OSCE hosts roundtable on preventing sexual exploitation in the context of major sporting events

Promising initiatives to address risks of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the context of major sporting events have been implemented in several OSCE participating States, including France, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

On 15 December, the OSCE hosted an interactive roundtable in Vienna, gathering civil society organizations, national anti-trafficking experts, law enforcement, sports organizations, as well as local authorities and international organizations who have developed awareness-raising campaigns to advance the fight against trafficking. Participants shared good practices and experiences that will serve as an inspiration for future initiatives, particularly ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany and the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in France.

In 2003, the OSCE Action Plan recommended that participating States raise awareness by “addressing, also through the media, the need to reduce the demand for the activities of persons trafficked for sexual exploitation.” Sporting events also offer a unique opportunity to reach out to a large audience through awareness-raising campaigns as a prevention measure and to tackle the scale of the demand that enables trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.