| Anti-Slavery International's Trafficking Programme | | | | organisations and individuals to contact their |
| comprises three elements: campaigning to end human | | | | respective government representatives and Members |
| trafficking, lobbying for victim protection, and | | | | of the European Parliament (MEPs) to make them |
| research on measures governments take to protect | | | | aware of any concerns you have regarding the |
| victims of trafficking, especially those who act as | | | | Directive. |
| witnesses. | | | | Protecting trafficking victims' human rights must be |
| Lobbying -- Trafficking laws need a human rights | | | | central to any anti-trafficking strategy. Victim |
| focus Anti-Slavery International lobbies at local, | | | | protection was excluded from the recent EU |
| European and international levels for better human | | | | Framework Decision on trafficking and must be |
| rights protection for victims of trafficking. Among our | | | | included in this Directive if it is going to be effective |
| activities at the European level, Anti-Slavery | | | | in combatting trafficking. |
| International has prepared recommendations on the | | | | Research Over two years, Anti-Slavery International |
| proposed European Union Directive on short-term | | | | conducted research on how governments treat |
| residence permits for victims of trafficking, urging the | | | | people who have been trafficked. The resulting |
| inclusion of adequate measures to protect victims of | | | | report, Human Traffic, Human Rights: Redefining |
| trafficking. | | | | victim protection was published in October 2002. |
| Internationally, Anti-Slavery International continues to | | | | The report examines measures taken to protect |
| press relevant agencies of the United Nations, such | | | | victims of trafficking in 10 countries: Belgium, |
| as the Commission on Human Rights and the Working | | | | Colombia, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Thailand, |
| Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, to make | | | | the United Kingdom, Ukraine and the United States. It |
| the issue of trafficking a priority and ensure that the | | | | includes case studies of people who have been |
| rights of the person trafficked are central to any | | | | trafficked, documents good and bad treatment by |
| anti-trafficking measure. | | | | the authorities and makes recommendations on such |
| European Union (EU) member States are currently | | | | areas as investigation and prosecution, residency |
| discussing a new EU law (Directive) (available as a ) | | | | status, protection from reprisals, in-court evidentiary |
| on short-term residency permits for victims of | | | | protection, support and assistance, and legal redress |
| trafficking or smuggling. Although the Directive | | | | and compensation. |
| proposes a reflection period and short-term permits | | | | In November 2001, Anti-Slavery International launched |
| for victims of trafficking, it specifically states that "it | | | | its campaign against human trafficking. We aim to |
| is not concerned with protection of either witnesses | | | | draw attention to this global problem and call for |
| or victims". The Directive contatins a number of | | | | national and international policy changes that will |
| worrying proposals that do not put the interests of | | | | penalise traffickers, protect trafficked people's rights |
| the person who was trafficked first. | | | | and address the root causes. |
| The Directive is currently being considered by the | | | | Please visit our campaigns page to find out more |
| Council and Parliament, and this may be the last | | | | Anti-Slavery International is also working to promote |
| opportunity to ensure the EU establishes good | | | | legislative and judicial policy changes which will help |
| standards for the protection and support of victims | | | | both to prosecute traffickers and protect the rights |
| of trafficking. Anti-Slavery International and End Child | | | | of the person trafficked (project summary). It is |
| Prostitution Pornography and Trafficking (ECPAT) UK | | | | crucial that those who are trafficked are treated as |
| are urging the law include measures that will protect | | | | the victims of a human rights violation and not as |
| and support victims of trafficking (available as a ). | | | | illegal migrants. |
| Anti-Slavery International encourages all interested | | | | |