Secretariat - Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Mandate

Timeline

December 2009 - Maria Grazia Giammarinaro is appointed as OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

October 2006 to December 2009 - Eva Biaudet is appointed as OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

May 2004 to May 2006 - Helga Konrad serves as OSCE Special Representative on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

December 2003 - The OSCE Ministerial Council endorses the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

Tasks

The Special Representative:

  • Assists OSCE participating States in the implementation of commitments and full usage of recommendations proposed by the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings;
  • Ensures co-ordination of OSCE efforts in combating trafficking in human beings across all three dimensions of the OSCE;
  • Strengthens co-ordination among the relevant authorities of the participating States and between the OSCE and other relevant organizations;
  • Raises the public and political profile of the combat against trafficking in human beings;
  • Operates in the whole OSCE area and as appropriate, assists the participating States, in a spirit of co-operation and following consultations with the respective authorities of the relevant participating States in aiming at the implementation of their commitments in combating human trafficking;
  • Provides and facilitates advice and technical assistance in the field of legislation as well as policy development, together, as necessary, with other OSCE structures engaged in this field;
  • Is ready to offer advice to senior level authorities representing the legislative, judicial, and executive branches in participating States and discuss with them the implementation of the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and commitments in the field of combating trafficking in human beings;
  • Co-operates with National Rapporteurs or other national mechanisms established by participating States for co-ordinating and monitoring the anti-trafficking activities of State institutions. It will also co-operate with relevant Non-Governmental Organizations of the participating States;
  • Closely co-operates and co-ordinates with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and other OSCE Institutions, the Secretary General, relevant structures of the Secretariat including the Office of the Co-ordinator for OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), the Strategic Police Matters Unit (SPMU), the Senior Gender Adviser, as well as, where appropriate, the OSCE field operations. The mechanism draws on the expertise within these OSCE structures, and sees that duplication is avoided.
  • Participates when appropriate in the work of the Informal Working Group on Gender Equality and Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings;
  • Co-operates and co-ordinates with relevant international actors.