OSCE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE MEETS ARMENIAN OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES IN FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

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2009/05/08 | 22:57

Society

The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human
Beings, Eva Biaudet, welcomed today the Armenian authorities’ efforts
to combat trafficking in human beings and underscored the need to
place human trafficking higher on the political agenda.

In Yerevan on a three-day visit that ends today, Biaudet participated
in the opening ceremony of the Anti-Trafficking Support and Resource
Unit, which was established by the OSCE Office in Yerevan under
the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues with the support of the
Governments of France, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

She expressed the hope that the Unit would help improve protection
of victims and serve as a forum for discussion, training, gathering
and analyzing information, and for developing feasible goals for
combating human trafficking.

In particular, Biaudet stressed the need for better victim
identification: "Enhanced co-operation between NGOs providing
assistance to victims and law enforcement agencies is a pre-requisite
for better victim identification and I urge the Armenian authorities
to put more effort into also investigating possible cases of internal
trafficking among vulnerable populations".

During her visit, Biaudet met Vice Prime Minister and Minister
of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorkyan, who chairs the
Inter-Ministerial Council on Trafficking Issues, as well as
representatives of the National Assembly, the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, Justice, Labour and Social Issues and Education, the
police, the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Ombudsman. She
also discussed co-operation and co-ordination in the field with
representatives of civil society and international organizations.

"I welcome the increased efforts of the Armenian authorities to
bring traffickers to justice. However, I am concerned that the vast
majority of convicted persons in recent years have been women. Some
of these women are former victims, and I encourage efforts to be
directed towards effective prosecution of all responsible persons,
including the main profiteers," said Biaudet.

The Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, said
his Office stands ready to continue providing support to all relevant
Armenian actors: "The OSCE has always been an active international
actor in anti-trafficking activities in Armenia. The Anti-Trafficking
Support and Resource Unit will promote further effective co-operation
between key national and international anti-trafficking actors in
Armenia to provide for improved prevention, protection and referral
mechanisms in the country."