OSCE Special Representative marks 25 years of UN Convention on children’s rights, urges more protection efforts

PARIS, 25 November 2014 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, said today that more must be done despite 25 years of progress following the adoption of the UN’s International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“Women and children are most at risk in terms of becoming victims of trafficking. They deserve more protection and access to rehabilitation programmes,” Jarbussynova said. “Trafficking is not only a serious crime, but also a gross violation of human rights.”

The Special Representative spoke at a UNESCO panel discussion on gender, violence and children’s rights held to mark the adoption of the Convention. She said a number of new violations of children’s rights, including new forms of human trafficking, have emerged since 1989.

Although sexual exploitation remains the most widespread form of trafficking in women and children in Europe, forced criminality for petty crimes including cannabis cultivation and minor drug dealing, as well as forced begging are becoming increasingly prominent.

The OSCE in 2013 approved an Addendum to its Action Plan to improve the Organization’s ability to combat these, and other, newly-prominent forms of exploitation.

The Special Representative also urged OSCE participating States to do more to improve the welfare of women and children so that they do not fall victim to human traffickers.

“Measures should be taken to tackle the social and economic roots of trafficking by fighting the various forms of discrimination that make children and women vulnerable,” she said.

On Monday, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that 62 per cent of detected victims in Western and Central Europe are women, and that 16 per cent are girls and three per cent are boys.

Jarbussynova added that she hopes to work closely with UNESCO and other UN agencies on this issue in the future.

The event took place at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters, with leading experts including S Gülser Corat, Director of UNESCO’s Division for Gender Equality, in attendance.