UN expert on contemporary forms of slavery to visit Australia
United Nations
GENEVA (12 November 2024) - The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata, will visit Australia from 14 to 27 November 2024.
The Special Rapporteur will examine the Government's efforts in implementing international and national law, in particular as it relates to individuals and groups facing possible exploitation risks, including women and girls, migrants, asylum seekers, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, persons experiencing homelessness.
The Special Rapporteur will also examine instances of genderbased violence, child exploitation and abuse, and child early and forced marriage.
He will meet Government officials, legislators, civil society, human rights institutions, rights-holders, academic experts, workers' organisations, private businesses, investors, representatives of the UN and other actors.
Obokata will hold a press conference on Wednesday 27 November at 10:30 a.m. local time at the United Nations Information Centre, Canberra. Access will be strictly limited to journalists. The expert will present his report to the Human Rights Council in September 2025.
ENDS
Mr. Tomoya Obokata was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery in March 2020 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: Australia
For more information and media requests please contact: Ms. Lilia Petrosyan, Human Rights Officer (lilia.petrosyan@un.org) and Ms. Yuki Suzuki, Associate Expert (yuki.suzuk@un.org) at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva For media enquiries regarding other UN independent experts, please contact Dharisha lndraguptha (.dharisha.indraguptha@un.org) or John Newland (john.newland@un.org)