The 14th Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference entitled „Ethical Issues in Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking” was held on 4-5 November 2014 in Vienna organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The overall aims of the conference were to enhance the coherence of the international action in the fight against trafficking in human beings and continue to advance the implementation of OSCE commitment to combat and prevent human trafficking in all its forms. The event provided an excellent forum for gathering expertise, exchanging good practices and enhancing dialogue between relevant national authorities, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, business groups, trade unions, and human rights groups.
The conference consisted of four main panels with the focus to ethical sourcing to prevent forced labour and trafficking in the private sector, ethical treatment of trafficked persons, medical ethics and human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal. It also provided a good opportunity to review and assess the impact of codes of conduct and zero tolerance policies adopted by OSCE participating States and international organizations over the past decade to prevent their potential contribution and negative impact on the trafficking cycle in conflict and crisis situations.
“Ethics are the wellspring from which humanity began to define what is fair and moral in human activity and more importantly, how we should treat each other” said OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova.
“Respecting the inherent dignity of each individual is a fundamental value at the core of what the OSCE represents,” Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Secretary General, said in his opening speech. “Thus we must remain alert to the human harm that could be caused through negligence and misconduct, and always be ready to assist the victims.”
In the framework of the Conference three side events were held which focused on measures that business, civil society and government can take to prevent trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation, prevention of human trafficking for domestic servitude in diplomatic household and leveraging anti-money laundering regimes to combat trafficking in human beings. Publications can be downloaded under the following links:
Labour exploitation: http://www.osce.org/secretariat/126305?download=true
Domestic servitude: http://www.osce.org/handbook/domesticservitude?download=true
Anti-Money Laundering: http://www.osce.org/secretariat/121125?download=true
Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe