Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, Athens, 5-6 December 2006

The fifth information and awareness raising seminar in the framework of the Campaign is organised in Athens on 5-6 December 2006 by the Equality Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe in co-operation with General Secretariat for Gender Equality of the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation of Greece.

It will bring together Council of Europe keynote speakers and national officials with expertise in human rights and with expertise in criminal and prosecution matters, as well as representatives of relevant national NGOs, from a number of Council of Europe member states yet to be determined.

Seminar on the Promotion of the signature and ratification by the Russian Federation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Moscow, 15-16 November 2006

This seminar is a follow-up to the seminar held in Moscow in December 2004, on “Action against trafficking in human beings in the Russian Federation: towards an action plan”. Proceedings have been published in English and Russian.

It aims to raise awareness and inform the Federal authorities on the main provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, in view of its signature and further ratification by the Russian Federation. It will therefore bring together representatives of the relevant ministries of the Federal Government and of the relevant Commissions of the State Duma.

Draft Programme of the seminar

Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, Oslo, 1-2 November 2006

The fourth information and awareness raising seminar in the framework of the Campaign is organised in Oslo on 1-2 November 2006 by the Equality Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police.

It will bring together Council of Europe keynote speakers and national officials with expertise in human rights and with expertise in criminal and prosecution matters, as well as representatives of relevant national NGOs, from Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom.

More on the Oslo Seminar

Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, Rome, 19-20 October 2006

The third information and awareness raising seminar in the framework of the Campaign is organised in Rome on 19-20 October 2006 by the Equality Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Department of Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Italy.

It will bring together Council of Europe keynote speakers and national officials with expertise in human rights and with expertise in criminal and prosecution matters, as well as representatives of relevant national NGOs, from Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.

The seminar will be opened by Ms Barbara Pollastrini, Italian Minister for Rights and Equal Opportunities, Mr Giuliano Amato, Italian Minister of the Interior, Mr Paolo Ferrero, Italian Minister of Social Solidarity [to be confirmed], Mr Clemente Mastella, Italian Minister of Justice, [to be confirmed] and Mr Jan Kleijssen, Director, Directorate General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

More on the Rome Seminar

Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, Riga, 21-22 September 2006

A regional information and awareness raising seminar was organised in Riga on 21 and 22 September 2006 by the Equality Division of the Directorate General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of the Interior.

It brought together nearly 60 national officials with expertise in human rights and with expertise in criminal and prosecution matters, as well as representatives of NGOs, from Austria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine and representatives of the Council of Europe, OSCE, CBSS and IOM.

The seminar substantiated the Council of Europe Convention as an efficient instrument for combating trafficking in human beings by means of its multi-disciplinary approach incorporating measures for preventing trafficking, protecting the human rights of victims and prosecuting traffickers. It constituted a valuable opportunity for participants to exchange and share their experiences of national legislative measures and policies to combating trafficking in human beings.

More on the Riga Seminar

Seminar on non-legislative measures for preventing trafficking in human beings and strengthening the protection of victims in Montenegro, Igola, 26-28 April 2006

This seminar was a follow-up to the 2003 Report of the Council of Europe and OSCE Independent Experts on the “Case of the Moldovian woman”. It was organised in co-operation with the National Co-ordinator for the Fight Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

It brought together approximately 30 national and local officials, representatives of the various relevant Ministries and local entities, as well as NGOs. The presentations, discussions and adopted conclusions highlighted progress made and steps still to be undertaken, both regarding prevention of trafficking in human beings and the protection of victims. The proceedings will be published in English and Montenegrin.

Programme of the seminar

Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution, Bucharest, 4-5 April 2006

The first regional information and awareness rising seminar in the context of the Campaign was organised in Bucharest on 4-5 April 2006 in the framework of the Romanian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

In addition to the Romanian authorities, the following countries participated in the seminar: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Netherlands, Serbia and Montenegro, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Turkey and Ukraine.

Proceedings of the Bucharest Seminar

Regional Seminar on Guidelines for a co-ordinated action against trafficking in human beings in South Caucasus, Tbilisi, 22-23 February 2006

This seminar was a follow-up to the regional seminar held in Tbilisi, in November 2002, on “Co-ordinated action against trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation: towards a regional action plan” (proceedings published).

The 2006 seminar aimed to have an overview of the progress made since 2002, and to make some steps towards a co-ordinated action against trafficking in human beings in South Caucasus. In addition to the three South Caucasian countries, Turkey was invited to send a delegation to participate in this seminar. The proceedings are in preparation.

Programme of the seminar