Dominican Republic: first visit of the UN expert on sale and sexual exploitation of children

Spanish

GENEVA / SANTO DOMINGO (4 May 2017) – UN Special Rapporteur Maud de Boer-Buquicchio will visit the Dominican Republic from 8 to 15 May to assess the scope of the sale and sexual exploitation of children in the country. She will also analyse the measures adopted and the challenges faced by the national authorities in combating this scourge.

This is the first visit of an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on issues related to the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

“During my visit, I will look into child rights violations and issues related to the sale of, trafficking in and exploitation of children in travel and tourism, labour exploitation of children in domestic work, child marriage, and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, among others,” stated Ms. de Boer-Buquicchio.

“I will meet adolescent victims of sale and sexual exploitation and children in vulnerable situations such as stateless children and children in street situations, with the aim of taking their opinions into account when formulating my recommendations to the authorities,” the expert said.

During her eight-day mission the Special Rapporteur will visit Santo Domingo, Dajabón, Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Boca Chica, where she will meet national and provincial authorities in charge of the prevention and fight against the sale and sexual exploitation of children, members of civil society and child protection NGOs, representatives of the private sector, UN agencies, funds and programmes, and child victims. She will also visit child care institutions.

At the end of her visit, on 15 May, at 12h00, the Special Rapporteur will organize a press conference at the House of the United Nations in Santo Domingo (Avenida Anacaona #9, Mirador Sur, Apartado 1424, Santo Domingo). Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

Ms. de Boer-Buquicchio will present her findings and key recommendations in a comprehensive report to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2018.

Ms. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio (Netherlands) was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2014 and her mandate was renewed in March 2017. She served as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe between 2002 and 2012. Ms. de Boer-Buquicchio spearheaded the adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. She is the President of the European Federation for Missing and Exploited Children.
 
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, country page: Dominican Republic    

For more information and media requests please contact:
In Santo Domingo (during the visit): Juan Carlos Monge (+1 829 4751304 / +1 809 5370 909)
In Geneva (before and after the visit): Ms. Nekane Lavín (+41 22 917 9402 / nlavin@ohchr.org) or write to srsaleofchildren@ohchr.org

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

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights