Balkans Declaration on the Suppression of Trafficking and the Exploitation of Human Beings
- Document number
- 3014
- Date
- 2013
- Title
- Balkans Declaration on the Suppression of Trafficking and the Exploitation of Human Beings
- Author/publisher
- Balkans ACT Now
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Media/News, Meeting Documentation/Conference Reports,
- Keywords
- human trafficking, human rights, exploitation, Balkans, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Summary
-
On 19 September in Zagreb, Croatia, La Strada Macedonia (Open Gate) signed together with three other organisations, the Balkan Declaration on the suppression of trafficking and exploitation in the region, as part of the project “Balkans ACT (Against the Crime of Trafficking) Now!”.
The aim of the Declaration is to encourage further development of national, regional and international cooperation, promotion of concrete measures and standards, best practices and mechanisms to combat human trafficking. The document also refers to the prevention of human trafficking, protection and assistance to victims and cooperation with state institutions. Special emphasis is placed on highlighting the international obligations of States in preventing and combating this crime.
The Declaration was signed by the current four partners in the project - ASTRA (Serbia), Open Gate/La Strada (FYR Macedonia), Partnership for Social Development (Croatia) and MFS Emmaus (Bosnia and Herzegovina). In the coming months the partners will seek the involvement of other representatives of civil society organisations in the region to sign the declaration and it is expected that many other European organisations will support the document.
The four partners have agreed that there are many shortcomings in the fight against human trafficking and organised crime and that all relevant actors, both from civil society and government bodies, should further improve cooperation. Therefore, the regional partnership on the project Balkans ACT Now! is of great importance as it aims specifically at addressing the judicial sector, in particular legal proceedings in cases of human trafficking, targeting ineffective investigation and prosecution of perpetrators and ineffective protection of victims in accordance with the fundamental rights and EU standards.