New initiative of employers "Ukraine: free of forced labor"

On December 13, 2022 The Confederation of Ukrainian Employers, with the support of the EU-funded ILO project "On the way to safe, healthy and declared labor in Ukraine", presented a new initiative "Ukraine: free of forced labor".

According to the President of the Confederation, Oleksii Miroshnychenko, «Despite the opinions of some skeptics, the start of such an initiative is extremely timely and important for Ukrainian employers, as new principles for the functioning of Ukrainian business in the post-war period in the European Union and the world are being formed right now».

Ms. Yulia Drumea, ILO employer specialist, in particular, noted that the International Labor Organization consistently supports Ukraine in its struggle for world values, freedom and democracy, and the efforts of the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine in the field of preventing the use of forced labor in Ukraine is another achievement on the way to introducing the principles of sustainable business in Ukraine.

Director of the Directorate of Labor and Employment of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine Yuriy Kuzovoy emphasized the importance of preventing the spread and use of forced labor in the context of the labor law reform of Ukraine and welcomed the aspirations of Ukrainian employers in this area.

In his presentation on the signs, trends and methods of combating forced labor and human trafficking, Mr. Zsolt Dudas, manager of the EU-funded ILO project "On the way to safe, healthy and declared labor in Ukraine", in particular, cited the data for 2022, according to which in the world about 26 million people are currently victims of forced labor, including sexual exploitation, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or forced organ harvesting. Unfortunately, according to the expert, 86% of all cases of forced labor occur in private business, which creates additional grounds for paying special attention to preventing the use of forced labor by private business.

The expert of the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine, Ms. Olena Stepanenko, presented the Guidelines for employers of Ukraine in the field of preventing the use of forced labor, focusing specifically on the national features of doing business in Ukraine, comparing the international and national experience of preventing the use of forced labor.