Human traffickers exploit economic crisis, redoubled prevention efforts urgently needed, warns high-level conference at OSCE

VIENNA, 14 September 2009 - The impact of the global economic crisis in severely reducing legitimate employment opportunities and increasing the vulnerability of millions of people to sexual and labour exploitation is the focus of an OSCE-organized conference that opened in Vienna today.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a video address opening the two-day conference, urged OSCE participating States to redouble prevention efforts.

"New economic pressures are likely to aggravate the problem further, so this conference comes at a time of renewed urgency. It is an opportunity to place a renewed focus on prevention and the root causes of trafficking," said Clinton. "Together we must implement a comprehensive approach that both confronts criminals and cares for survivors."

The 9th Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons Conference, focusing on "Prevention of Modern-Slavery", brings together more than 250 experts from governments, international organizations and civil society to discuss the business of trafficking in the context of the economic crisis, which has increased both supply and demand.

"Widespread unemployment, a drastic decline in opportunities and a loss in remittances from labour migrants result in desperate situations both in countries of origin and of destination, where people have few viable alternatives and are prone to take more risks," said Eva Biaudet, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

"In the context of our global economic crisis, empirical evidence on the extent of trafficking and the effectiveness of our efforts is more necessary than ever. We must prevent the root causes of trafficking such as unemployment, all forms of discrimination, corrupt practices and the demand for commercial sex and exploitative labour, before trafficking occurs, but also to prevent re-trafficking by having strong protections in place."

Conference participants will also discuss current best practices using a human rights approach, including the media's role in preventing trafficking. Investigative journalists, documentary filmmakers and photographers will take part in a panel discussion on the media's role and responsibility in covering human trafficking.