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1. Amnesty International reports rise
in human rights violations in EU
Amnesty International's report
on the state of the world' s human rights highlights that
more than half of the European Union countries are failing
to protect asylum seekers and the rights of migrants. Amnesty
International argues that due to the focus on security issues
connected to the war on terror, less attention is being
paid to extensive human rights violations.
2. UN hearing on migration and development
A UN hearing on migration and development was held on 12 July. This hearing was open to civil society to present
comments and responses to the report
on International Migration and Development presented by
United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan on 6 June. Prior to
the hearing, the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service
encouraged NGOs to submit comments and feedback on the report.
The outcomes of the hearing compiled into a report will be presented
to the General Assembly during a High Level Dialogue held 14-15 September.
3.European Parliament to question the EU
Commission
The European Parliament questioned the Commission on 12 June
about actions planned or taken against forced prostitution
during the World Cup. The EU Justice and Home
Affairs Commissioner Frattini expressed his support for the creation
of an NGO-run, pan-EU hot-line for people trafficked for forced
prostitution. He also indicated that the Commission will look
into the option of establishing a European Day of Trafficking
in 2007 on 25 March.
German NGOs did not report any rise in trafficked
women during the World Cup. NGOs have further pointed out that
the whole event needs to be carefully evaluated with regard
to the suspicions that it would increase the numbers of women
trafficked to the country. German media reported that in several
of the cities hosting the World Cup there was demand
for sexual services was lower than usual.
4.Finnish law on purchasing sex services
On 21 June the Finnish Parliament enacted a Bill into
law making the purchase of sexual services a crime.
The purchase of sexual services will be a crime in circumstances
that involve procurement or trafficking in human beings. The
penalty for first time offenders will be up to six months
imprisonment.
5. Sweden appointed a special ambassador
to combat trafficking in human beings
The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed a special
ambassador on trafficking in human beings. The ambassador's responsibility
will be to strengthen its international co-operation in the fight
against trafficking and give this issue a high priority during
the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States
that it took over in July.
6. New publications
Make Poverty History has published its 2005
campaign evaluation (this is a PDF document, see bottom
of page about viewing them).
The International Labour Office in Bangkok, International Programme
on the Elimination of Child Labour has published Participatory
Monitoring: Guidelines for practitioners in the fight against
human trafficking.
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