La Strada Documentation Center

Trafficking in Human Beings in Belgium 2007-2008

Document number
2020
Date
2009
Title
Trafficking in Human Beings in Belgium 2007-2008
Author/publisher
Stijn Smet, Human Rights Without Frontiers International (HRWF)
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Guidelines/Recommendations, Research/Study/Analysis,
Summary
The law of 10 August 2005 combating human trafficking introduced for the first time a comprehensive definition of the term ‘human trafficking' in Belgian law. This report presents and analyses the relevant provisions (incl. vis a vis international law) and provides data and developments on trafficking in Belgium in the folling sectors: prostitution, textile, construction,p hone shops, agriculture, restaurants, and in the private sphere. In the latter category the report highlights the case of the Saudi Royal Family. The recommendations include:
  • ratify, as a matter of priority, the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings;
  • introduce an objective victim status that provides for protection and the issuing of residence permits to victims of human trafficking and of aggravated forms of human smuggling, regardless of their cooperation with the judicial authorities leading to a conviction;
  • introduce, as a matter of priority, a uniform and comprehensive system for the collection and registration of data on trafficking and smuggling of human beings;
  • provide the responsible authorities with sufficient resources to support the fight against human trafficking and human smuggling, and grant them access to whichever information necessary to allow them to successfully complete their duties;
  • ensure the timely payment of all staff on the government payroll active in the fight against human trafficking, in order to decrease chances of corruption;
  • strengthen the legal arsenal available to magistrates to combat human trafficking by providing the judicial authorities with the necessary means to conduct extensive financial investigations, prosecute and punish the ultimate financial beneficiaries of human trafficking for purposes of economic exploitation;
  • broaden the definition of unaccompanied minor victims of human trafficking to all minors who do not possess the Belgian nationality in order to put a halt to the discrimination of unaccompanied minor victims originating from the European Economic Area;
  • ensure that unaccompanied minor victims of human trafficking are treated in the first place as children who have become the victims of a crime and not as ‘instruments' in the prosecution of the perpetrators.
Related documents