A/HRC/4/23 page 4 I. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR A. Country visits 1. This report is submitted in accordance with Commission on Human Rights Council decision 1/102. During the reporting period (January-December 2006) the Special Rapporteur visited Bahrain, Oman and Qatar from 29 October to 12 November 2006 at the invitation of the respective Governments. The report on these missions is contained in addendum 2. 2. Concerned by reports of trafficking in persons, especially of migrant workers for forced labour, the Special Rapporteur reiterates her interest in carrying out visits to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, on the basis of information concerning trafficking in persons particularly for purposes of forced labour and sexual exploitation, the Special Rapporteur sent a second request to the Government of Nigeria for an invitation to visit in 2007. A request to the Government of Belarus for an invitation to visit in 2007 was also sent. The Special Rapporteur is currently in discussions with the Government of Thailand to carry out a visit, tentatively in September 2007, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child pornography and child prostitution. In addition, she reiterates her interest in visiting Japan. B. Participation in meetings, conferences and training courses 3. On 25 March 2006, the Special Rapporteur visited Bologna, Italy, at the invitation of Johns Hopkins University to attend and participate in the conference, “From the United Nations to the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Beings: Recent Developments and New Challenges”. She then travelled to London where she held meetings with representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to discuss issues related to the implementation of her mandate. On 11 April 2006, she addressed the Westminster International Relations Forum at the University of Westminster. In May 2006, the Special Rapporteur attended a conference in London on “Micro-credit and Women’s Empowerment” organized by the Centre for Study on Democracy at the University of Westminster, where she shared her views on the root causes of human trafficking and practical ways to combat this phenomenon. 4. On 9 June 2006, the Special Rapporteur attended a conference in Stockholm on “Regional Cooperation to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings” organized by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 19 to 24 June 2006, the Special Rapporteur took part in the thirteenth meeting of special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. On 23 June 2006, she attended a meeting organized by the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) on “Poverty, Inequality and Violence: Is There a Human Rights Response?” and shared her observations and comments on the conclusions and recommendations of the OMCT international conference held in October 2005. 5. From 12 to 15 August 2006, she visited Kathmandu at the invitation of the Office of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking at the National Human Rights Commission. In Nepal, she held numerous consultations with various public officials, NGOs and the media on issues concerning trafficking in persons, violence against women and gender-based violence, as well as on methodologies for documentation of and reporting on national data on trafficking in persons. At the invitation of the Coalition against Trafficking in Women (CATW)-Asia Pacific, the