OSCE/ODIHR conference in Helsinki calls for human rights protection of trafficking victims
Trafficked women are victims of modern-day slavery. (Teun Voeten/Hollandse Hoogte, 1999) Photo details
HELSINKI, 23 September 2004 - Taking concrete steps, such as improving anti-trafficking legislation and focusing on protecting the human rights of victims, is the aim of a two-day OSCE conference that started in Helsinki today.
Some 180 international experts are attending the conference, held by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), one of Europe's leading human rights agencies, in co-operation with the Finnish Foreign Ministry.
Among the issues discussed at the Helsinki conference are abuses and violations of the human rights of trafficked persons, efforts to improve victim protection in countries of destination, standards for assistance and protection; social inclusion of trafficked persons, and access to justice and compensation.
"In spite of strong international efforts, human rights protection of trafficked persons has only improved marginally in the last few years," said Ambassador Christian Strohal, the ODIHR Director, in his opening remarks.
"It is necessary that we turn pledges and words into action: that we take stock on where we stand now, what still needs to be done and how we prioritize our work."
Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Judge at the Criminal Court in Rome, introduced the Italian legislation against trafficking, which is based on social provisions. She stressed that such a system required permanent co-operation between institutional and social actors.
"The whole process mostly aims at the recovery and social integration of the trafficked person, not mainly at co-operation with the judicial authorities," she said. "But it is effective from the point of prosecution as well. Once the person is sheltered and supported, she/he is usually willing to act as a witness in criminal proceedings."
Finnish Justice Minister Johannes Koskinen presented his country's efforts to criminalize trafficking: "Measures related to criminal law will certainly not be enough. In Finland, we are presently drafting a national plan of action It will identify policy guidelines, services needed and other measures to take to combat trafficking and to protect the rights of the victims."
Helga Konrad, OSCE Special Representative on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, stressed the need to offer an extended stay in a country to trafficked people, to assist and protect them, "as this would anyway be the duty of states and governments under human rights norms". This was not only called for from the human rights perspective, but would also be a major contribution to national security, she said.
Rita Suessmuth, Chair of the German Experts Council for Immigration and Integration, emphasized the need to define the use of services of victims as a form of human trafficking.
"Legislation at the international and at the EU level do include this as a form of trafficking, yet the trickle-down effect into the national legislation of EU member states has not been comprehensive," she said. "We have to pay attention that measures taken in the area of trafficking are embedded in the country-specific process of democratic institution building."
Hanno Hartig, Head of the Media, Equality and Minorities Department of the Council of Europe, introduced the work on a Council of Europe Convention on action against human trafficking:
"We must go beyond our minimum common denominator; we must go beyond our national laws, no matter how perfect they are. We must be brave and set up a legal and regulatory framework, but we need to make sure that victims remain at the core of our system and that we build our Convention around them."
Some 180 international experts are attending the conference, held by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), one of Europe's leading human rights agencies, in co-operation with the Finnish Foreign Ministry.
Among the issues discussed at the Helsinki conference are abuses and violations of the human rights of trafficked persons, efforts to improve victim protection in countries of destination, standards for assistance and protection; social inclusion of trafficked persons, and access to justice and compensation.
"In spite of strong international efforts, human rights protection of trafficked persons has only improved marginally in the last few years," said Ambassador Christian Strohal, the ODIHR Director, in his opening remarks.
"It is necessary that we turn pledges and words into action: that we take stock on where we stand now, what still needs to be done and how we prioritize our work."
Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Judge at the Criminal Court in Rome, introduced the Italian legislation against trafficking, which is based on social provisions. She stressed that such a system required permanent co-operation between institutional and social actors.
"The whole process mostly aims at the recovery and social integration of the trafficked person, not mainly at co-operation with the judicial authorities," she said. "But it is effective from the point of prosecution as well. Once the person is sheltered and supported, she/he is usually willing to act as a witness in criminal proceedings."
Finnish Justice Minister Johannes Koskinen presented his country's efforts to criminalize trafficking: "Measures related to criminal law will certainly not be enough. In Finland, we are presently drafting a national plan of action It will identify policy guidelines, services needed and other measures to take to combat trafficking and to protect the rights of the victims."
Helga Konrad, OSCE Special Representative on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, stressed the need to offer an extended stay in a country to trafficked people, to assist and protect them, "as this would anyway be the duty of states and governments under human rights norms". This was not only called for from the human rights perspective, but would also be a major contribution to national security, she said.
Rita Suessmuth, Chair of the German Experts Council for Immigration and Integration, emphasized the need to define the use of services of victims as a form of human trafficking.
"Legislation at the international and at the EU level do include this as a form of trafficking, yet the trickle-down effect into the national legislation of EU member states has not been comprehensive," she said. "We have to pay attention that measures taken in the area of trafficking are embedded in the country-specific process of democratic institution building."
Hanno Hartig, Head of the Media, Equality and Minorities Department of the Council of Europe, introduced the work on a Council of Europe Convention on action against human trafficking:
"We must go beyond our minimum common denominator; we must go beyond our national laws, no matter how perfect they are. We must be brave and set up a legal and regulatory framework, but we need to make sure that victims remain at the core of our system and that we build our Convention around them."