UN and European anti-trafficking experts join forces

UN and European anti-trafficking experts join forces to fight trafficking in persons in Europe and beyond

STRASBOURG / GENEVA (5 July 2013) – Two key international anti-trafficking expert mechanisms have combined forces to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human beings in Europe and beyond. Nearly 21 million people are victims of forced labour exploitation and human trafficking across the world, including almost a million in the European Union member States, according to estimates by the International Labour Organisation.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, and the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) consolidated their standing cooperation in the first ever meeting to discuss innovative and effective joint actions, and enhance information-sharing to fight the phenomenon of human trafficking.

“Fifteen anti-trafficking experts underpin GRETA’s great strength, as they all bring a wide range of expertise and specialization,” Ms. Ezeilo said. “This richness and diversity can only enhance an integrated approach to fight the multidimensional scourge of human trafficking in Europe and beyond.”

Ms. Ezeilo’s remarks came at a special meeting organised by GRETA in Strasbourg, France, to discuss key issues related to the national level application of the definition of trafficking, and specific groups at risk of being trafficked like children. The anti-trafficking experts also exchanged ideas to strengthen synergies between the work of these two mechanisms.

“GRETA, the independent mechanism monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, is grateful to the UN Special Rapporteur for promoting worldwide the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and its high standards in the field of protection of the victims of this gross violation of human rights,” said GRETA’s President Nicolas Le Coz.

“The Convention, which currently applies to 40 countries in Europe, and GRETA’s reports have become a source of inspiration for UN bodies as well as regional organizations and must resonate beyond Europe through our joint efforts,” he noted.

“I look forward to continuing to engage with the GRETA experts in order to strengthen the effectiveness of our collective quest to end human trafficking – a modern day slavery, growing in scale and in terms of human rights repercussions,” added the UN Special Rapporteur. “I value the longstanding cooperation my mandate and GRETA have nurtured throughout these years.”

The meeting between the two mechanisms falls in the broader context of a coordinated approach to combating trafficking with and among regional and sub-regional mechanisms identified in Ms. Ezeilo’s report* to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2010, a report developed with inputs from many regional and sub-regional anti-trafficking bodies including GRETA .

This report and its recommendations were further discussed among regional anti-trafficking experts, including GRETA, at a consultation held in Dakar in 2010. There the experts highlighted the need for an effective coordination of various anti-trafficking initiatives and enhanced cooperation among all actors involved in combating trafficking in order to maximise available resources and minimise duplication.

(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s report: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/14session/A.HRC.14.32.pdf or
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/122/48/PDF/G1112248.pdf?OpenElement

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