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OSCE representative proposes creating a self reporting function as the National Rapporteur on combating trafficking in Azerbaijan- EXCLUSIVE

OSCE representative proposes creating a self reporting function as the National Rapporteur on combating trafficking in Azerbaijan<font color=red>- EXCLUSIVE</font>

07 April 2008 10:05 (UTC +04:00)

-What are the main reasons of trafficking?
-Human trafficking is a crime usually committed for the purpose of sexual or labour exploitation, often in an organized form. Desperate human situations, such as domestic violence and abuse, extreme poverty, discrimination against women and minorities make people vulnerable to exploitation. Frail states with corruption, and weak rule of law make easy environments for organized crime and human trafficking. Discriminatory attitudes in society and ignorance enhance the demand of trafficking and exploitation.

-Who are usually the victims of human trafficking?
-Women and children mostly. Children under the age of 18 make up almost half of the estimated victims. But there is a lot we do not know because this crime is so hidden. We do know that most victims of trafficking in human beings are never identified or helped and that traffickers usually can operate without big risks of prosecution. There seems to be no limits of the imagination of how a person can be lured into exploitation or the ways of controlling another one in an exploitative situation. The trafficker uses the vulnerability of a person offering him or her hope in a difficult situation. Women and girls are tricked into and exploited in prostitution and domestic service. Children are also exploited in agriculture, mining, fishing or for begging and petty crime. Men are trafficked, for example, to construction sites, and into agriculture and restaurants.

- How does OSCE cooperate with Azerbaijan in combating human trafficking in the country?
-The OSCE always works against trafficking in a comprehensive way with the 3 Ps: prevention of the crime, protection of the victims and prosecution of the traffickers. It is important to remind ourselves that this is a crime against the human being that is trafficked and the consequences for him or her needs to be considered also when you plan how to deal with the criminal proceedings. We also know from experience that the victim is able to help the investigations if she feels secure and has got time to recover. Research shows that the trauma on the victim is similar to the trauma of torture victims. The violence and the psychological threats and complete insecurity that a victim experiences can easily be called torture. The OSCE in Baku is working closely supporting the authorities in cooperation with NGOs and other International organizations. There is one particular project I want to mention on law students providing free legal assistance to trafficking victims. It is a very important and demanding task. Apart from helping the victims it actually trains the coming lawyers and judges in recognizing trafficking. The knowledge gap is still much too big concerning judges, prosecutors, police, social and health workers â€“ well everywhere.
The OSCE has a well-recognized expertise in supporting and providing assistance to the participating States in the implementation of their anti-trafficking commitments. We also try to remind them of their common commitments in the OSCE Action Plan and decisions taken in many ministerial councils. Our most important short time goal is concretely that every OSCE country establishes a self reporting function, which is open for analysis and political debate, to improve anti trafficking strategies and better allocation of resources.

-What is the form of OSCEâ€™s cooperation with Azerbaijan in combating trafficking?
-In the field of prevention, the OSCE office in Baku has financed a series of six television programs broadcasted in ITV last January. These programs talked about the risks and consequences and were followed by live talk-shows. We definitely need to talk about that trafficking exists. It is very easy just to close our eyes and pretend we live in a better world. But this can be about somebody you love, very close. The OSCE just finished a project in which 18 practicing women lawyers were trained on the peculiarities of victimâ€™s protection and civil claims or compensation proceedings. These lawyers participated at court hearings where they were able to apply their knowledge in practice. A further training seminar for 20-25 prosecutors, advocates and members of the judiciary is being planned soon. Another example the OSCE working is helping people in vulnerable situations with providing them with skills to improve their life conditions and future opportunities. An example is the support provided to recent two-month intensive English language and computer training course for children, predominantly girls, in two orphanages. We have a good cooperation with other international organisations and NGOs too. It is important to avoid duplication because there is a lot to do anyway. At the moment we work in a joint project on child protection with UNICEF, the Ministry of the Interior and the NGO Alliance for Childrenâ€™s Rights. We want to reduce the number of minors detained in police cells and prisons and establish a Child Rights Legal Clinic, which can work with childrenâ€™s rights cases. We are also working together with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to assist the implementation of a comprehensive anti-trafficking response in Azerbaijan. We launched it last year and it will run until the end of 2008. The goal is to assist the revision of the National Action Plan together with the NGOs.

- Is the organisation going to give any grants to Azerbaijan for combating trafficking?
-OSCE is not a donor organization. However, the OSCE Office in Baku continuously supports the anti-trafficking initiatives of the government and civil society. Sometimes donors ask us for advice in finding good projects and NGOs working against trafficking.

- How do you value the situation of human trafficking in Azerbaijan?
-The biggest challenge, as in many other countries, is the lack of identification of victims. Low threshold services for victims, adequate protection and a general awareness of the violence and force victims have encountered makes it easier and less stigmatized to be a â€˜victim of traffickingâ€™. Trafficking, sexual violence and even domestic violence against women are still many times taboo and not discussed. The victim can feel as a criminal herself and blames herself. It is important that everybody understands that the victim needs help and the criminals needs to be prosecuted.
- How do you value the level of fighting against trafficking in Azerbaijan?

-Official statistics provided by the Ministry of Interior indicates on improving results in this field. In 2006-2007 the government increased investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of traffickers. Moreover, opening of a shelter and a hot-line are other examples of improvements. However, there are a lot of remaining work, such as creating a self reporting function as the National Rapporteur, training of judiciary and a system of referral mechanisms to coordinate the identification of victims between authorities and NGOs.

- The international organisations in their reports say that Azerbaijan is a country for human trafficking transit. What must be done to solve this problem?

-Sometimes we forget that victims of human trafficking are victims and exploited also during the transit of their trafficking journey. We hear about persons, even children, who have been in transit for more than a year. Fighting trafficking means diminishing the vulnerability of persons and addressing the demand. It also means training for authorities, at borders or in law enforcement but also health workers to recognize indicators which might tell about a person being a victim of trafficking. Support to NGOs to have access to irregular migrants will help identification of victims among them. Low threshold help can also be decisive and information where to get this help from.