| 1. France about to ratify the Council of
Europe Convention
At the beginning of August, the French Parliament adopted
a law to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action
Against Trafficking in Human Beings. France will thus become
the eighth country to ratify the Convention. Ten ratifications
are necessary for the Convention to enter into force.
2. Slave labourers freed in Brazil
The Brazilian governmental anti-slavery team the
Mobile Inspection Group
freed more
than 1,000 slave labourers from a sugar cane plantation in July.
Workers rescued were forced to work for 13 hours a day and living
in appalling conditions. Brazil has been trying to combat slavery
for several years.
Despite the Government's aim to eliminate slavery by 2006, thousands of Brazilians continue to be trafficked from impoverished parts of the country, lured to Amazonia by promises of good work.
3. New Council of Europe Convention on protection
of children
On 12 July, the Committee of Ministers adopted the Council
of Europe Convention
on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and
Sexual Abuse. The Convention will be open for signature
at the Conference of European Ministers of Justice being held from 25-26
October.
4. Armenian women trafficked to the UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is recognised as a destination for trafficking
of women for sexual exploitation from countries of the former
Soviet Union. Videos
documenting the investigation of cases of Armenian women
trafficked to the UAE were published on YouTube.
5. La Strada International launches a documentation
centre
La Strada International a
new searchable database. The database contains a number
of background documents, information about legislation and opinion
texts on trafficking in human beings and related human rights
issues.
6. Awareness raising campaign to tackle
demand in the Czech Republic
International Organization for Migration Czech Republic, in co-operation with La Strada and Caritas,
launched an information campaign targeting the demand side of
human trafficking. The campaign Don’t be afraid to say
it for her will run for five months with the aim of raising awareness among the general public and potential or actual users
of sex services.
Dedicated websites in Czech (http://www.rekni-to.cz
), German (http://www.sage-es.cz)
and English (http://www.say-it.cz
) accompany the campaign. Two hot-lines run by La Strada and
Caritas are open for people to report suspected cases of trafficking.
Posters, flyers and other information materials in Czech, German
and English will be displayed in high visibility locations,
such as public transportation hubs, at border crossings with
Germany and Austria, and in clubs and pubs in Prague and other
main cities. This initiative follows a recent survey and a regional
information campaign to raise awareness among potential clients,
including sex tourists from Austria, Germany and Great Britain.
7. New publications and resources
International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) published a training guide
and a background reader for frontline law enforcement officers.
The manuals are available from ICMPD.
Stepping
Stones Nigeria published a report on child trafficking in Nigeria, which is available on their website: http://www.steppingstonesnigeria.org
Rutgers University Press published The
War on Human Trafficking: US policy assessed by Anthony
M De Stefano. The book can be ordered via the following link:
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/acatalog/__The_War_on_Human_Trafficking_2886.html
Kathmandu School of Law published Regional Study for the Harmonization of Anti-Trafficking
Legal Framework in India, Bangladesh and Nepal with International
Standards: Developing rights based approach for anti-trafficking
actions in South Asia. See http://www.childtrafficking.com
for more details.
8. Events
Yerevan, Armenia, 5-6 September, Council
of Europe Seminar on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings:
Measures to prevent, protect and prosecute.
Paris, France, 27-28 September, Council
of Europe Seminar on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. |
