HRC56 Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children EU Statement

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HRC56 - Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children - EU Statement

27.06.2024 Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in Geneva

United Nations Human Rights Council

56^th session

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children

27 June 2024

EU statement

Mister/Madam (Vice) President,

The European Union welcomes the Special Rapporteur and thanks her for examining the perilous interaction of human trafficking and irregular migration at sea.

Criminal networks risk the lives of those embarking voluntarily on unsafe journeys to new shores, they also prey on and abuse already vulnerable people for human trafficking.

The EU's Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings addresses such crimes with a set of initiatives, especially focusing on reducing the demand, effectively combatting criminal networks, and identifying, protecting, supporting and empowering victims and survivors of human trafficking.

Only last month, a new framework was adopted that seeks to further strengthen the Member State's support to victims of trafficking, establishing formal referral mechanisms for early identification and assistance of victims.

Additionally, the EU just launched a call for proposals for a total of 6 million EUR for initiatives aimed at prevention and early identification of victims, raising awareness about trafficking in human beings, and providing help and support to those affected.

However, the only way to truly combat human trafficking is to work closely together. Not only to disrupt criminal networks, but also in order to protect those at risk

Madam Special Rapporteur,

How can the international community better cooperate to combat human trafficking and fight these criminal networks?

Thank you.