On the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) joins the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Human Beings (ICAT) in calling for concerted measures to reduce the vulnerability of children to trafficking, provide specialised assistance to child victims, and end the impunity of traffickers.
Referring to the “Call for accelerated action by 2025 to prevent and end child trafficking”, ICAT’s statement stresses that children account for one third of the known trafficking victims globally suggesting that existing initiatives to address and eradicate child trafficking are insufficient to drive progress. It is crucial to integrate the prevention of child trafficking and the protection and care of victims, into frameworks, for child welfare. Moreover in situations of conflict and crisis these actions should be incorporated into coordination structures and interventions for unaccompanied and separated minors.
“A child-sensitive approach is reflected throughout the Council of Europe’s Anti-Trafficking Convention, which requires States Parties to take specific measures to protect children and reduce their vulnerability to trafficking, in particular by creating a protective environment for them,” said Helga Gayer, President of GRETA. “Children who are victims of trafficking are frequently treated as offenders and punished for crimes they were forced to commit, such as theft or drug-related offences. States must live up to their legal obligations relating to the rights of victims of trafficking. This includes improving the proactive identification of child victims of trafficking, including in the online environment, and strengthening multi-disciplinary co-operation to ensure the respect of the best interests of the child at all stages,” stressed GRETA’s President.
GRETA’s monitoring of the Convention has paid particular attention to the development of prevention measures targeting children in the most vulnerable situations, such as children whose births have not been registered, children in street situations, children placed in or leaving institutions, children from disadvantaged communities, unaccompanied and separated children and asylum-seeking children. GRETA has stressed the urgent need for increasing the measures to prevent online recruitment of children, including by co-operating with Internet service providers and raising the awareness of children, parents and education professionals of the risk of recruitment of children through the Internet.
GRETA calls upon State Parties to the Convention to live up to their legal obligations relating to the rights and treatment of child victims of trafficking, which includes their proactive identification and referral to specialised assistance, the prompt appointment of legal guardians to unaccompanied children, and full respect of the non-punishment provision.
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