UN Human Rights Council 50: UK statement on the human rights of migrants

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.