UNIS/CP/411
13 May 2002

TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPEAN PEACE MISSION
AREAS DISCUSSED BY INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS AT MEETING IN TURIN

VIENNA, 13 May (UN Information Service) -- A two-day conference "Trafficking, Slavery and Peace- keeping: the Balkans Case" organized by the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in collaboration with the Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at the American University (TraCCC) has been held from 9-10 May 2002 at the UNICRI Headquarters in Turin, Italy.

The first day conference was organized into three panels: 1) Trafficking in women and slavery practices in peace mission areas; 2) Initiatives against women trafficking in the South East European peace mission areas; and 3) Specific training for International and local personnel in the South East European peace mission areas. Participants included representatives from the United Nations Department of Peace- keeping Operations (DPKO/Civilian Police Division), the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR/Tirana) the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR/Bosnia), International Labour Organization (ILO), World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization for Migration (IOM/Kosovo), Council European Union, Italian Army, UK Ministry of Defence (Defence Intelligence Staff), Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (US State Department), Office of Overseas Prosecutorial, Development and Training (US Department of Justice), Catholic University of America, "Lara" (Bosnian NGO), University of Essex, UK; University of Zagreb; Centre for Strategic and International Studies, USA; Academic Consortium for Global Education, USA.

An open-discussion brainstorming session followed on the second day focused on concrete and specific strategies and programme activities targeted at military, civil police and civilian peacekeeping personnel to be implemented at national and international levels. The discussion outlined a series of connected proposals on how to develop comprehensive responses, including: information and research, such as the creation of a on-line "information network" on trafficking and peacekeeping mission areas in South Eastern Europe (a roster of international and regional sources and contacts and a bibliographic data base resource); organization of awareness/consciousness conferences at local/regional levels; development of integrated training programmes for military, civil police, civilian peacekeeping personnel; local law enforcements, NGOs and academics; support of local activities enhancing and strengthening local authority and civil society’s capacity building.

A comprehensive module- project proposal, based on the recommendations by the experts meeting, including short and medium term follow-up activities will be prepared by UNICRI and TraCC. In the next few months a full report of the meeting will be prepared and made available on line, by UNICRI and TraCC.

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For further information please contact United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, Tel: (+39) 0116537111 or email: peacekeeping@unicri.it