Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern EuropeRegionalInitiatives2.7. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)UNHCR is not actively involved in anti-trafficking actions. It notes with concernthe documented evidence regarding the increase in trafficking and states thatnot only migrants but also asylum-seekers and refugees have to resort to theservices of smugglers and traffickers. As a result, measures to combat humansmuggling and trafficking may hinder asylum-seekers and refugees fromreaching safety and benefiting from international protection. UNHCR alsoacknowledges, however, that trafficking can amount to debt bondage situationsand enslavement for asylum-seekers and refugees or even to the loss oflife. Therefore, UNHCR, which is mandated to ensure the international protectionof refugees, co-operates with international organisations and governmentson regional and national initiatives but does not undertake anyseparate actions or initiatives in this field.2.8. International Labour Organisation (ILO)Throughout its standards-related work, ILO has dealt with the issue of humantrafficking in relation to forced labour, the abuse of migrant workers, discriminationat work (particularly when certain sections of society, such as women orindigenous peoples, are affected), and as one of the worst forms of child labour.The ILO addresses trafficking in human beings through its Forced Labour Conventions(Nos. 29 and 105) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention(No.182). The ILO emphasises that, in the European context, trafficking in persons,especially women and children, exists not only in the sex industry, butalso in other sectors, such as unskilled labour, begging and soliciting.In 1994, ILO established the National Network of Foreign Labour in Centraland Eastern Europe. During the last six years, this network has providedopportunities for discussing at regional and bilateral levels possible joint measuresto deal with trafficking and irregular migration. Through this informalnetwork, migration authorities and researchers from 14 Central and EasternEuropean countries are exchanging information and addressing commonissues and problems. Reports on irregular labour migration and trafficking inthe Russian Federation, Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, Hungary and the CzechRepublic have been prepared and discussed.The ILO is currently developing a sub-regional programme to combat traffickingin children and young people for labour and sexual exploitation in the Balkansand Ukraine. The first phase of this programme seeks to identify astrategy for concerted action against trafficking through situation analysis andappraisal of existing responses in the region. This will include further developmentof ILO’s Rapid Assessment methodology on the worst forms of childlabour, training for national partners, operational reviews, workshops andanalysis. On the basis of the lessons drawn from the first phase, a comprehensiveaction programme will be implemented, focusing on prevention andreintegration.ILO participates in the SPTTF and is a member of the Task Force Co-ordinationGroup.202.9. International Centre for Migration Policy Development(ICMPD)ICMPD is an inter-governmental organisation created in 1993 on the initiativeof Switzerland and Austria, and is based in Vienna. The purpose of the organisationis to promote comprehensive and sustainable migration policies, andto function as a service exchange mechanism for governments and organisationson primarily European migration issues.