OSCE Special Representative visits Switzerland, welcomes multi-stakeholder approach to combating human trafficking and urges better identification and assistance to victims
ZURICH, 21 October 2022 – Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, concluded his three-day visit to Switzerland today. He commended the country’s multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary approach to anti-trafficking through cantonal roundtables. He also emphasized the need to step up identification and assistance to all victims of trafficking and boost prevention measures, particularly those related to the misuse of technology.
During his visit, Richey met with the President of the State Council of Geneva and the President of the Swiss Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, convened roundtables in Geneva and Zurich. Anticipating the new National Action Plan, Richey drew attention to the need for more targeted measures to prevent trafficking of women in prostitution, address the increasing pattern of sexual exploitation of children online, and tackle labour exploitation in business supply chains.
“Switzerland has mobilized departments across government to combat human trafficking, but the challenge remains huge. Attention to long-term assistance to victims, tackling the demand that fosters sexual and labour exploitation, and addressing the misuse of technology should be priorities,” the Special Representative stressed. “The new National Action Plan can be leveraged to bring strategic attention to these issues.”
The Special Representative also noted numerous good practices including addressing domestic servitude in diplomatic households, increased attention of the financial intelligence unit to trafficking-related financial transactions, identification of trafficking victims during asylum procedure, and co-operation with civil society organizations.
Richey also met with members of the Federal Police, Swiss Security Network, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, State Secretariat for Migration, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Financial Intelligence Unit, and Office of the “Amiables Compositeurs”. In Bern, Richey held a thematic roundtable on human trafficking and cybercrime where he discussed increasing trend of technology-facilitated human trafficking. Richey also consulted with anti-trafficking NGOs providing victim assistance through cantonal roundtables.
Gilles Roduit, Deputy Head of Peace and Human Rights Division at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, said, “The country visit has allowed us to take advantage of the OSCE's expert view at Switzerland’s strategies against trafficking in persons. At the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, we are committed to promoting international diplomatic efforts at all levels to combat trafficking of forcibly displaced persons, migrants, as well as civilians in armed conflict.”
The Special Representative conducts multiple country visits each year to help increase the capacity of OSCE participating States to address human trafficking, share recommendations for further action, and collect best practices for fighting this heinous crime.