International Round Table on Preventing & Combating Human Trafficking

Transcription

1 Regional Implementation Initiative 2015 on Preventing & Combating Human Trafficking Improving National and Transnational Coordination and Cooperation in Preventing and Combating all Forms of Human Trafficking; Developing and Strengthening National and Transnational Networks and Partnerships Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe IDM International Round Table on Preventing & Combating Human Trafficking Turning Suspicion into Evidence Challenging Current Policy and Justice Responses of Human Trafficking & Labour Exploitation Catamaran - Austrian Trade Union Federation ÖGB Johann-Böhm-Platz 1, Vienna 20 November 2015, supported by Austrian Federal Ministers for Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, for Education and Women, and of Health, in Cooperation with the City of Vienna EU Strategy for the Danube Region and Women's Health Programme

2 Draft AGENDA Registration and Networking Breakfast Welcome, Opening and Introduction Renate Anderl, Vice President of the Austrian Trade Union Federation/ÖGB Edeltraud Glettler, Director General for European, International and Social Policy Issues, Austrian Federal Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection Alev Korun, Chair of Human Rights Committee of Austrian Federal Parliament Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, National Coordinator on Human Trafficking, Director General, Austrian Federal Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs Beate Wimmer-Puchinger, Executive Director of Women's Health Programme of the City of Vienna Daniela Urschitz, EU Strategy for the Danube Region EUSDR, Vienna Administration Helga Konrad, Head/Coordinator of the Regional Implementation Initiative on Preventing & Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Foreign/Migrant Workers Moving within or into the European Obligations & Responsibilities to Prevent/Stop/Eradicate Exploitation & Human Trafficking, Victims' Rights & Access to Justice Albin Dearing, Programme Manager, European Union Fundamental Rights Agency FRA: Severe Forms of Labour Exploitation*: Selected Findings & Conclusions, Consequences & Challenges Human Trafficking versus Exploitation: Pro & Contra with Regard to Prosecution Katharina Beclin, Ass.-Prof. University of Vienna, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology: 'Providing confidence-building measures for all presumptive victims of THB is the long-term key to successful criminal prosecution'. Panel Discussion: Challenges & Policy Options The Panelists will comment, discuss and challenge Risk Factors, Prevention Strategies and Procurement Procedures as well as Criminal Justice and Policy Responses and Approaches with regard to (Severe Forms of) Labour exploitation and Human Trafficking for Labour exploitation. Roger Plant, Independent Consultant, Former Head of the ILO's Special Action Program to Combat Forced Labour and Trafficking, UK: 'There is urgent need to reach agreement on the substance of the laws and policy frameworks themselves, in the light of emerging challenges of migration policy, as well as on implementation.' Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children: 'When a worker does not have any option about their work conditions, or when their range of options is extremely limited, their exploitation amounts to trafficking. In order to prevent it, it is necessary to address a broad area of exploitation, and protect all workers rights, including migrant workers rights.' Teresa Rodriguez Montañés, Researcher, Univ. Prof. of Criminal Law, Spain: 'Without a true concern about exploitation, Human Trafficking is just a Brand' Daja Wenke, Independent Researcher and Consultant, Child Rights, Italy/Germany: 'If states are serious about their commitment to reduce child trafficking, they need to develop more inclusive strategies against the exploitation of children in any form and in any context.'

