OSCE Special Representative calls on States to combat exploitation in the agricultural sector

VIENNA, 27 April 2009 - The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Eva Biaudet, called today for countries to do more at the national level to prevent slavery-like conditions often endured by agricultural workers.

"In many countries it is accepted that there is continued demand for seasonal agricultural work to be filled by foreigners, but at the same time legal migration channels are still limited," said Biaudet.

Biaudet spoke at the start of a two-day OSCE seminar in Vienna that brings together more than 100 officials, including labour inspectors, law enforcement agents, social workers, immigration officials and prosecutors, to discuss experiences and lessons learned from the OSCE region.

A 2006 OSCE Ministerial Decision called on participating States to ensure that minimum labour standards are reflected in their labour laws and that laws are enforced to reduce the potential of trafficking.

Biaudet said: "The political framework exists, now we need political will and action at the national level. More efficient police investigations and prosecutions are needed but will not be enough. Governments have to become more active in protecting agricultural workers and enforcing their rights. In most countries labour inspections are very limited or nonexistent in the agricultural sector."

"Trafficking for forced labour today is not usually about outright physical violence, but more often about many different, more subtle forms of deception and coercion," said Carolina O'Reilly of the International Labour Office. "There are degrees of exploitation, rather than a clear-cut line between forced and free labour. Effective responses, both legal and practical, need to recognize these subtleties."

The seminar, the first of its kind to focus on a specific economic sector of human trafficking for labour exploitation, aims at increasing governments' understanding of the factors making people vulnerable to exploitation.

Biaudet said: "It is widely accepted that there are large numbers of unrecognized victims. I am convinced that this is especially the case when it comes to the agricultural sector. This exploitation usually takes place in remote areas where the worker is dependent on the employer for almost all necessities of life, making her or him vulnerable to abuse."