Child trafficking and child protection should not and cannot be considered separately, say participation at OSCE discussion in Vienna

The role of civil society in combating human trafficking and how civil society organizations can advocate for better protection of child victims of human trafficking was the focus of a round-table discussion co-organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for combating trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) with over 30 members of ECPAT network on 17 May 2019 in Vienna.

The aim of the discussion was to develop a concrete plan of action to better promote the recommendations of the OSR/CTHB's recent occasional paper on sustainable solutions for trafficked children, in line with the recent OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 7/17 and Decision 6/18.   

Participants agreed that child trafficking and child protection should not and cannot be considered separately – child trafficking will not be adequately addressed without functional and effective protection systems in place. Child protection systems should always be based on child-friendly and trust-building approaches and procedures. They should entail child participation and promote individual case management, avoiding re-traumatization. Children should also be consulted in decisions taken.

“When I was a prosecutor in Seattle, we had a dedicated room furnished with small chairs and tiny tables for child victims to feel supported and safe. It’s a simple but stark reminder of children’s vulnerability,” said Valiant Richey, Acting OSCE Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

Richey said that a child, present or missing, unaccompanied or otherwise, in an institution or not, is a child: every single case deserves attention and should be addressed individually. “This sounds like a simple and reasonable concept, but, in our experience, its adoption and implementation is often inconsistent and incomplete. With this in mind, the contribution of civil society in assisting the work of national authorities is of the highest interest, indispensable and vital,” said Richey.

A considerable part of the discussion focused on the work undertaken by ODIHR in updating its National Referral Mechanisms (NRM) handbook: “Until now there have been no formal or standardized guidelines for developing national referral mechanisms for trafficked children,” said  Tatiana Kotlyarenko, ODIHR Adviser on Anti-trafficking Issues. “As part of the NRM handbook update, ODIHR is in the process of developing such mechanisms for child victims of trafficking. The consultation during the round table with civil society organizations working across the OSCE on issues of child trafficking and sexual exploitation of children has greatly contributed to this process.”

Robbert van den Berg, Executive Director of ECPAT International, pointed out that the OSCE’s recent Ministerial Council Decisions signify a huge commitment to ending the sexual exploitation of children. “It is very encouraging to see the commitment of the OSCE to pro-actively engage civil society organizations in its efforts to address the sexual exploitation of children in all the 57 participating States.”

He stated that ECPAT members and other civil society actors, with the support of the OSCE, have now been given an important lobby and advocacy tool to help governments and institutions implement the recommendations put forward in the OSCE’s Occasional Paper #9: Child Trafficking and Child Protection of 2018  “ECPAT values the partnership with the OSCE on this matter and remains committed to fight trafficking and other crimes against children.” said van den Berg.

Using its ‘from policy to practice’ approach, the OSR/CTHB tries to identify emerging challenges, provide policy recommendations, and develop pathways to practical implementation on the ground in a number of areas of anti-trafficking response. As a result of this roundtable discussion, the participants will develop advocacy measures which will be shared with their governmental anti-trafficking partners later this year.