Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Measures to Prevent, Protect and Prosecute, Yerevan, 5-6 September 2007

The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality and Anti-Trafficking Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia held the eighth information and awareness raising seminar in the framework of the Council of Europe Campaign in Yerevan (Armenia) on 5 and 6 September 2007.

The aim of these seminars is to raise awareness of the problem of trafficking in human beings among governments, parliamentarians, local and regional authorities, NGOs and civil society and to promote the signature and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.

The seminar brought together more than 100 participants from Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Romania and the Russian Federation. Council of Europe keynote speakers and national officials with expertise in human rights and with expertise in criminal and prosecution matters, as well as representatives of relevant national non-governmental organisations presented and discussed measures and actions taken at national level to prevent trafficking, protect the victims and prosecute traffickers in the light of the main provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.

This pioneering Convention is a comprehensive treaty containing measures to prevent trafficking, protect the victims, prosecute traffickers, strengthen international cooperation and create a monitoring mechanism to ensure the effective implementation by States of its provisions. It focuses on the protection of victims of trafficking and the safeguarding of their rights.

The Convention applies to all cases of trafficking in human beings, be they national or international, linked or not to organised crime, as well as to women, children and men alike. The Convention applies not only to trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation but also to forced labour and other forms of trafficking.

When compared to existing international texts it contains numerous added-values, among others:

- that trafficking in human beings is a violation of human rights and violates human dignity and integrity, and that greater protection is therefore needed for all its victims;

- no other international text defines victims, leaving it to each State to define who is a victim and therefore deserves the measures of protection and assistance. In the Council of Europe Convention a victim is any person who is subject to trafficking as defined in the Convention;

- a list of mandatory assistance measures to victims of trafficking; in particular victims of trafficking will be granted physical and psychological assistance and support for their reintegration into society. Medical treatment, counselling and information as well as appropriate accommodation are all among the measures provided. Victims will also receive compensation;

- a recovery and reflection period of at least 30 days: this is a real improvement in the way victims of trafficking are going to be treated in the countries of destination;

- the possibility to deliver residence permits to victims of trafficking, either on humanitarian grounds or because of the victims’ co-operation with the law enforcement authorities;

- the possibility to criminalise the “clients”;

- the possibility of not imposing penalties on victims for their involvement in unlawful activities, to the extent that they have been compelled to do so; and

- an independent monitoring mechanism capable of assessing the implementation of the Convention by the Parties.