask the panellists to share evidence of concrete examples at the regional or country level of such actions taken by employers to encourage flexible workplace practices and reduce and redistribute care responsibilities?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr President.

We would like to make some comments in response to the Special Rapporteur’s most recent report. The UK is committed to ensuring that all migrants, regardless of their status, are treated with dignity and full respect for their human rights. We are also committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and to supporting its victims, in line with our international obligations. The UK was the first country to put in place a domestic statute to tackle Modern Slavery, through its 2015 Act.

The UK’s Nationality and Borders Act promotes the principle that access to the UK’s asylum system should be based on need, not the ability to pay people smugglers. It reflects the widely held principle on claiming asylum in the first safe country reached. Therefore, we respectfully disagree with the assertion in your report regarding the UK.

The UK has offered 310,000 men, women, and children refuge in the UK since 2015. We continue to provide support to the people of Ukraine. Over 130,000 visas have been granted to help bring those caught up in the war to safety. We will continue to build on our work so far – from Syria to Ukraine – to help those in genuine need of resettlement to come to the UK safely and legally.

Thank you.

The Prime Minister met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the G7 Summit in Germany today.

The leaders began by praising the strength of UK-Japan relations. They both welcomed the lifting of UK import restrictions on products originating in Fukushima tomorrow.

The Prime Minister praised Prime Minister Kishida for his staunch support for the Ukrainian people in opposition to Putin’s barbarism in Ukraine. They agreed that the unity of thought between G7 leaders on this issue has strengthened Ukraine’s hand in the war and will continue to do so.

The Prime Minister underlined the UK’s support for rule of law and sovereignty everywhere in the world. Democratic leaders must stand together in opposition to challenges to our values. The leaders agreed to continue to work to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Kishida agreed that the work the UK and Japan are doing together to develop the next generation of fighter planes is hugely valuable to our countries and will form the basis of UK-Japan cooperation for a generation to come.

They agreed to explore ways of deepening the UK-Japan relationship further, harnessing our shared global leadership in areas like science and technology.

Thank you, Mr President,

The United Kingdom welcomes today’s discussion.

The UK is committed to unlocking the opportunities provided by existing and emerging digital technologies. If developed responsibly and with the necessary safeguards in place, new technologies can enable major advances in tackling global and social challenges – from pandemic preparedness to enhancing a quality education for all.

Alongside digital technologies, the UK recognises the importance of a free, open, inclusive and interoperable Internet to enable individuals to enjoy their human rights, exercise their fundamental freedoms and hold governments to account.

We here today must take steps to tackle digital divides, to ensure that no one is left behind in a digital world. Working through digital development interventions like our Digital Access Programme, the UK supports inclusive, affordable, safe and secure digital connectivity and digital skills development. We promote sustainable models for individuals from underserved and marginalised groups to realise their economic, social, civil and political rights online.

The benefits of technological innovation should extend to all people, with governments, industry or individuals working together to make them a reality. New technologies and their governance arrangements must be developed responsibly, in compliance with international human rights law, and supported by multi-stakeholder engagement.

Mr President,

What more can be done to ensure greater and more sustainable access to digital technologies so that more people may benefit?

Thank you Mr President.

The United Kingdom would like to thank the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons for her continued work and welcomes ongoing discussion on this crucial issue.

We are grateful for the Special Rapporteur’s latest report and we support her assertion that we must address the increase in child labour and significant risks of trafficking. During our G7 Presidency, we committed to work collaboratively to eradicate forced labour, protect victims and improve transparency in global supply chains. More recently, the UK pledged our support at the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour and we are committed to taking forward priorities including working with businesses to eliminate child labour in global supply chains.

We expect all UK businesses to behave in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and to comply with all applicable laws and meet their obligations through the UK Modern Slavery Act. This includes their management of supply chains in the UK and overseas.

Special Rapporteur Mullally,

What further steps can the international community take to accelerate progress towards SDG 8.7 to eliminate child labour?

Thank you.