Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeRegionalInitiativesThe SECI Illegal Human Beings Trafficking Task Force was established in May2000 on the initiative of the Romanian Government and comprises theRegional Task Force and the Regional Co-ordinator.The regional structure is supported by the local structures, which are presentlybeing created. National Task Forces in all SECI countries are headed byNational Co-ordinators (not yet appointed in some of the countries). The TaskForce operates through liaison officers, from all participating countries, workingout of the SECI Centre in Bucharest. They are in permanent contact withtheir national authorities through their respective designated National FocalPoints, which communicate directly with the National Co-ordinators and theNational Trafficking in Human Beings Squads. 301.5. Regional Conference on Trafficking in Human Beingsand Illegal MigrationFollowing the adoption of the Palermo Protocols, Romania, as the Chair ofOSCE, hosted a Regional Conference on Trafficking in Human Beings and IllegalMigration (organised within the framework of the Stability Pact activities),which took place in Bucharest on May 21, 2001. Present at the meeting wereMinisters of the Interior and National Security Advisers from the BalkanRegion, and the Chair of SPTTF.In the agreed conclusions from the conference, the participants confirmedtheir commitment to prevent and combat trafficking and specified the steps tobe taken at national and regional levels. At the regional level, SEE ministersacknowledged the need for the development of a regional campaign to raisepublic awareness, for exchange of information between national agencies, toconsider establishing joint law enforcement and border police teams, and forco-operation between national law enforcement agencies, IOM, NGOs andappropriate diplomatic and consular officials on the safe repatriation of traffickedpersons.At the national level, they recognised the need for strengthening nationalstrategies and structures on human trafficking, elaborating or revising legislation,strengthening national law enforcement and prosecution capabilities,strengthening border control systems, concluding bilateral re-admissionagreements, introducing campaigns to raise public awareness and ensuringassistance for the safe return and re-integration of trafficked persons. 31Representatives of the SEE countries agreed to operate within the frameworkof the SP Action Plan and agreed that “the SP Task Force Co-ordinator coulddraw up a matrix of all bilateral and multilateral programmes in the regionwith a view to co-ordinating activities and identifying future needs.” 32They asked OSCE to monitor the extent of trafficking in the region and themeasures taken to tackle the problem and to co-operate with other internationalorganisations, including IOM, European Union Monitor Missions, theCouncil of Europe, UNHCHR, the Stability Pact Task Force Coordinator andOSCE/ODIHR.1630.Southern European Cooperative Initiative, SECI information materials, Bucharest, 2001.31.Agreed Conclusions from the Regional Conference on Trafficking in Human Beings andIllegal Migration, Bucharest, 21 May 2001, pp. 1-3.32.Ibid.