International: New EU strategy on human trafficking a significant step in efforts to end child exploitation, says World Vision
The release of the European Union Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016, unveiled yesterday in Brussels, is welcomed by World Vision as a significant step in the global fight against the ‘slavery of our times.’ For the first time the strategy brings together a wide range of legislative and policy measures to prioritise the protection of children against sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging, criminal activities and the removal of organs.
More than 20 million people were the victims of trafficking between 2002 and 2011. Of these, 5.5 million were children. To address this scandal, the strategy identifies a number of priorities the EU must focus on to combat the crime of human trafficking.
“It’s gratifying to see the strategy’s prioritisation of children through its call on EU member states to develop clear guidelines and strengthen child protection systems,” says Marius Wanders, World Vision’s EU Representative and member of the EU Group of Experts on Trafficking in Human Beings. “We also welcome the recognition of the growing risk to ‘home alone’ children whose parents have migrated abroad for labour purposes.”
“It’s encouraging to see the EU strategy goes well beyond the current approach of protection, prevention and prosecution. It now includes the essential measures of Europe-wide coordination, cooperation and coherence of policies,” says Mr Wanders.
The EU strategy includes initiatives for improved prevention, such as the formation of a European Business Coalition against trafficking. “However, these should not be implemented at the expense of efforts to reduce the root causes of human trafficking, such as poor governance and poverty. This is why the strategy’s proposals for policy coherence and coordination of EU External Policy Activities are so important,” explains Mr Wanders.
One issue World Vision says it would have liked to see more prominently addressed is the high vulnerability of children in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters. Major disasters like the Indian Ocean tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and the Haiti earthquake have shown how easily children fall prey to traffickers in the chaos that follows.
“As a practical example of anti-trafficking coherence, ECHO, the EU’s humanitarian office and the world’s largest aid donor, should be encouraged to financially support projects that integrate mitigating measures against the trafficking of vulnerable children,” says Mr Wanders.
World Vision welcomes the proposed action of establishing an EU platform of civil society organisations and service providers, which will bring together civil society from EU member states and selected third countries.
“It would be even better if this platform provided a space for children, adolescents and young people to participate fully in developing anti-trafficking measures, especially at their local level. World Vision looks forward to bringing its worldwide expertise and experience in these matters to this future EU platform.”
Five Priorities of the Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings:
- Identifying, protecting and assisting victims of trafficking
- Stepping up the prevention of trafficking in human beings
- Increased prosecution of traffickers
- Enhanced coordination and cooperation among key actors and policy coherence
- Increased knowledge of and effective response to emerging concerns related to all forms of trafficking in human beings