OSCE Representative marks 200th anniversary of slave trade abolition

VIENNA, 26 March 2007 - The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Eva Biaudet, issued the following statement today:

"In 1807 the British Parliament passed a bill to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Yet two centuries later, the cruel exploitation of men, women and children remains unfettered. Today's modern slavery - human trafficking - has found refuge in the loop-holes of insufficient legislation, in structural weaknesses of our economic and migration policies, in corruption, ignorance and indifference.

"Two hundred years ago the abolition of transatlantic slave trade was an event cheered and celebrated in the British empire. It was a landmark that had a long term impact on communities and countries of origin and destination.

"Today, we have to admit that slavery and practices similar to slavery still exist in many countries. Trafficking in human beings as a form of enslavement has to be eradicated - otherwise the world's achievements in bringing human rights to all, will be overshadowed by humiliation, degradation, organized crime and corruption.

"In order to eradicate this gross human rights violation we must tackle the root causes of human trafficking - poverty, social exclusion, intolerance and discrimination. We must address sexual exploitation and the demand for socially unprotected and cheap labour in the countries of destination, because there would be no profits and no trafficking without demand. The fight is definitely not an easy one, but it can and will be won."