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Trafficking in women and children is a serious and growing problem all around the world. Every year thousands of women and children are recruited, transported, sold or purchased across our national borders and within our countries for the specific purpose of sexual exploitation. These women and children have become victims of a transnational (global) industry, which is extremely profitable and well-organized. We, the Nordic and Baltic Ministers of Gender Equality in collaboration with the Ministers of Justice, reconfirm our commitment to counteract trafficking in women with the recognition that full gender equality and equal participation of women an d men in all fields of our societies cannot be brought about as long as some women and children in our countries are victims of trafficking. Through our joint activities, we have discussed different initiatives to prevent trafficking in women, and how to protect and support those women and children who are victims of this harmful and dangerous trade. We have taken steps to improve standard procedures and become more efficient in the prosecution of those groups and networks that traffic women and children for sexual purposes. Statement and recommendations We, the ministers of Justice, Gender Equality and Interior in the eight Nordic and Baltic countries, have gathered today in Stockholm to conclude the first phase of our trans-national collaboration against the trafficking in women in our region; the Nordic Baltic Campaign against Trafficking in Women, which took place in 2001-2002. We note with satisfaction that the links between our countries have been strengthened during this Campaign; on a government level as well as between authorities and non-governmental organizations. We are now ready for further action. Today we have committed ourselves to continue the work that we initiated two years ago. We have decided to put into place a number of concrete measures for the long-term practical cooperation between our countries in the struggle against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, in our region. We have agreed: that work against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, will be undertaken as a political priority in all our countries; that all measures against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, that we put in place are consistent with internationally recognized principles of non-discrimination (including non-discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation) and that they take into account the respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the victims; that all actions and initiatives to prevent the trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, have a gender sensitive perspective and do not inhibit immigration or freedom of travel and mobility consistent with laws or undercut the protection provided to refugees in international law;1 that we will continue to support the development and work of a network of those Nordic and Baltic non-governmental organizations that actively work against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, in our region; that we will develop and implement national action plans against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, no later than year 2005. We have agreed on the Prevention issue: that we will continue to support prevention projects directed towards groups of especially women and children that are particularly vulnerable to recruitment for trafficking in human beings in our region, including by extending the funding until the end of year 2003 for the information and awareness raising activities undertaken by the three Baltic national coordinators; that we will put into place and strengthen existing measures, including through sustainable development measures, to alleviate the circumstances that make women and children particularly vulnerable to trafficking in human beings, such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education, male sexual violence, as well as lack of equal rights and opportunities; that we will, in collaboration, develop and implement different measures that discourage the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, especially women and children, that leads to trafficking, following the directions in Article 9.5 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; We have agreed on the Victim Protection and Support issues: that the Nordic and Baltic countries which have not yet investigated the possibilities of providing victims of trafficking in human beings with temporary or permanent residence permits in the destination countries, in connection with victim assistance programs, carry out such investigations; that we will consider the possibilities of supporting the development and implementation of a multilateral cooperative pilot project between Nordic and Baltic non-governmental organizations designed to provide for the legal, social, economic, medical and psychological care, safety and protection in the countries of destination, as well as for the safe and planned re-integration of returning victims of trafficking in human beings in the countries of origin; We have agreed on the Prosecution, Legal Framework and Police Cooperation issues: that the Nordic and Baltic countries will, as a matter of priority, sign, ratify and nationally implement the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; that we will consider the possibilities of supporting the development and implementation of joint training and exchange programs for Nordic and Baltic law enforcement, immigration and other relevant officials with the aim to ensure effective investigation and prosecution of cases of trafficking in human beings for sexual, and other forms of exploitation, while respecting the fundamental rights of the victims. We are pleased that governments, governmental authorities and our non-governmental organizations in the Baltic and Nordic countries are joining forces to combat the trade in human beings, especially women and children. ______________________________ 1 According to the United Nations Secretary General’s 1998 Report on Trafficking in Women and Girls, A/53/409, para. 22. |
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