OSCE hosts meeting for consular officials in Ukraine on combating human trafficking

A roundtable discussion to promote co-operation between Ukrainian authorities and Kyiv-based embassies and consulates in the prevention of human trafficking was held in the country’s capital on 27 November 2013 with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The annual event, attended by embassy and consular staff working in the area of visas, aimed  to increase their awareness of human trafficking and to discuss ways of identifying and assisting victims. Participants also discussed Ukraine's policies to tackle the issue and the role of embassies and consulates in combating this crime. Particular attention was paid to the recently-established National Referral Mechanism in Ukraine and co-operation within the mechanism with law enforcement authorities, including the specialized anti-trafficking unit in the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, the State Migration Service and the State Border Guard Service. The work of Ukrainian anti-trafficking NGOs was also discussed.

“Co-operation between consular officials and national authorities is crucial for combating human trafficking, ” said Rene BeBeau, Senior Project Officer of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “This meeting introduced consular officials to Ukraine’s current human trafficking trends and anti-trafficking activities, and will help illustrate the role the staff of embassies and consulates can play in tackling the problems,” he added.

The meeting was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy, a body responsible for nation-wide co-ordination of anti-trafficking activities; the event was part of a project aimed at enhancing prosecution of perpetrators of human trafficking and cybercrime in Ukraine.