Women have a lead role in fight against human trafficking, OSCE special representative tells Women Leaders' Council

VIENNA, 14 February 2008 - Women have a critical role to play in building the political will to address human trafficking, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Eva Biaudet, said today at the first global Women Leaders' Council to combat human trafficking.

"Women are the driving force for political change, especially bringing issues historically accepted as private into the public sphere" she said, addressing participants from 116 countries at the event, which was organized as part of the U.N. Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking Vienna Forum.

"We, women leaders, represent a role model to others. In this Council, our goal is to demonstrate our responsibility and commitment to fight this crime that shames us all. It is critical for us to use our influence to effectively address the root causes of trafficking in human beings, including the growing inequalities between and within countries, as well as discrimination against national minorities, irregular migrants and women."

Over 60 women leaders from different backgrounds and countries told participants how they have fought human trafficking and have made a personal commitment to end this fight. Participants included British actress Julia Ormond; Melanne Verveer, co-founder of the Vital Voices Global Partnership; Baroness Mary Teresa Goudie, a Labour member of the House of Lords; Maud de Boer Buquicchio, of the Council of Europe; Margaret Alva, secretary general of the Indian National Congress; Saisuree Chutikul, of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Biaudet said: "As the OSCE Special Representative, I am committed to doing my part to catalyze and strengthen political will by engaging high-level national authorities for concrete action."

The OSCE Special Representative added that her office stood ready to provide information on best practices in dialogue, technical cooperation, and exchange of information in the fight against trafficking.