Trafficking in human beings

An issue for all OSCE countries

Trafficking in human beings is one of the most pressing and complex issues in the OSCE region. Every year, thousands of women, children and men are trafficked to or from OSCE states into conditions amounting to slavery. Among these, many are young women and girls lured, abducted, or sold into sexual servitude. The end result is always the exploitation of the migrant's labour or person.

"Trafficking in human beings is a disgrace for all modern and civilised countries", said Ambassador Gérard Stoudmann, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the main OSCE institution dealing with the fight against trafficking. "The problem affects all 54 participating States of the OSCE either as countries of origin, transit or destination." Available evidence suggests that the problem is expanding rapidly in the OSCE region.

Trafficking in human beings touches on issues of human rights, inequality, discrimination, rule of law, crime control, law enforcement, corruption, economic deprivation and migration.

Little risk and high profits are factors that make trafficking in human beings a serious business for organized crime across Europe. Due to the clandestine nature of both trafficking and smuggling of human beings, it is likely that trafficking networks make use of already established smuggling routes. However, trafficking is distinguished from illegal migration, or from smuggling of persons, in that it includes an element of force, deception or coercion for the purpose of placing a person into involuntary servitude or an otherwise abusive situation.

Current legislation, policies and strategies have proven inadequate to prevent or suppress trafficking, or to protect the human rights of trafficked persons. As a result, the victims of trafficking are often treated as criminals, while the traffickers most often go unpunished.

Modern-day slavery

Traffickers tend to target young women and girls in countries with weak economies and few opportunities for women to support themselves. Frequently, women are recruited for the sex industry by promising advertisements or an agent that offers legitimate jobs in foreign countries, such as waitressing, hair styling, or domestic service. Some women agree to work in "milder" forms of the sex industry, such as peep shows and clubs, and expect to earn money quickly and then return home.

Coercion, threats and violation of fundamental rights await trafficked persons once they arrive in the country of destination. The need to reimburse a multiple of the actual fees for travelling costs and documents, accommodation, and other "services" drives trafficked persons into an additional dependency of their perpetrators. Accounts by trafficked women show the harsh working conditions they face. Ukrainian women, freed in a rescue operation with the assistance of ODIHR, said they were forced to service clients from 9.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. every night, had to sleep on the floor in the cellar, and only received a meal of one hamburger a day. (see article "Trafficked women freed in rescue operation").

These women have little possibilities to escape, as they often fear local authorities and deportation, and are exploited by their traffickers. Almost always, women are forced to surrender their travel documents to their traffickers. This viscous cycle represents a new form of modern-day slavery.

OSCE efforts

"Trafficking in human beings needs to become as risky and as difficult as drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime", said Ambassador Gérard Stoudmann, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR). He emphasized the need to adopt legislation that concretely criminalizes trafficking in human beings. Also, awareness for the issue needs to be raised among government officials, law enforcement officers, immigration authorities and the judiciary of OSCE countries.

The OSCE has been dealing with the issue of trafficking in human beings since a commitment to combat trafficking was included in the Moscow Document (1991). In 1999, an Adviser on Trafficking Issues joined the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR). A Proposed Action Plan of possible OSCE initiatives in 2000 was presented at the OSCE Istanbul Summit in November last year.

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has supported a number of projects in various countries dealing with the issue of trafficking in human beings. In Poland, training workshops for policemen, border guards, social workers, prosecutors, government representatives, journalists and others were held to raise awareness about trafficking in women. In Russia and Romania, round tables on trafficking in human beings between non-governmental and governmental representatives took place. In Ukraine, ODIHR supports counselling hot line services. Moreover, projects have also been implemented in Albania, Moldova and Central Asia.

ODIHR is chairing the Stability Pact Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings that focuses on a regional approach to elaborate strategies combating the problem. After the identification of the main areas of concern, this Task Force is going to co-ordinate and to develop anti-trafficking efforts in South Eastern Europe.

At the OSCE Ministerial Council, 27-28 November, OSCE foreign ministers will deliberate on how to enhance the OSCE's effort to combat trafficking in human beings.