last updated September 1, 2005

The 60th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, ending April 23, 2004, appointed a Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (E/CN.4/2004/L.62). Ms. Sigma Huda, President of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association and current Board Member of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Asia Pacific, will serve as the second Special Rapporteur on Trafficking. Ms. Huda will replace the post’s initial appointee Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia who resigned from the position shortly after her appointment this summer.

During the three year appointment, Ms. Huda is likely to be given a generic mandate to gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from all relevant sources, including governments, victims of trafficking themselves and organizations, on violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms; formulate recommendations and proposals on appropriate measures and activities to prevent and remedy violations of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of victims of trafficking; and work in close relation with other special rapporteurs, working groups and independent experts of the Commission on Human Rights and of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The Special Rapporteur might also be authorized to provide expertise and guidance to the UN agencies and other interested national and regional agencies to streamline their programs for effective combating of trafficking in persons.

Ms. Huda is due to report her findings to the Commission in 2005.