Vollebaek defines trafficking as 'modern day slavery'

ISTANBUL, 19 November 1999 - OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek led a panel of presidents, prime ministers, ministers, lawmakers and citizen activists last night in presenting solutions to combat the human rights scourge in trafficking women and children.

Mr. Vollebaek announced a Norwegian sponsored regional conference on trafficking of human beings next Spring in Oslo. US Representative, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, announced a $1 million grant to fight trafficking in OSCE countries.

The premier event, held in the margins of the OSCE Istanbul Summit, featured addresses by Ms. Ruth Dreifuss, President of the Swiss Confederation, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Skele, Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen, Helle Degn, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann, Director of the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ms. Stana Buchowska, representing the Warsaw based La Strada Foundation Against Trafficking in Women.

In his opening statement, Mr. Vollebaek reiterated the significance and tragedy of trafficking as fundamental human rights challenge and defined it as "modern day slavery."

"Trafficking of human beings is a return to the dark ages of the history of man," Mr. Vollebaek said. "It predominantly involves women and children and represents one of the most reprehensible and profound human rights abuses of our time."

Ms. Clinton pronounced a growing consensus, not only in Europe and the United States, but also into other parts of the globe, that new measures are needed to combat trafficking of women and children. "Finally, trafficking of women and children has emerged out of the shadows and into the spotlight," she said. "We must prevent it, protect the victims and prosecute the perpetrators to the full extent of the law."

Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss and Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen said that trafficking was a fundamentally flagrant human rights violation. They both called for increased cooperation and stepped up legislation to combat trafficking. Prime Minister Skele of Latvia presented the Baltic States initiatives in fighting trafficking through a law enforcement framework addressing organized crime.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's leadership reaffirmed its commitment to the issue of trafficking by calling on all participating States' national assemblies to take up the issue as a matter of high priority. The ODIHR spelled out its action plan on trafficking which encompasses prevention, legislation, political initiatives and a specific plan of action for Southeastern Europe.