Six United Nations agencies have issued a commentary to support a recent European Union (EU) Directive adopted in 2011 to combat human trafficking and to focus on prevention and protection of trafficking victims.The Directive replaces Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA as the most recent indication of commitment from the European Union in this field.
The six agencies responsible for this report are the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
{cke_protected}{cke_protected} The commentary is meant to support the EU Directive by supplying its policy-makers and legislators with practical guidance for the application of a human rights-based approach to fight human trafficking. The commentary acknowledges that human trafficking is both a crime and a violation of human rights, and that it is the responsibility of the State to protect the rights of all trafficked persons regardless of their country of origin. Member States are encouraged to view trafficking as gender-based violence and sex discrimination, and to develop guidelines for the criminal justice system. Further, the directive asks Member States to provide for a Best Interests Determination procedure for analyzing long-term impacts of children that are victims of trafficking.
Compiled from: Women Citizens of Europe Network (18 January 2012).