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Direct Link to FULL DOCUMENT:

http://www.ishr.ch/hrm/council/dailyupdates/session_008/6_june_2008.pdf 

 

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - 8th SESSION

 

Review, Rationalisation and Improvement of Special Procedures Mandates 

 

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, ESPECIALLY IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

 

"Germany and the Philippines, the main sponsors of the Resolution to renew the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Especially in Women and Children, jointly condemned the trafficking in persons as a grave violation of human rights. They stressed the need to identify and address the root causes of trafficking, and urged all States to adopt national initiatives to combat this activity.

 

As the Special Rapporteur was unable to attend the session, Ms. Soussan Raadi-Azarakhchi, Director of the Special Procedures Division at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), spoke on the recent activities of the Mandate holder. The Special Rapporteur, appointed for a three-year term, has submitted three annual reports, made joint communications to governments, and carried out country visits.

 

The States that took the floor were unanimous in their denunciation of trafficking in persons and expressed their support for the renewal of the Mandate, and a number of suggestions were made for strengthening it.

 

Sri Lanka and Turkey highlighted the need for a victim-centred approach, while Belarus stressed the importance of cooperation between the Mandate holder and States, as well as between States. The latter also pointed to the need to eliminate the demand for services of trafficking victims. Spain specifically emphasized the need to protect children. Some States also took the opportunity to inform the Council of national initiatives to combat trafficking. Two NGO's had asked for the floor, but neither was present when the floor was offered to them. (Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and MAPP).

 

Germany, speaking also on behalf of the Philippines, closed the discussion inviting States to participate in the informal consultations that it has organised on the Resolution to renew this Mandate. Both countries expressed their hope that the Resolution will be adopted by consensus."

 

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http://www.ishr.ch/hrm/council/dailyupdates/session_008/6_june_2008.pdf

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http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/index.htm

 

 

 

Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons , Especially in Women and Children

 

Introduction

At its sixtieth session, the Commission on Human Rights adopted decision 2004/110, by which it decided to appoint, for a three-year period, a Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children to focus on the human rights aspects of the victims of trafficking in persons. In the same decision, the Commission invited the Special Rapporteur to submit annual reports to the Commission together with recommendations on measures required to uphold and protect the human rights of the victims. The Commission requested the Special Rapporteur to respond effectively to reliable information on possible human rights violations with a view to protecting the human rights of actual or potential victims of trafficking and to cooperate fully with other relevant special rapporteurs, in particular the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, and to take full account of their contributions to the issue. The Commission also requested the Special Rapporteur to cooperate with relevant United Nations bodies, regional organizations and victims and their representatives. The Economic and Social Council, in its decision 2004/228, endorsed Commission on Human Rights’ decision 2004/110.

In the discharge of his/her mandate, the Special Rapporteur:

a) Takes action on violations committed against trafficked persons and on situations in which there has been a failure to protect their human rights (See Individual complaints)

b) Undertakes country visits in order to study the situation in situ and formulate recommendations to prevent and or combat trafficking and protect the human rights of its victims in specific countries and/or regions

c) Submits annual reports on the activities of the mandate

Special Rapporteur:





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