Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeThe UNAdministeredProvince ofKosovoUNMIK, and co-ordinates a Round Table on Trafficking in which participate allrelevant international agencies. IOM is the main agency dealing with directassistance to trafficked persons who voluntarily wish to return home.During 2000, under the leadership of OSCE, UNMIK worked with partnerorganisations and agencies to create a system for victim assistance, establisha legal instrument to both criminalise the act of trafficking and to institute anoffice to assist victims. OSCE has also organised training for the legal communityand the local police and encouraged the UNMIK international police(CIVPOL) to create a specialised trafficking unit – the Trafficking and ProstitutionInvestigation Unit (TPIU). 112OSCE’s anti-trafficking activities are co-ordinated through the Department ofHuman Rights by the Rule of Law’s Gender and Trafficking Advisor, the FieldCo-ordinator and the Head of the Human Rights Division. In addition, fiveHuman Rights Officers have been appointed in the field to run trafficking focalpoints (TFPs) and to co-ordinate activities at regional and municipal level.These TFPs provide a link between the trafficked women and the local authorities,including UNMIK Police, UN Penal Management and the local courts. TFPsalso disseminate the Standard Operating Procedures to UNMIK Police in thefield.A Victims Assistance Co-ordinator is to be appointed within the newly createdVictim Assistance and Advocacy Unit which is part of the new Judicial DevelopmentDivision. This post will initially support the work of the internationalagencies on trafficking but will gradually assume responsibility for fundraisingand anti-trafficking programmes. A Victims Advocacy Co-ordinator will ensureprovision of legal assistance to all injured parties appearing in court, includingvictims of trafficking.Local structures, including a Ministry of Public Administration, are being set upand UNMIK is planning to develop and hand over some of the co-ordination ofanti-trafficking programmes to them. As a first step, a National Co-ordinatorfor Trafficking will be appointed in 2002 followed by the development of aNational Action Plan to be completed by a Task Force which involves both localgovernment structures and the UN supervised Police and Justice Pillar.2.2. Roles of international organisations and NGOsAs outlined above, the government in Kosovo is UNMIK, comprising four pillarsled by international agencies, namely the OSCE, EU and the UN. Work on traffickingfalls under under Pillar 3, led by OSCE. In this context, co-ordinationand almost all activities are developed and implemented by internationalorganisations. OSCE is leading the development of policy and procedures, IOMis leading in the field of prevention and assistance to the victims, whileUMCOR, an international NGO, is the implementing agency running the shelterfor the internationally trafficked women. Other international agencies, includingUNICEF and UNIFEM, are not very active, although they participate in theanti-trafficking working group and support programmes dealing with children’sand women’s rights that are related to the prevention of trafficking,such as political participation or sexual health.The international community undertook the initial response to foreign victimsof trafficking, without involving local NGOs. Local NGOs are facing a heavyburden of responsibility and service provision for their own communities followingthe war in 1999. Additionally, many do not understand the issue, as100112.Background Report on Combating Trafficking in Kosovo, OSCE, 5 June 2001, p.1.