Maria Grazia Giammarinaro

Dr. Maria Grazia Giammarinaro has been a Judge since 1991. She served as a Pre-Trial Judge at the Criminal Court of Rome, and currently serves as a Judge in the Civil Court of Rome.

From March 2010 to February 2014 she was the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe). In this position she hosted the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, a platform for consultation and cooperation including UN Agencies, International Organizations and NGOs.

She served from 2006 until 2009 in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security in Brussels, where she was responsible for combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. She drafted the EU Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims.

From 2001 to 2006 she was a Judge in the Criminal Court of Rome, dealing with serious crimes including violent crimes, drug trafficking and trafficking in persons. During this time she was also a member of the Equal Opportunity Committee at the National Superior Council of the Judiciary.

From 1996 to 2001 she was the Head of the Legislative Office and Adviser to the Minister for Equal Opportunities. She drafted the Italian legislation on trafficking in human beings, judicial action against discrimination, and protection orders against domestic violence.

She holds a degree in Italian literature and in Law, and worked for several years as a High School teacher before joining the Italian Judiciary.

She speaks Italian, English and French.

Giammarinaro received a 2012 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Hero Award from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to honour her significant contributions in the struggle to end modern-day slavery. She was one of ten notable individuals from around the world recognized by the State Department last year.