Brazil admits challenges in combating modern slavery at UN

The Brazilian government acknowledged before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva that the country faces significant challenges in combating modern forms of slavery. During a discussion regarding a report by special rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, following his August 2025 visit, officials noted that while Brazil possesses structured legislation and specialized institutions, implementation and enforcement remain difficult.

A primary issue identified is an acute shortage of labor inspectors. Brazil currently has just over 2,600 inspectors to oversee more than 100 million workers. This falls short of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 81 standards, which suggest a ratio of one auditor per 20,000 workers for developing nations. Data indicates that the ratio of workers per inspector has nearly doubled since the 1990s, and the probability of an establishment being inspected in a given year has dropped from 11.3% to 3.8%.

Brazilian representatives attributed the persistence of exploitation to social inequality, economic vulnerability, and institutional failures. The report also highlighted that these issues disproportionately affect indigenous populations, quilombolas, riverine communities, domestic workers, and migrants. Since 1995, Brazil has rescued over 70,000 workers from conditions analogous to slavery.