OSCE and the Russian Federation join efforts to fight human trafficking through public-private partnerships

Moscow, 21 July 2017 - The Conference on “Public-Private Partnership in the Fight Against Human Trafficking” organized by the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, concluded today at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

The two-day event gathered almost two hundred participants from 40 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, countries outside of the OSCE area as well as representatives of numerous international organizations, non-governmental entities, the private sector, trade unions, academia and the media.

The conference provided participants with a platform to discuss relevant international frameworks and instruments, the magnitude of trafficking for labour exploitation in the private economy, the roles of governments and the private sector, along with OSCE projects and activities to prevent human trafficking in the private sector. They also discussed how to build on existing experience and lessons learned in other countries around the world and identified promising prevention methods and measures to minimize the risk of human trafficking.

“We need to work together to prevent human trafficking in a comprehensive way through improving economic competitiveness and connectivity and creating decent working conditions for workers. The goal must be to create a level playing field for businesses trying to do the right thing, especially when 90 per cent of all forced labour occurs in the private economy,” said Madina Jarbussynova, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

The opening remarks of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, were delivered by Anatoly Viktorov, Director of the Department for Humanitarian Co-operation and Human Rights of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Lavrov remarked that “Under the current conditions of continuing uncertainty in the world economy and rising social instability, it is becoming more important than ever to unite the efforts of states, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to combat trafficking in human beings, while preserving the United Nation’s leadership. We welcome the OSCE's comprehensive efforts to prevent and combat this dangerous phenomenon."

During her visit to Moscow Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova also held a meeting with the Chair of the Committee of the State Duma on State Building and Legislation, Pavel Kraseninnikov, and the Chair of the Committee of the State Duma on Family, Women and Children Affairs, Tamara Pletneva. During the meeting the Special Representative highlighted the importance and need for a dedicated anti-trafficking law in the Russian Federation.