OSCE offers speedy care and advice to Albanian trafficking victims
(OSCE)A victim's testimony is shown at a special session on trafficking in human beings at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Warsaw, 9-19 September 2002. (OSCE) Photo details
TIRANA, 27 November 2002 - Legal experts from the newly-formed OSCE Victims Assistance Team were on hand through the whole of Wednesday night offering immediate care and advice to victims of trafficking who had just been sent back from Italy.
This was the first time in Albania that such a concerted effort was possible. It was carried out in co-operation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Albanian Ministry of Public Order. But the assistance to the victims of trafficking could not have been offered without help and co-operation of the Ministry of Public Order.
"We have been very impressed by the police," said Ledia Beci, the local Project Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). "They have been nothing but co-operative and, despite being seriously under-resourced, these policemen and women do excellent work in difficult conditions. We are very pleased to be able to assist Albania and give the best possible care and advice in the fight against this modern day form of slavery."
Trafficked women are also being offered the option of joining a successful IOM programme to help them in the difficult task of recovering and being reintegrated into the society, after their sometimes appalling ordeals. The OSCE/ODIHR legal advisors assured them that the law was on their side and that the help was at hand.
The victims assistance programme will continue and the OSCE/ODIHR hopes to expand it in the future to also involve the local non-governmental organizations which are best equipped to help the victims of trafficking.
This was the first time in Albania that such a concerted effort was possible. It was carried out in co-operation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Albanian Ministry of Public Order. But the assistance to the victims of trafficking could not have been offered without help and co-operation of the Ministry of Public Order.
"We have been very impressed by the police," said Ledia Beci, the local Project Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). "They have been nothing but co-operative and, despite being seriously under-resourced, these policemen and women do excellent work in difficult conditions. We are very pleased to be able to assist Albania and give the best possible care and advice in the fight against this modern day form of slavery."
Trafficked women are also being offered the option of joining a successful IOM programme to help them in the difficult task of recovering and being reintegrated into the society, after their sometimes appalling ordeals. The OSCE/ODIHR legal advisors assured them that the law was on their side and that the help was at hand.
The victims assistance programme will continue and the OSCE/ODIHR hopes to expand it in the future to also involve the local non-governmental organizations which are best equipped to help the victims of trafficking.