UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, will conduct an official visit to Libya from 11 to 20 December 2022, announced the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Alsalem’s visit comes at the invitation of the Libyan Government of National Unity. Her visit will commence in Tripoli, and she will also undertake field visits, to both urban and rural areas in different provinces, in order to “gain a first-hand understanding of the issues related to violence against women and girls as experienced by various segments of the population,” according to OHCR.
The Special Rapporteur intends to convene meetings with government officials and other relevant authorities; representatives from civil society organizations; women’s organizations; community and religious leaders, groups of women and girls, relevant UN agencies, and international development and donor agencies working towards the elimination of violence against women and girls in the country.
At the end of the visit on 20 December 2022, Alsalem will debrief relevant government officials on her preliminary findings, and in line with established practice, she will also hold a press conference in order to share the preliminary findings with the broader public.