 Distinguished Chairperson and members of the UN Fund for Victims of Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Dear Excellencies, Dear Colleagues and Friends, I am honored to take part in this expert panel on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, although unfortunately I am not able to participate in person. The rehabilitation of victims of servitude is a pressing issue, as domestic servitude continues to be widespread in all regions of the world. Not all domestic workers are subjected to servitude, but if the work takes advantage of an individual's vulnerability, if there are limitations on personal freedom, excessive work hours, no or too little payment or remuneration, if workers cannot leave the job of their own will, and if human dignity is violated or other forms of coercion exist, a domestic worker may face a situation of servitude. Human victims of domestic servitude also suffer serious verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Globally, 70% of the 70 million domestic workers are women, and 11.5 million are migrant women workers. These characteristics lead to specific vulnerabilities, which are often rooted in discrimination based on gender, caste, class, race and migration status. These features are important to keep in mind when prevention, protection and rehabilitation measures for victims are designed. As domestic workers are commonly hidden behind closed doors and therefore invisible, including to labour inspectors, it is particularly difficult for them to escape their abusive and exploitative situations. For those who do succeed in leaving servitude behind, gender-sensitive and victim-centered rehabilitation measures are needed in order to put the survivors themselves at the centre of the efforts. This also means that the victim's socioeconomic situation needs to be considered as poverty is often a main course of servitude. This is particularly the case with marginalised women who feel they have no alternative to working in the domestic sector, which is prone to abuse and exploitation. So more needs to be done to ensure victims' rights of access to justice. Currently, this is often hampered because victims don't report the abuse due to multiple structural barriers. States have an obligation to respect, promote and fulfil the right not to be in slavery or servitude, and to ensure access to justice for victims by making available a system of effective remedies to persons subject to their jurisdiction. That entails the obligation of states to establish or strengthen where necessary judicial and administrative mechanisms to enable victims to obtain redress through legal procedures that are expeditious, fair, inexpensive and accessible. I am grateful to the UN Voluntary Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery for marking each year this important day and to bring to light the poignant testimonies of victims as well as the in-depth expertise on victims' rehabilitation developed by organisations around the world. In my mandate, I cooperate closely with the UN Fund. Its support to victims and caregivers is essential, and it is important that it continues to receive adequate funding. Looking ahead, a collaborative effort between states, civil society and victims' organisations, trade unions, private actors and the United Nations is needed to better prevent the slavery and servitude of women, girls, boys and men, and to ensure that those who do fall into the trap of domestic servitude are able to find a way out of it and to obtain full access to justice. I wish to thank the Fund for convening this event and for its commitment to ending all forms of slavery and servitude.