Child protection key to preventing trafficking

Giammarinaro: "Human trafficking is modern-day slavery on a massive scale"

Child protection must be a priority for efforts to prevent child trafficking to be effective, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, has said.

Speaking at a meeting of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Experts Co-ordination Team held in Warsaw, Poland on 7th October, Ms. Giammarinaro said protecting children's rights was important because children at risk, including migrant children, may fall prey to traffickers.

"Human trafficking is modern-day slavery on a massive scale. It is an unacceptable violation of fundamental rights and dignity of people. Prevention is therefore key to all our efforts," she said.

During the Alliance meeting, experts from international organizations and non-governmental organizations adopted a joint "Statement on Child Protection, Especially among Migrant, Undocumented, Unaccompanied, Separated and Asylum Seeking Children" that calls on OSCE participating States to "ensure that international human rights standards and protection principles are respected for all children without any kind of discrimination and regardless of their status."

The joint statement also calls on OSCE participating States to enhance child care and child protection systems including birth registration to respond to the needs of vulnerable and socially excluded children so as to ensure their survival and development, and to fully respect children's rights.

The statement is supported by major OSCE partners that are part of the Alliance, including the Council of Europe, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Children's Fund as well as leading international NGOs such as Anti-Slavery International; End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes; the International La Strada Association; Save the Children, and Terre des Hommes - Child relief.

Ms. Giammarinaro emphasized that the Alliance provides a unique opportunity for international organizations and NGOs to develop shared and co-ordinated strategies and build synergies. The OSCE initiated the Alliance in 2004 to ensure that efforts to combat human trafficking are co-ordinated and co-operative.