A/HRC/23/46 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 17/12. It briefly outlines the activities of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants from 1 June 2012 to 30 April 2013. II. Activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur A. Participation in conferences and consultations 2. On 28 September 2012, the Special Rapporteur participated in the Committee on the Rights of the Child day of general discussion on the rights of children in the context of migration. On 21 and 22 November 2012, he attended the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Mauritius, and the side events on its margins. On 21 and 22 February 2013, he attended the 11th Coordination Meeting on International Migration and Development in New York. On 18-19 April, he participated in a seminar organized in Brussels by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the implementation by European Union Member States of recommendations of human rights mechanisms with regard to migration. B. Country visits 3. In 2012, the Special Rapporteur visited Brussels, at the invitation of the European Union, and carried out country visits to Tunisia, Turkey, Greece and Italy, at the invitation of their respective Governments. These country visits inform the thematic section of this report. C. Preparation for the High Level Dialogue 4. The Special Rapporteur looks forward to the High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development scheduled for 3-4 October 2013, which will be a unique opportunity to take stock of the progress accomplished in the global discussions about migration policies worldwide. III. A. Regional study: management of the European Union external border and the impact on the human rights of migrants Introduction 5. The Special Rapporteur recognizes that the challenges regarding border management and irregular migration are neither new nor unique phenomena to the European Union. Migrants seeking safety from persecution or better opportunities for their future have forever been crossing borders throughout the world. The Special Rapporteur notes however, that in recent years, and in particular with the albeit contained spike in irregular migration flows following the Arab Spring, it is perhaps in the Mediterranean Sea where this phenomenon has gained the most visibility, due to the ever more dangerous trajectories used and the number of deaths and the human rights abuses which occur en route, at sea and in deserts. 3