UN expert on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography to visit El Salvador

GENEVA (20 August 2010) - The Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Ms Najat Maalla M’jid is undertaking a visit to El Salvador from 22 to 31 August 2010. This will be her first visit to the Latin America region.

“During my mission, I will gather first-hand information on the main issues related to the sale of children, commercial sexual exploitation of children, as well as on the child protection system in general," Ms. Maalla M’jid said.

The Special Rapporteur will visit shelters and centers that deal with child victims of exploitation and abuse. She will also hold discussions with government authorities, civil society and representatives of UN agencies.

Ms. Maalla M’jid will hold a press conference at 10:45 on Tuesday 31 August at Edificio Naciones Unidas in San Salvador (Boulevard Orden de Malta Sur, No. 2B Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad).

Based on the information obtained during the visit, the Special Rapporteur will present a report containing her findings and recommendations to a forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council.

Ms. Najat M’jid Maalla (Morocco) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the sale of children in May 2008. She is independent from any government or organization. Ms. M’jid Maalla is a member of the Commission on the Rights of the Child of the Moroccan Consultative Council on Human Rights, and the founder of the non-governmental organization BAYTI, the first programme addressing the situation of children living in the street in Morocco.

Learn more about the mandate and work of the Special Rapporteur: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/children/rapporteur/index.htm or write to srsaleofchildren@ohchr.org.

For more information on the situation of human rights in El Salvadors, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/LACRegion/Pages/SVIndex.aspx

For press inquiries and additional information on the Special Rapporteur’s mission, please contact Miguel Huezo (Miguel.huezo@undp.org) or Ms. Laura Sheridan (laura.sheridan@undp.org)