A/HRC/45/8 I. Introduction 1. In March 2020, the Human Rights Council appointed Tomoya Obokata from Japan as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; he assumed his tenure on 1 May 2020. The Special Rapporteur gratefully acknowledges the trust that the Council has placed in him by appointing him as mandate holder. The present report is submitted pursuant to Council resolution 42/10, in which the Council renewed the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences. 2. In light of the global health, social and economic challenges posed by the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Special Rapporteur examines in the present report how this crisis exacerbates existing vulnerabilities to contemporary forms of slavery. He also identifies the new risks it brings, and outlines the impacts on the estimated 40.3 million people who were trapped in situations of modern-day slavery before the outbreak. 1 In addition, the report contains a brief section outlining the methods of work of the newly appointed Special Rapporteur. 3. The Special Rapporteur wishes to express his deep appreciation and admiration to his predecessor for her important work in combating slavery and slavery-like practices during her two terms as mandate holder between 2014 and 2020. Through her thematic work, for example on bonded labour, the Sustainable Development Goals, domestic servitude, slavery in supply chains, child slavery and the gendered dimensions of contemporary forms of slavery, the former mandate holder consistently advocated for ending all forms of slavery by 2030. Through her country-specific work and 10 official country visits, she not only provided valuable analysis and insight into country situations and drew attention to the concerns and issues surrounding slavery and slavery-like practices therein, but also made constructive and action-oriented recommendations. II. Activities relating to the mandate 4. The activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur, including the activities of the previous mandate holder, Urmila Bhoola, from the time of the submission of her last report to the Human Rights Council at its forty-second session until June 2020, are outlined in the forthcoming report to the General Assembly. 5. During that time frame, the Special Rapporteur transmitted 11 communications jointly with other mandates on behalf of individuals exposed to contemporary forms of slavery. III. Approach and methods of work of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences 6. In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 42/10, the Special Rapporteur will continue to examine and report on all contemporary forms of slavery and slavery-like practices, but in particular those defined in the Slavery Convention of 1926 and the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery of 1956, and all other issues covered previously by the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. 7. The Special Rapporteur will explore different manifestations of contemporary forms of slavery by building on the work of his predecessors and by addressing new and emerging issues. 1 International Labour Organization, Walk Free Foundation and International Organization for Migration (IOM), Global estimates of modern slavery: forced labour and forced marriage (Geneva, International Labour Office, 2017). 3