specialprocedures@ohchr.org
States obligated to ensure social
inclusion of trafficking victims in the long-term, says UN rights expert
GENEVA (27 June 2019) – States
around the world have an obligation to ensure social inclusion of victims of
trafficking in the long-term, says a UN rights expert.
In a report to the UN Human Rights
Council, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in
persons, especially women and children, urges better social inclusion of
victims and survivors. “The notion of social inclusion best conveys the idea of
a process, of which recovery is the first step, the ultimate goal being the
full and permanent restoration of all rights that had been violated before and
during the trafficking cycle, including the right to education and job
opportunities,” the expert said.
“Thus, protection of trafficked
persons should not be limited to the delivery of immediate and short-term
assistance but it requires States to take robust and effective measures that
allow trafficked persons to live an independent life in the long run. For this
purpose, States have an obligation to ensure their access to effective
remedies, including compensation.”
The report also provides a series
of challenges, as well as promising practices on social inclusion of trafficked
persons, especially from civil society organisations, based on a transformative
approach, not reiterating traditional gender-roles, and offering survivors
sustainable options.
“Combatting stigma associated with
trafficking has been identified as one of the major challenges across all
continents. Victims of trafficking are often blamed, including by family
members, for association with prostitution, or failed labour migration or
unfulfilled expectations,” Giammarinaro said. Other challenges identified
include restrictive migration policies, poor social services, discriminatory
practices, gender-stereotypes, lack of regular residence status and lack of
compensation.
“I find extremely concerning that
many countries have not implemented the principle of non-punishment of
trafficked persons for their involvement in unlawful activities as a direct
consequence of being trafficked,” Giammarinaro said. In these cases, often
concerning children, criminal records must be cleared, as they cause lifelong
restricted access to basic services, even long after survivors have escaped
their traffickers.
“I encourage States, civil society
and international organisations to dedicate appropriate funding to the design
and implementation of innovative models of social inclusion, which should be
gender and child-sensitive, designed and based on survivors’ needs and
aspirations.”
ENDS
Ms. Maria Grazia Giammarinaro
(Italy) was appointed as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons,
especially women and children by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014, to
promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms, and to
encourage measures to uphold and protect the human rights of victims. Ms.
Giammarinaro has been a Judge since 1991. She served as a Pre-Trial Judge at
the Criminal Court of Rome, and currently serves as a Judge in the Civil Court
of Rome. She was the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating
Trafficking in Human Beings of the OSCE, and served in the European
Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security in Brussels,
where she was responsible for combating human trafficking and sexual
exploitation of children. She drafted the EU Directive on preventing and
combatting trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims.
The Working Groups are part of what
is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special
Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights
system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and
monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or
thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a
voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their
work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in
their individual capacity.
For more information and media
requests, please contact Alice Dieci (+ 41 229179395 / adieci@ohchr.org) or
srtrafficking@ohchr.org.
For media inquiries related to
other UN independent experts:
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