An IOM-organized conference, the first international forum focusing on trafficking for labour exploitation in Germany, was held in Berlin yesterday.
The conference brought together leading international and national human trafficking experts and practitioners with the aim of outlining possible national and regional strategies on countering trafficking for labour exploitation in Germany.
Although labour trafficking is a criminal offence in Germany, comprehensive law enforcement strategies and responses to address human rights violations in the form of trafficking are still lacking.
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Conference information
A research study, commissioned by IOM and presented at the conference in Berlin, shows that many cases of trafficking for labour exploitation appear as voluntary, autonomous migration and unregistered employment.
"The coercive situation and multiple dependencies, which facilitate extreme labour exploitation in the first place, often remain concealed," stated Argentina Szabados, IOM Chief of Mission in Germany.
Dr. Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, noted that: "Trafficking for labour exploitation remains a top priority for the OSCE and this international gathering is one of very few having taken place in the OSCE region and as such it sets the scene."
The conference panels focused on the role of labour inspection, a more effective prosecution of traffickers and exchange of good practices to protect migrant workers against labour exploitation and human trafficking.
Experts agreed that an effective strategy to combat labour trafficking requires first and foremost establishing trust between the different actors to facilitate cooperation. Additionally, the need for general awareness-raising on the subject was stressed as well as the importance of readily accessible publications and other information sources for vulnerable migrants and for those who may come in contact with trafficked persons.
The IOM-led Berlin Alliance strives to contribute to an improved and thorough understanding of trafficking for labour exploitation as a violation of human rights and a discriminatory work practice. Alliance members include IOM, the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) of Berlin-Brandenburg, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Berlin State Ministry for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs. The event was part of the EU-funded IOM initiative, Berlin Alliance against Trafficking for Labour Exploitation and was hosted by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Conference information including the Berlin Alliance study presented, is available at: http://www.gegen-menschenhandel.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76.
For more information, please contact:
Philipp Schwertmann
IOM Berlin
Tel: +49 30 27877818
E-mail: pschwertmann@iom.int