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Awareness-Raising of Judicial Authorities Concerning Trafficking in Human Beings. Country Report Belgium

Document number
1162
Date
2005
Title
Awareness-Raising of Judicial Authorities Concerning Trafficking in Human Beings. Country Report Belgium
Author/publisher
International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Training Material/Resources,
Keywords
Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands and Poland, Reflection period, Residency permit, Identification, Social assistance, Victim protection, Shelter, Repatriation, Empowerment, Redress, Advocacy, Civil society, NGO, Human Rights approach, Identification (of Victims) Protection, Victims of trafficking, Trafficked persons, Integration, Social Inclusion,
Summary
This handbook is the result of the project ‘Awareness raising of judicial authorities concerning trafficking in human beings’. It is intended as a guide for judiciaries and public prosecutors when involved in a case against traffickers in human beings. Participating countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands and Poland. The handbook is based on research conducted previously in the countries involved and the analysis of the European Legal Framework, as well as discussions, comparisons and analyses made during the meeting of the Steering Committee in June 2005 in The Hague. Contents of this handbook focus on the practice of conducting prosecution cases. Besides an overview of the legal framework in each of the countries involved, a major part is reserved for cases and discussions arising from the different topics. The volume I of the handbook is composed of two parts, the first giving background information, examples, discussions and recommendations. Extensive background information on the subjects discussed in volume I can be found in the country reports and the analysis of the European Legal Framework, in volume II of this handbook. This report on Belgium will first look at the current legal provisions for the fight against trafficking in human beings. At the moment of writing this report, new legislation is being drafted and discussed in the Belgian Parliament. The new legislation is needed for Belgium in order to comply with a number of instruments in international and European Law. This country report will be based on the legislation effectively in force but will discuss the new draft legislation in a separate paragraph. In a second part the prosecution of trafficking cases will be discussed. Here the focus will be on the elements needed to bring a case successfully to the court. In the third and final part of the report, the procedure as regards the victims of trafficking will be analysed. It is important here to underline that all three parts discuss aspects of the same integrated multi-disciplinary approach.
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