SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS TO VISIT ITALY

28 May 2004

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Gabriela Rodríguez Pizarro, will visit Italy from 7 to 18 June 2004 at the invitation of the Government.

The Special Rapporteur begins her official mission in Rome and will also visit Brindisi, Trapani, Lampedusa, Milan and Bologna. During her visit, she is scheduled to meet Government ministers, senior Government officials, local authorities and representatives of the security forces. She also plans to meet with migrants and academics as well as with representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, religious associations and other private organizations.

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was created in 1999 by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, pursuant to resolution 1999/44. The Commission requested the Special Rapporteur to “examine ways and means to overcome the obstacles existing to the full and effective protection of the human rights of migrants, including obstacles and difficulties for the return of migrants who are undocumented or in an irregular situation”. In the five years since taking office, the Special Rapporteur has visited Canada, Ecuador, the Philippines, Mexico, including the area of the border with the United States, Spain, Morocco and Iran.


Additional information on the Special Rapporteur’s activities, as well as her reports, can be found at the following web address: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu2/7/b/mmig.htm