Montenegro: UN expert on sale and exploitation of children to visit 8-16 September

GENEVA (6  September 2021) - The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, Mama Fatima Singhateh, will conduct an official visit to Montenegro from 8 to 16 September 2021.

The expert has been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to conduct country visits and promote strategies to prevent and combat the sale and sexual exploitation of children and to make recommendations for the care, recovery and reintegration into society of child victims.

Mama Fatima Singhateh will address thematic issues such as protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse involving information and communication technologies, child marriage, sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism, trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, exploitation of children living in the streets, and the sale of children through illegal adoptions.

During her eight-day visit, the UN expert will travel to Podgorica, Bijela, Spuz and other municipalities. She will meet representatives of the executive, legislature and judiciary, local and municipal authorities, civil society organizations, members of the international community, and children.

At the end of her visit, on Thursday 16 September 2021, the UN expert will share her preliminary observations at a press conference at 12:00 noon local time at the UN Eco House, at Blue Room, Stanka Dragojevica bb, 81000, Podgorica. Access to the press conference will be strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report at a forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council.

ENDS

Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh (The Gambia) was appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2020. She is a trained lawyer with almost 20 years of experience. Ms Singhateh has held a number of high-level positions in public service in the Gambia. She holds a master’s degree in International Business Law from the University of Hull and has undergone numerous trainings in child rights programming, arbitration and mediation, and legislative drafting. She has drafted laws, organized and conducted numerous training sessions, delivered presentations at both national and international fora and written articles and reports on issues relating to the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

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 organisation and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Montenegro

For more information and media requests, please contact: In Montenegro (during the visit) : Ms. Marina Narvaez Guarnieri (+ 41 079 201 01 23/marina.narvaezguarnieri@un.org); or Ms. Anjet Lanting (+382 69 332 004 /anjet.lanting@un.org). In Geneva (before or during the visit): Ms. Shushan Khachyan (+41 76 615 04 03 / shushan.khachyan@un.org) or write to srsaleofchildren@ohchr.org.

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact: Mr. Jeremy Laurence, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+41 22 917 9383 / jlaurence@ohchr.org)

Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts.