A/HRC/15/20* I. Introduction 1. Following a brief overview of the mandate’s activities pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/14, the Special Rapporteur focuses on domestic servitude, one of the priority areas she identified for her work (see A/HRC/9/20). II. Activities of the mandate A. Country visits 2. From 24 October to 4 November 2009, the Special Rapporteur conducted a mission to Mauritania (see A/HRC/15/20/Add.2) to engage in a dialogue with the Government about the effectiveness of the Mauritanian policies, laws and specific programmes to combat slavery. 3. From 25 January to 1 February 2010, she visited Ecuador (see A/HRC/15/20/Add.3) at the request of the Government to engage in a dialogue with the Government in order to assess the impact of the Ecuadorian National Plan for the Prevention and Progressive Eradication of Child Labour. 4. From 17 to 28 May 2010, the Special Rapporteur went to Brazil to discuss good practices and challenges in the efforts of Brazil to combat slavery in all its forms, in particular forced labour (see A/HRC/15/20/Add.4). In the course of her mission, she also attended the multi-stakeholder Forced Labour Conference organized by the Government. 5. The Special Rapporteur is grateful to the Governments of Mauritania, Ecuador and Brazil for their cooperation and the assistance extended to her in the preparation and conduct of these visits. She also thanks representatives of United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders she met with for providing support and valuable insights. Most importantly, the Special Rapporteur thanks the victims and survivors of slavery who had the courage to share their stories with her. 6. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the invitations of Romania and Italy to carry out country visits. She would appreciate receiving invitations from the countries to which she has sent requests for visits: Bangladesh, Lebanon, Nepal, Peru, Qatar, Sudan and Uzbekistan. B. Other activities 7. Since her last report, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with other mandates, sent communications on alleged cases of concern to her mandate to India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (see A/HRC/15/20/Add.1). 8. During the course of the year, the Special Rapporteur participated in various conferences relevant to the mandate. She also held consultations with Governments, as well as United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. By way of example, the Special Rapporteur would like to highlight the following. 9. On 17 September 2009, the Special Rapporteur attended the annual meeting of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, where she presented her thematic report on debt bondage, the outcomes of her missions and ways in which the Fund can support with follow up. In relation to the thematic focus of this report, GE.10-15169 3