OSCE seminar in Greece focuses on trafficking in human beings

IOANNINA, Greece, 17 February 2003 - "Slaves of the 21st Century." That is how Marcin Swiecicki, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, described victims of the trafficking of human beings for cheap labour and for the sex industry at the start of a two-day OSCE seminar in Greece.

The event in the Greek town of Ioannina is dedicated to the economic impact of trafficking in human beings and is the second of three preparatory seminars leading up to the 11th OSCE Economic Forum to be held in May.

"Trafficking not only causes human misery, it also devastates economies and puts intolerable pressure on political systems. The growing role of criminal networks is extremely worrying," said Frank Majoor, Secretary-General of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing the OSCE Chairmanship.

Over 170 experts from academic circles, international organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organizaton (ILO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as from various non-governmental organizations are attending the meeting.

The economic causes and consequences of this modern form of slavery will be discussed, including issues such as demand for sex services and cheap labour. Supply and demand are brought together by ruthless criminal networks which defy international and national law, bribe authorities and ride roughshod over the rights of their victims. The perpetrators launder their illegal profits, thus again harming the economies.

Participants will make recommendations on international and national co-operation to deal with this scourge for the OSCE Economic Forum, which will take place in Prague from 20 to 23 May, as well as for the OSCE-wide Action Plan to combat trafficking in human beings.