European Union Terre des Hommes puts child trafficking on the agenda
Project : TDHIF in Europe 17 Oct 2009
Belgium*: For the first time the issue of child trafficking is discussed and tackled in a specific panel of a very high level Conference. The Conference, taking place in Brussels on the 19-20th of October ’09, brought together Ministers of Justice, Interiors and Migration from the 27 EU Member Stated and from third countries, with a total of 66 States represented in the conference. The H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden and H:M. Queen Paola of Belgium also participated and addressed the Conference.
Since March 2009, Terre des Hommes was invited by the Swedish EU Presidency and the European Commission to take an active part in the preparation process of the Conference. Terre des Hommes advocated strongly for an in-depth discussion among Governments on the current reality of child trafficking and needed responses, both in and outside Europe.
To contribute to such discussion, Terre des Hommes was asked to produce a position paper based on the field reality and its program. The paper includes a series of recommendations that should be taken into account in the so called “October 2009 Declaration on Trafficking in Human Beings”"and the up-coming “Stockholm Program”, setting the political EU priorities in the field of Justice and Home Affairs for the next 5 years.
In the “October Declaration” Governments recognize the need to enhance a human-rights approach against trafficking, and promotion of “regular, fair and managed” migration policy. In its external cooperation, the EU should emphasize education and sustainable development programs that affect positively children and young people at risk of being trafficked.
The specific panel on child trafficking recalled that adequate responses to child trafficking are still missing. Protection of Unaccompanied minors was considered as a priority within the EU Member States. The UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children also called upon governments to enhance child-centered measures on recovery, reintegration and redress.
At this regard, Terre des Hommes photo exhibition “Another Me”, on trafficked girls from Nepal to India, is showed in the conference. It demonstrates how assistance and reintegration projects can support trafficked persons to transform their pain into empowerment and looking ahead life projects.
For more information, please contact:
Salvatore Parata, Terre des Hommes International Federation, European Office Brussels
Mobile : 0032.474.209921, brussels@terredeshommes.org
