Gender dynamics of human trafficking explored at OSCE/ODIHR event in Warsaw

Trafficking in human beings is often gender-specific, as are its consequences, including the harm it causes and the recovery process for survivors, said participants in an event co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) in Warsaw on 19 September 2018.

Assistance to survivors, therefore, needs to be gender-sensitive and tailored, as well as mainstreamed in all other aspects of combating human trafficking, including prevention, protection and prosecution, they said.

The event took place during the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting.

“All of the OSCE participating States have unanimously committed to ensuring that all female victims of violence will be provided with full, equal and timely access to justice and effective remedies,” said Tatiana Kotlyarenko, ODIHR Advisor on Anti-Human Trafficking Issues.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 71 per cent of detected trafficked persons are women and girls, as are 96 per cent of all detected individuals trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Participants stressed that the identification of victims of trafficking is often hampered by a number of factors, including lack of adequate training or functioning referral mechanisms. At the same time, other factors, such as bias, prejudice and gender stereotypes may negatively impact assistance efforts.

“From its disproportionate effects on women and girls to gender stereotypes hindering the identification of male victims, human trafficking is pervaded by gendered practices,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Acting Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. “This event provides a unique forum to discuss how we can better integrate the needs of men and women, boys and girls into our responses to human trafficking.”

Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, said: “The exponential growth of the global multi-billion dollar sex trade and its impact in both fostering sex trafficking and influencing our cultural narratives is flourishing with impunity. We applaud ODIHR and OSR/CTHB for their leadership in urging participating States to find effective solutions, from the grassroots to high-level decision makers, to end the trafficking in persons as egregious human rights violations.”