3 Philipp Schwertmann, Head of the 'Migration and Decent Work' Section at 'Arbeit und Leben' (DGB-German Trade Union/VHS) Berlin: Challenges of Criminal Prosecutions Coffee Break Panel Discussion: From Suspicion to Evidence a Reality Check The Impact of Anti-Trafficking Responses and the Need for Improved Criminal Justice Responses Evelyn Probst, Coordinator LEFÖ-IBF, Austria: 'The right to redress is a column of any successful anti-trafficking procedures.' Markus Zingerle, Sociologist, Health Center MEN in Vienna: 'A witness of THB should not have to fear prosecution for things she or he did under coercion!' Ulrich Nachtlberger, Presiding Judge at the Regional Court for Criminal Matters in Vienna, Special Court Unit for Human Trafficking and People Smuggling cases. Georgina Vaz-Cabral, Board Member of the 'Comité contre l'esclavage Moderne', Advisor at OSCE, France: 'Trafficked people deserve and want justice, just like any other crime victim. This can only happen if they are given access to justice and recognized as holders of rights.' Vera Gracheva, Independent Expert and Consultant, Russia: 'It is important to target the perpetrators, including those adding and abetting human trafficking, along the entire continuum.' Gerald Tatzgern, Head of the Central Service for Combating Alien Smuggling and Human Trafficking of the Criminal Intelligence Service of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior: 'When combating human trafficking, one cannot be everybody's darling' Norbert Ceipek, Consultant, Project-Coordinator, Bulgaria: 'Lip-service is not enough. Authorities must spur implementation of anti-trafficking measures in the fight against trafficking in children and minors.' Lunch Break - Snacks offered by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection Trial Monitoring With regard to the size of the crime, the number of prosecutions for Human Trafficking and exploitation remains stubbornly low, despite the fact that they are considered a key indicator for the success of governments and countries in combating Human Trafficking. Do pressures to prosecute lead to poor quality prosecutions? Do they contribute to violations of the rights of victims of trafficking? Are there unfair and unsafe prosecutions and verdicts that do not respect basic criminal justice standards? Are there politically motivated prosecutions targeting certain sectors including the sex industry? Mike Dottridge, Expert and Consultant, Global Alliance against Traffic in Women GAATW: ''When I was director of Anti-Slavery International in the 1990s, I was convinced that criminal justice responses (prosecuting criminals) were going to play a relatively minor role in stopping human trafficking, forced labour, the exploitation of prostitution or begging and other unacceptable forms of exploitation. Nothing has happened to change my opinion'. Case Monitoring and Analyzing Trafficking Judgments Marija Andjelkovic, Director of NGO ASTRA-Anti trafficking action, Serbia: 'Consistent respect of victims human rights during the court proceedings is one of the ways to help them regain faith in humanity.' Tea Gorjanc-Prelević, Director of NGO Human Rights Action (HRA), Montenegro: 'Montenegrin case of failed prosecution of perpetrators and successful prosecution of woman victim of high-level trafficking for alleged perjury warns against chances of effective suppression of trafficking in states lacking the rule of law.'

4 Maja Raicevic, Director of NGO Women s Rights Center (WRC), Montenegro: 'There will be no justice for victims of trafficking where rule of law is not correctly functioning and state institutions are weak and where corruption can fill the void.' Coffee Break Coordination & Collaboration Dynamics & Obstacles Power Relations and Inter-Organizational Differences in Status, Finances, Gender, Ethnicity, and Values Kiril Sharapov, Programme Director, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Bedfordshire, Affiliate Researcher, Centre for Policy Studies, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary: Presentation of the results of a survey on the organizations' experiences of being a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against Trafficking in Human Beings. This survey was conducted with the aim to explore the extent to which organizations consider themselves as a meaningful participant and contributor to the EU-wide policy-making process in the field of human trafficking. Kirsten Foot, Professor of Communication, University of Washington, Seattle, USA: Presentation of the findings & conclusions of her recently published book: Collaborating Against Human Trafficking: Cross-Sector Challenges and Practices. Ms Foot will explain how differences in status, finances, gender, ethnicity, and values complicate counter-trafficking collaborations, and offer insights on finding constructive paths through such multilevel tensions. Q&As/Discussion Closing of the Meeting DIRECTIONS: INFO AND REGISTRATIONS: How to get to the event location? Take the Underground U2 (from Museumsquartier or Volkstheater or Rathaus) direction Seestadt/Aspern, Exit DONAUMARINA (10 minutes) For registrations (until 13 November 2015): please fill in the fast online registration form clicking here or return the registration form via to the attention of Roberto Ziglio at: register.thb@gmail.com For more information about our initiatives and work please visit our website at: thbregionalimplementationinitiative.wordpress.com

5 NOTES AND RESOURCES: *Study conducted by European Union Fundamental Rights Agency FRA. 'The term 'severe labour exploitation' refers to all forms of labour exploitation that are criminal under the legislation of the European Union (EU) Member State where the exploitation occurs'. 'Human Trafficking and Forced Labour', issue 5, Anti-Trafficking Review The new issue of GAATW's journal the Anti-Trafficking Review looks at 'Forced Labour and Human Trafficking'. Authors in this issue - both academics and practitioners - review how the global community is addressing forced labour and trafficking. In 2014, governments across the globe committed to combat forced labour through a new international agreement, the ILO Forced Labour Protocol. But are recent efforts enough? With case studies from diverse regions and countries including Southeast Asia, Brazil, India, Italy, the United Kingdom and United States of America, this issue features a mix of academic articles, a new 'policy and practice' section, as well as short debate pieces which respond to the question: Should we distinguish between forced labour, trafficking and slavery? The Review and all articles are freely available online at: Film: 'I am Not Here'