OSCE and Ukraine join efforts to prevent human trafficking during Eurovision Song Contest 2017

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine is co-operating with the country’s Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Social Policy, the National Police and the State Border Guard Service to develop and distribute 150,000 information cards with Dos and Don’ts for visitors during the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place from 7 to 13 May 2017 in Kyiv.

More than 90,000 foreign visitors are expected to visit Ukraine in this period. The “Welcome to Ukraine!” information leaflets provide basic information on how to stay safe and avoid violating national law, in particular regarding human trafficking and the sexual abuse of children. They also contain emergency phone numbers and phone numbers to notify the authorities about possible incidents of human trafficking.

The border guards and police officers started distributing the cards starting from 1 May at border crossings, airports and on the streets of Kyiv.

“A large international event is a big opportunity for every country, but at the same time it is also a big challenge,” said Natalia Fedorovych, Deputy Social Policy Minister. She said that together with the Ukrainian police, the Ministry, which co-ordinates anti-trafficking efforts nationwide, is responsible for preventing human trafficking and for making sure that guests can enjoy a safe stay in Ukraine.

The brochures, developed with the support from the Government of Canada, are just one of many ways in which the OSCE Project Co-ordinator helps the Ukrainian government and civil-society partners combat human trafficking. Other assistance includes the development of legislation, establishing systems to help victims of trafficking, and training for social service providers, police, prosecutors, judges, civil society and media, as well as research on new trends and challenges.