Keele Law Professor undertakes first UN anti-slavery mission abroad

Professor Tomoya Obokata of Keele’s School of Law has conducted his first official mission in Sri Lanka, in his role as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery.

Professor Obokata’s post, which he has held since May 2020, is often referred to as a human rights “expert on mission” and involves working with a number of national, regional and international stakeholders to tackle modern slavery in all its forms across the globe.

Fact-finding on the ground is one of the key functions of human rights experts at the United Nations Human Rights Council, and all experts undertake country missions twice a year.

Professor Obokata said: "I am glad that I was able to undertake this mission after it had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I met over 100 governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to obtain first-hand information, and critically assess Sri Lanka’s efforts in tackling modern slavery. I will submit a full report to the Human Rights Council next year.”

His next mission is due to take place in Mauritania in May 2022.