UN Rapporteur warns that contemporary slavery persists in Brazil
Following his visit to Brazil the UN expert said exploitation in agriculture, including coffee harvesting, continues to involve contemporary slavery
Relator da ONU sobre escravidão contemporânea, Tomoya Obokata, participa de coletiva no Rio de Janeiro.
Foto: UNIC Rio/Juliana Viegas
The legacy of slavery and colonialism, along with corporate interests, continues to fuel contemporary slavery in Brazil. This was the conclusion reached by Tomoya Obokata, United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, at the close of his official visit to the country.
From 18 to 29 August, Obokata traveled around various Brazilian states. In addition to Brasília he went to São Paulo, Marabá, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, where he met with government authorities, civil society representatives, workers from a number of sectors, as well as victims and survivors of contemporary forms of slavery. The Rapporteur thanked the Federal Government for the invitation and for their cooperation throughout the visit.
Colonial legacy and impunity
According to the expert, high levels of labor exploitation, sexual and criminal exploitation, domestic servitude, child labor and child marriage persist in Brazil, despite legislative, political and institutional frameworks that are regarded as robust.
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“I am deeply concerned about the accounts shared with me, particularly by Indigenous peoples, people of African descent – including quilombola communities – women working in the domestic sector, as well as migrants and refugees,” said Obokata.
According to the Rapporteur, current forms of slavery are rooted in the transatlantic slave trade and in colonialism, which normalized the exploitation of historically marginalized populations.
He stressed that many workers, including children, are trapped in a vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty. “When human rights abuses are reported, workers and defenders face threats from employers and other actors, which reinforces impunity and hinders access to justice and reparation,” he said.
The connection with environmental destruction and critical sectors
Obokata also linked contemporary forms of slavery to environmental destruction in the Amazon and other regions, driven by land grabbing, logging, mining, charcoal production, cattle breeding, the expansion of agribusiness and drug trafficking. According to him, these factors result in serious violations of the rights of Indigenous peoples and quilombola and other traditional communities who are often forced to migrate and accept exploitative work.
“Agriculture, such as coffee and sugarcane, as well as civil construction, the textile industry, hospitality, services, cattle breeding, logging, mining and charcoal production are among the sectors that are most affected,” said the Special Rapporteur.
He also stressed that the lack of alternatives forces workers to move around the country looking for seasonal work: “There is an urgent need to ensure decent living and working conditions in rural and remote areas. This could prevent the need for workers to migrate within the country to work on the harvests of coffee and other crops under exploitative conditions, a way of life that also comes at a high cost to their families.”
Progress, sectoral pacts and gaps
The Rapporteur recognized some important Brazilian policies, such as the “dirty list” that holds companies accountable when caught exploiting workers in conditions analogous to slavery. He also cited sectoral initiatives aimed at encouraging companies to voluntarily commit to ensuring decent working conditions.
“There are some positive examples, such as the National Coffee Pact, the National Pact for Decent Work in Agriculture and regional pacts in the wine industry, which aim to promote social dialogue between companies and workers. However, these instruments still require greater participation and robust mechanisms to track implementation,” he warned.
Despite progress, the Rapporteur pointed out significant failures in applying the measures, particularly at the state and municipal levels, as well as corrupt practices that allow companies to circumvent the law.
“Brazil needs to confront its legacy of slavery and colonialism, by reducing deep racial, socioeconomic and geographical inequalities, reallocating resources in a fair manner and safeguarding the human rights of those who have historically suffered the most,” he concluded. The full report of the visit will be presented by Obokata at the UN Human Rights Council in September 2025.
