GENEVA (17 June 2022) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, Mama Fatima Singhateh will conduct an official visit to Mauritius from 21-30 June 2022.

The expert has been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to conduct country visits and promote strategies to prevent and combat the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

The Special Rapporteur’s 10-day visit will focus on several issues including the protection of children against sexual exploitation, child marriage, child-trafficking for sexual exploitation, the exploitation of children living in the streets, and the sale of children through illegal adoptions. Singhateh will travel to Port Louis and Rodrigues where she will meet representatives of the executive, legislature and judiciary, local and municipal authorities, civil society organisations, members of the international community, and children.

The visit will also assess the progress made by Mauritius in combating and preventing the sale and sexual exploitation of children since the last country visit by the mandate in May 2011.

The Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference to share her preliminary observations with the media at 15h00 local time on 30 June 2022 at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis. Access will be strictly limited to journalists.

She will present a comprehensive report on her visit at a forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council.