OSCE Special Representative publishes human trafficking report on Bosnia and Herzegovina

VIENNA, 1 August 2013 – In a report issued today, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, recommended that the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina take additional steps to fully implement its OSCE commitments in the fight against human trafficking.

Giammarinaro recommended that the Government provide budgetary allocations to support the Action Plan for the fight against human trafficking, improve child protection measures by strengthening existing protection services, and curb labour trafficking by combating fraudulent recruitment and monitoring private employment agencies.

The report follows the Special Representative's visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in June 2012, where she held talks with high-level Government officials and non-governmental organizations on the situation in the country, with special emphasis on trafficking for labour exploitation and child trafficking.

“I am delighted that, following my country visit and my recommendations, concrete measures have already been adopted, in particular the harmonization of legislation,” Giammarinaro said. “This is the essential condition to ensure more effective investigation and prosecution, and better victim protection.”

The harmonization process includes recent legislative amendments in Brcko District and in Republika Srpska, bringing the legislation in line with international standards. Similar steps have been taken in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

An agreement has also been reached on the competence and jurisdiction of entity and state levels regarding trafficking cases. As a result, cases which have an international dimension will now be referred to the state level. In addition, the country has recently passed legislation to protect foreign victims of trafficking.

The report can be downloaded at https://www.osce.org/cthb/104059 .