UN expert on human trafficking launches fact-finding mission to Latin America

September 2010

GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, will begin her first official visit to the Latin America region on 6 September. During her 12-day fact-finding mission, Ms. Ezeilo will visit Argentina from 6 to 12 September, and Uruguay from 13 to 17 September.

“I hope to engage in productive dialogues with all stakeholders in Argentina and in Uruguay to examine progress that has been made and the substantial challenges that remain in addressing human trafficking,” said Ms. Ezeilo.

In both countries, Ms. Ezeilo will meet with representatives of the Government and the judiciary, as well as representatives of international and civil society organizations working to prevent human trafficking.

At the end of her mission, the Special Rapporteur will hold news conferences in Argentina and Uruguay to present her preliminary conclusions and recommendations. In Argentina, the press conferences will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Buenos Aires at 18:30 on 10 September, and in Uruguay, at the United Nations Information Center, Montevideo at 13:00 on 17 September.

ENDS

Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo assumed her functions as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children on 1 August 2008. Ms. Ezeilo is a human rights lawyer and professor at the University of Nigeria. She has also served in various governmental capacities, including as Honourable Commissioner for Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development in Enugu State and as a Delegate to the National Political Reform Conference. She has consulted for various international organizations and is also involved in several NGOs, particularly working on women’s rights. She has published extensively on a variety of topics, including human rights, women’s rights, and Sharia law.

Learn more about the mandate and activities of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/index.htm

OHCHR Country Page – Argentina:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/LACRegion/Pages/ARIndex.aspx

OHCHR Country Page – Uruguay:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/LACRegion/Pages/UYIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact: Mr. David Smith (email: smith1@un.org; tel.: +54-11- 4803-7672) (Argentina) and Mr. Juan Miguel Petit (email: JuanMiguel.Petit@undp.org: tel.: +5982- 4123357) (Uruguay).