Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeIntroductionand OverviewAcross the SEE region, authorities are only beginning to mobilise with regardsto HIV/AIDS. Experience in other regions of the world demonstrates theextremely high vulnerability of trafficked women and children to HIV/AIDSand STIs, which in turn places the users and their families and communitiesat risk of infection. Typically, trafficked women working in the sex industry donot have access to health care and many report having to continue workingdespite health problems, including STIs. The non-compliance of clients in theuse of condoms increases the risk of infection.In all the countries of the region, as part of the assistance offered by IOM totrafficked women who are returning or returned back home, there is the possibilityof having HIV/AIDS and STI tests on a voluntary basis (the tests areonly not available in Kosovo). According to IOM not all women are willing tohave the HIV/AIDS test (the percentage of women doing the tests variesdepending on the country from 20 to 80 percent). To date, there have onlybeen a few cases of women who went through the IOM programmes of return,had HIV/AIDS test and tested positive. In some countries, the shelter staff donot encourage women to have the test as they cannot guarantee confidentialityof the results. 16STI tests, which are often positive, are not usually followed up with the propertreatment. As the treatment lasts approximately two weeks and women whoawait repatriation with assistance of IOM usually only stay in the shelter for ashorter period of time, the treatment is not completed. After return to thecountries of origin, only a small group of women have proper treatment whilethey are in contact with the supporting organisation. The only exception in theregion is Moldova, where the IOM programme offers the opportunity for aproper medical check up and treatment upon return.Numerous governmental and non-governmental agencies and UN Agencies,e.g. the Stability Pact for SEE, the Council of Europe, UNICEF, UNHCHR, OSCE,IOM etc. have begun to address the issues of trafficking in women and children.This has helped to give these challenges a better profile and begun toplace them on regional and national agendas, e.g. Stability Pact Task Force onTrafficking and National Plans of Action on trafficking and HIV/AIDS. Awarenessof trafficking and HIV/AIDS issues have, however, not taken root andmore work is needed to understand the interrelated nature of the problem andtherefore the most appropriate response.10. Trafficking of childrenThere is no reliable information or data on trafficking of children. Although thescale of the traffic in children is unclear, information from across the regionsuggests that a growing number of children under 18, especially adolescentgirls, are being trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forcedlabour. In general, the trafficking of children in SEE falls into two categories:1) trafficking of young children under 12 (girls and boys) for begging; and 2)trafficking of teenage girls for sexual exploitation.A distinction needs to be made between the trafficking of young children(under twelve) for begging, organs, adoption, prostitution, pornography andthe trafficking of adolescent girls for prostitution. There is no evidence for theexistence of a special market for the sexual services of children or for virginsin SEE, as is the case in other parts of the world in connection with the fear ofHIV/AIDS. There is evidence that young children, both girls and boys, are traf-1016.Interview with Lynellyn Long, IOM Office in BiH, 19 December 2001.