Tue Dec 02 13:20:00 UTC 2025: News Article: Uyghur Forced Labor Advocates Demand Action at UN Forum After Issue Remains Off Agenda

GENEVA, Dec 1, 2025 – Despite persistent advocacy, the United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva once again failed to formally address the issue of state-imposed forced labor (SIFL) in the Uyghur Region of China. Frustrated advocates, including representatives from Global Rights Compliance (GRC), the Uyghur Youth Initiative, and the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, took matters into their own hands this week, demanding greater international attention and coordinated action.

These groups attended the forum to ensure that Uyghur voices were included in the policy discussions, particularly because systemic transnational repression has limited them.

Throughout the week, the advocates met with officials, including the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, and held sessions to highlight the impossibility of conducting credible human rights due diligence in the Uyghur Region due to restricted supply chain transparency and limitations on workers’ freedom of speech. They cited GRC research indicating that numerous companies are linked to critical minerals sourced from forced labor, highlighting the potential of being an accomplice to systemic repression.

“Governments must adopt and enforce robust import bans so that forced-labour-made goods have no place in global markets,” said Lara Strangways, the head of business and human rights at Global Rights Compliance.

Patricia Carrier, Business Engagement Lead for End Uyghur Forced Labour, stressed the magnitude of the crisis, stating, “The international community needs to recognise that Uyghur forced labour is a crisis – over 3 million people were forcibly transferred into labour programs in 2023 alone”. She also emphasized that immediate disengagement is the only responsible way that businesses can avoid contributing to these egregious abuses.

The groups are calling for stronger enforcement of existing regulations like the American Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and the proposed European EU Forced Labour Regulation. They also urge companies to trace their supply chains, address exposure to Uyghur forced labor, and exit the Uyghur Region entirely.

Representatives from GRC, End Uyghur Forced Labour, Stop Uyghur Genocide, and Uyghur Youth Initiative are available for media interviews.

Summary of Text:

A coalition of legal experts and advocates, including Global Rights Compliance, the Uyghur Youth Initiative, and the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, attended the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva to advocate for increased attention and action on state-imposed forced labor in the Uyghur Region. Despite the issue not being formally on the agenda, they held meetings, presented evidence, and called for stronger import bans, supply chain tracing, and business disengagement from the region to combat forced labor. They emphasize the importance of listening to Uyghur voices and addressing the crisis through coordinated global action and enforcement of existing regulations.

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