OSCE Ukraine office trains judges, prosecutors on fighting human trafficking

KYIV, 21 May 2007 - Twenty-five Ukrainian judges and prosecutors are taking part in an OSCE training course on ways to combat human trafficking that began in Kyiv today.

The three-day course focuses on prosecuting trafficking cases and improving the protection of trafficking victims. Participants are discussing national and international regulations on trafficking for forced labour and trafficking in children, existing court practices, and ways to help child-victims.

"Trafficking in human beings is one of the worst crimes of our times. Men, women and children suffer from sexual and labour exploitation, and are used as donors for illegal organ and tissue transplantations. This course will broaden the understanding of the problem and help law enforcement officials and the judiciary develop skills urgently needed to ensure an effective fight against this crime," said Iryna Voytuk, the President of the Ukrainian Academy of Judges.

Using a "train-the-trainers" methodology to develop the capacities of trainers, participants examine several case studies.

The course is being conducted by experts from the Ukrainian Supreme Court, Academy of Judges, the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sport, the Interior Ministry, the International Labour Organization and its International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, the United Nations Office in Ukraine, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Italian Carabinieri General Headquarters, as well as from local NGOs. A children's psychotherapist is also taking part in the course.

Participants of the course will be able to offer two-day anti-trafficking training classes for their colleagues in several regions of Ukraine.

The course was jointly organized by the office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, the Ukrainian Academy of Judges and the Academy of Prosecutors, and financed by voluntary contributions from the Austrian Government.