Austria, Vienna, 18-19 April 2023, On the 20th anniversary of the OSCE Action Plan, the 23rd Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons (TIP), held in the Hofburg Palace of Vienna, showcased examples of leadership and innovative measures to combat trafficking in human beings. The focus was on establishing the core building blocks of effective national responses and ascertaining the political will needed to achieve success.
The Conference was attended by representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation, major IGOs and NGOs, which are partners in the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons. H.E. Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General, H.E: Bujar Osmani, OSCE Chairperson in Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, H.E. Theresa May, Former Prime Minister, United Kingdom and Mrs Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the United Nations’ Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict were among the speakers.
Hon. Joana Lima, President of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum (PAM/WPF), andAmb. Peter Schatzer, PAM Permanent Observer to the UN in Vienna represented PAM.
The conference discussed the dangers Ukrainian refugees are exposed to, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Victims of conflicts elsewhere, such as in the Sahel, are also easy targets for traffickers. Survivors of trafficking led a discussion on the importance of prevention and victim protection. The expanding role of the internet in facilitating trafficking was also discussed. During the event, several countries shared positive examples of anti-trafficking measures and policies across the OSCE region.
During the closing ceremony, Mr. Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, offered thoughts on the way-forward to combat trafficking in human beings, insisting on the “need to work a whole-of-society approach”. He advocated, inter alia, for appointing national trafficking coordinators, setting up national commissions and task forces, as well as key strategies and policies to convict and protect including national action plans. The financial sector must be engaged to seize illegal profits. Cyberspace and online platforms must be regulated as self-regulation has not worked so far. The demand for sexual exploitation must also be discouraged and trafficking laws must be enforced effectively. However, criminalising trafficking is not enough and there is a need for leadership and political will. Positive examples must be replicated.
During 17th PAM Plenary Session held in March in Morocco, PAM presented a Report and Resolution on Combatting Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling in the PAM
region, which was unanimously adopted. PAM is committed to pursue its collaboration with the OSCE to fight organised transnational crime and trafficking in the euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions.//