Call for joining forces to prevent a human trafficking crisis focus of side event at OSCE Ministerial Council
A strong and joint commitment to strengthening efforts to prevent and eradicate trafficking in human beings, amid the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II was at the centre of a side event held on the margins of the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council in Łódź, Poland, today.
In 2022, the security situation in the OSCE region grew markedly worse and the most vulnerable segments of population have been disproportionally hit. Trafficking risks are on the rise, driven by a growing demand for sexual access to vulnerable populations in destination countries and by compounding vulnerabilities of women and children fleeing Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Addressing participants, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, emphasised the context of this humanitarian crisis: “Recent years have been the worst on record for human exploitation: there has been a 25% increase overall in modern slavery in the last five years, with 50 million victims in the world. Commercial sexual exploitation alone increased by 31%.”
The side-event featured a Ministerial panel that included Bujar Osmani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia; Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland; Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova; and Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway.
Ministers highlighted the urgent need to commit political will to prioritize and invest in anti-trafficking efforts, with more ambitious policy action to address trafficking of human beings, especially of women and children who too often bear the brunt of crises. Many argued that there is a joint obligation to prevent a human trafficking crisis in the OSCE region.
Ministers also highlighted the increasing role of the OSCE in supporting countries strengthen their anti-trafficking capacity, from more effective and ambitious policies to more impactful practices on the ground.
The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking Val Richey concluded the event by thanking participants for their commitment. “The number one ingredient for success in this effort is high-level political engagement. It is the driving force that carries strong ideas into action. It is more important than ever that we work on topics of common interest and strengthen our cooperation in the spirit of this Organization. Now, more than ever, we need champions on this topic,” he added.
The event saw also representatives from the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland take the floor and voice support to this call for action and for the OSCE’s work in this field.