Addressing vulnerabilities of women and girls to trafficking in persons: Side event during the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Research has consistently shown that human traffickers take advantage of people who are in positions of vulnerability. It is widely recognised that women and girls make up the majority of identified trafficking victims. Gender and age-related factors in the contexts of inequality, violence and discrimination contribute to the vulnerability of women and girls to this crime.

The COVID-19 pandemic, among other socioeconomic challenges, has led to overstretched public health and social protection systems, further placing many people in the hands of traffickers who exploit people in vulnerable situations for personal gain. Vulnerability to trafficking is also exacerbated, in some cases, by the negative impacts of global environmental change, such as climate change, environmental degradation, and natural disasters, as well as other factors such as poverty, economic collapse and conflict.

The side event is related to the theme of the 66th Commission on the Status of Women, i.e. “Achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”. In this context, ICAT, OSCE/ODIHR and UN Women have developed policy guidelines to address vulnerability to trafficking.

The aim of the event is will to:

• Raise awareness on the factors that contribute to heighten vulnerabilities of women and girls to trafficking in human beings, and what key stakeholders are doing at the global and regional levels to address these issues.;
• Facilitate discussion on appropriate measures to comprehensively address vulnerabilities to trafficking in human beings, especially of women and girls;
• Launch the ICAT Issue Brief on Vulnerabilities;
• Overview of the updated National Referral Mechanism Handbook. Joining Efforts to Protect the Rights of Trafficked Persons: A Practical Handbook (NRM Handbook)
• Inclusion of voices of survivors of trafficking, particularly of OSCE/ODIHR International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC)

Agenda and participants

The panel discussion will be with:

• Itohan Okundaye, Member of OSCE/ODIHR ISTAC
• Daniella De Luca, Member of OSCE/ODIHR ISTAC
• Zita Cabais, Member of OSCE/ODIHR ISTAC
• Alethia Jimenez, Policy Specialist, UN Women
• Morgane Nicot, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, UNODC
• Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director, Coalition against Trafficking in Women

Welcome remarks will be presented by ICMPD as Co-Chair of ICAT and Kateryna Ryabiko, First Deputy Director, OSCE/ODIHR, will present the closing remarks.

The event will be moderated by Tatiana Kotlyarenko, Adviser on Anti-Trafficking Issues, OSCE/ODIHR.

Registration

Those interested can register here. 

This event will be streamed live on ODIHR's Facebook page.