A/HRC/10/16 page 2 Summary This report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council decision 8/12. It covers the period from 1 August 2008, when the Special Rapporteur took up her office, until March 2009. Section I provides a global perspective of the trafficking phenomenon and its trends, forms and manifestations, including the challenges relating to the lack of coherent and reliable statistical information that captures different dimensions of trafficking in human beings. It further sets out the definition of trafficking as articulated in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children as well as the scope of the mandate on trafficking. Section II examines the legal and policy framework, especially the human rights frameworks and mechanisms for combating trafficking in persons at international, regional and national levels. Section III is devoted to outlining the vision and agenda of the Special Rapporteur for the mandate and the working methods she intends to use, in the hope of making progress in implementing the mandate entrusted to her. Section IV of the report outlines the Special Rapporteur’s activities, including participation at different conferences. Finally, section V contains the Special Rapporteur’s conclusions and recommendations.