Trafficking in Human Beings in Southeastern Europe - Iom

Trafficking in Human Beingsin Southeastern Europethe Council of Ministers in December 2001. The NPA focuses on the followingareas:• Establishment of a committee responsible for the implementation ofthe NPA;• Border control and law enforcement;• Support to the victims of trafficking: building of safe and secure shelters,which will provide medical, legal and psychological support; languageand interpretation services; and information materials;• Legal reform: legal harmonization between the entities and the BråkoDistrict;• Awareness raising and education;• The first actions undertaken by the government will be establishingthe committee to implement the NPA, preparing concrete projects forthe each part of the Plan, making budgets and securing funding toimplement the Plan.Bosnia andHerzegovina2.2. Roles of government, international organisations andNGOsUNHCHR has been the lead agency in raising awareness and advocating forpriority to be given to trafficking since 1998. The Gender Trafficking SubGroup was established within the Inter-Agency Gender Co-ordination Groupin December 1998, and served as a forum for exchange of information and coordinationfor international agencies, including UNMIBH, OHR, OSCE, UNHCHRand IOM, and some representation from NGOs.Under pressure and support from the international agencies and the StabilityPact Trafficking Task Force, the government has taken over co-ordination andis seeking to take responsibility by developing and implementing an NPA andworking closely with NGOs. The government is looking to the internationalcommunity for technical expertise and funds to ensure implementation ofanti-trafficking activities. Currently, the majority of trafficked women and girlsare still assisted through IPTF and IOM.The OSCE Mission to BiH is involved in capacity building of the local NGOsworking on the issue of trafficking. It is implementing two projects togetherwith the International Human Rights Law Group on legal protection for traffickedwomen and children.Some local NGOs have been active for many years in raising awareness and,increasingly, in ad hoc victim assistance and support. As a response to thisemerging need, ten NGOs came together in 1999 and formed a coalition calledthe RING. The RING includes organisations from both entities of BiH. Quiteapart from the need to develop appropriate responses, they also realised theneed to consider carefully their capacity to become involved in the work ontrafficking. Many local NGOs have limited capacity, consequently a decisionhas to be taken as to whether working on trafficking will require and/ordemand cutting back on existing programmes, and/or investment of time andenergy into building separate capacity and expertise. Although there is a clearneed to become involved, the RING coalition initially decided to ensure thatthey had the capacity and expertise to respond in the most appropriate andeffective manner. To achieve this, the RING has developed an action plan withshort, medium and long-term goals and activities. These will include research,raising awareness, data collection, training, protection and assistance.69