OSCE Special Representative encourages enhanced co-operation with Commonwealth of Independent States in fight against human trafficking

MOSCOW, 11 February 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, at the conclusion of a three-day visit to Moscow today announced plans to intensify co-operation with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

During the trip, which took place upon the invitation of the CIS Executive Committee and the IOM, Jarbussynova met with CIS Executive Director Sergey Lebedev and also spoke at a conference on human trafficking organized by the two bodies.

Pledging to support the anti-trafficking work of the CIS outlined in its Program on Co-operation against Human Trafficking for 2014-2018,  the Special Representative said : “I am grateful for the co-operation with each CIS Member State.”. “Enhancing the fight against human trafficking require co-ordinated  action at all levels, and especially across national borders.”

She praised the Academy of the Belarusian Interior Ministry, which serves as a core entity in the OSCE space to strengthen professional competencies in the area of migration and human trafficking. Jarbussynova also extended an official invitation to the CIS Executive Committee to become a full-fledged member of the OSCE’s Alliance against Trafficking in Human Beings, a broad international forum where international, non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations join forces to prevent and combat human trafficking.

The Special Representative highlighted a number of areas that remain challenging in the CIS region, including victim assistance and identification, increasing prosecutions and convictions of traffickers, as well as implementing a non-punishment provision to protect victims from being penalized for any crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers.

“I look forward to discussing these issues with CIS Member States and assisting their efforts to update legislation and establish efficient Nation Response Mechanisms (NRMs) to combat human trafficking,” Jarbussynova said.

In addition to Sergey Lebedev, she met with the Chair of the Russian State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, Elena Mizulina, and with the Special Representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Konstantin Dolgov.