OSCE Office in Yerevan organizes roundtable on future of national anti-trafficking plan

YEREVAN, 8 June 2006 - The development of a new National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and the implementation of the 2004-2006 National Action Plan are the focus of a meeting that started today in Yerevan. The event is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian Inter-Agency Commission with support from the U.S. State Department.

Members of the Armenian Inter-Agency Commission on Anti-Trafficking Issues and representatives of key non-governmental organizations working with trafficking victims will participate in the meeting.

The roundtable is part of the Office's activities geared toward assisting the Armenian authorities in addressing the problem of human trafficking.

Hana Snajdrova from the Czech Interior Ministry and Liliana Sorrentino from the OSCE Anti-Trafficking Assistance Unit will present national strategies and plans of action of various OSCE participating States.

"A comprehensive national strategy is critical in achieving success in combating trafficking in humans in Armenia and elsewhere," said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

He emphasized the significance of the OSCE Action Plan, which provides a comprehensive toolkit to combat trafficking through a multidimensional approach, covering protection of victims, prevention of trafficking and prosecution of those who facilitate or commit the crime.