OSCE leading by example in prevention of human trafficking within supply chains

The risks surrounding procuring goods and services produced by trafficked persons were the focus of the OSCE virtually held workshop on 13 November 2020.

The OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB), senior management and procurement staff from the OSCE Secretariat and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) examined the importance of both programmatic and procurement staff being aware of the risks and the need for policies to ensure effective mitigation. Current efforts by ODIHR and OSCE procurement towards eliminating human trafficking were also discussed.

The workshop built upon the promising practice of having the OSCE’s procurement community and CTHB experts work together to leverage procurement to fight trafficking, harmonizing efforts across the organization.

Showcasing the “policy to practice” approach promoted by the Office of the CTHB Co-ordinator, the workshop identified persistent and emerging issues in the field of human trafficking. With the dialogue focused on developing sound policy responses and facilitated practical implementation of that policy on the ground.

The workshop also provided updates on forthcoming deliverables, including online training modules on human trafficking for OSCE procurement professionals.