| dc.description.abstract | In accordance with my mandate as the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, I am committed to supporting the OSCE participating States in the implementation of their anti-trafficking commitments.
My office has promoted quality evidence-based policies and research to assist participating States in their challenges to prevent and combat human trafficking. I commissioned this survey in 2015 to obtain an overview of the status of current efforts to implement the anti-trafficking commitments and recommended actions to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings across the OSCE region. The added value of the survey is long-term, since it serves as a baseline against which progress will be measured in three to four years, when the survey will be repeated. All data collected as part of this survey has been recorded in a data sheet developed by OSCE, where it can be further analysed and updated.
The survey is in line with my priorities, focusing on the prevention of trafficking in human beings, the prosecution of trafficking crimes, as well as the protection of victims of trafficking. As such, it was not intended to cover all areas of the OSCE Action Plan and its 2013 Addendum. Rather, the survey emphasizes those areas in the response to trafficking in human beings about which information is currently limited. Precisely with the aim to complement other relevant data collection initiatives while avoiding duplication, the survey design and analyses were co-ordinated with our partner organizations.
The responses to the survey were provided by many different state actors, including national co-ordinating bodies, law enforcement officials, ministries of foreign affairs, justice, social affairs, employment, children and family affairs, and labour inspection services. The diversity of legislative and policy responses to trafficking across the OSCE region is reflected in the wealth of information collected via the survey, including the numerous powerful examples provided by the respondents.
It becomes clear that much has already been accomplished by the Governments of the participating States supported by civil society and in co-operation with the international community. Especially with regard to the legislative framework, the survey responses provide an extensive overview of existing and farreaching provisions to combat trafficking in human beings. Nevertheless, anti-trafficking stakeholders are all still confronted by major challenges, in particular in the implementation of existing laws and policies. Much remains to be done with regard to ensuring adequate resources and raising the capacity of all relevant actors to tackle the problem within the scope of their mandates and in strategic collaboration with other national and international counterparts.
Based on the findings of the survey, the present report will assist my Office to tailor its work in support of the full implementation of participating States’ commitments to combat human trafficking. I look forward to our collaborative effort to continuing our work on the implementation of the OSCE commitments.
Madina Jarbussynova | en_US |
