Trafficking in persons: UN expert launches first official visit to Seychelles

GENEVA (23 January 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, will conduct an official visit to the Seychelles from 27 to 31 January 2014.

“I would like to better understand the situation of trafficking of persons in the Seychelles, especially that of women, children, as well as men, and assess the State’s response to counter trafficking,” said Ms. Ezeilo.

The UN Special Rapporteur is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms and to encourage measures to uphold and protect the human rights of victims.

Ms. Ezeilo will meet with representatives of various Government agencies, as well as the United Nations and members of civil society organizations working to fight against trafficking in persons.

“My visit is an opportunity to have constructive exchanges with relevant authorities and key actors on the progress made and challenges Seychelles faces in addressing trafficking in human beings,” said Ms. Ezeilo, who will carry out this visit at the invitation of the Government

At the end of her visit on Friday 31 January 2014, the Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference at the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecutions Intelligence Co-ordination Centre (RAPPICC), former Coastguard Road, Bois de Rose Avenue, Victoria, Seychelles, at 11.30am.

The Special Rapporteur’s final observations and recommendations will be presented at the 26th session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014.

Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (Nigeria) started her mandate as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children in August 2008. Ms. Ezeilo is a human rights lawyer and professor at the University of Nigeria. She has served in various governmental capacities and consulted for various international organizations, and is currently 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. Ms. Ezeilo was conferred with a national honour (Officer of the Order of Nigeria) in 2006 for her work as a human right defender. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Trafficking/Pages/TraffickingIndex.aspx

OHCHR Country Page – Seychelles: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/SCIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Mahe: Selma Vadala (+41 797520481 / svadala@ohchr.org)
In Geneva: Yaye Ba (+41 22 917 9210 / yba@ohchr.org) or write to srtrafficking@ohchr.org)

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

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