Appointment of a Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery

During its last session in September 2007, “deeply concerned that the minimum estimate of the number of people in slavery is over 12 million”, the Human Rights Council (HRC) decides to appoint, for a three-year period, a Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and its consequences. The Special Rapporteur shall examine and report on all contemporary forms of slavery and slavery-like practices, focus principally on aspects of contemporary forms of slavery which are not covered by existing mandates of the Human Rights Council; promote the effective application of relevant international norms and standards on slavery; request, receive and exchange information on contemporary forms of slavery, and recommend actions and measures applicable at the national, regional and international levels to eliminate slavery practices wherever they occur. The new Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery is expected to be appointed by the HRC during its 7th session in March 2008. The Consultative Groups will submit the short list of candidates to the President by the beginning of February 2008 and will consult the public list of candidates in the weeks before. All relevant stakeholders are thus invited to submit their candidates at their earliest convenience.