Ratification of the Europe Council Convention on action against human trafficking.
17 November 2008, Poland ratified Europe Council Convention on action against human trafficking. The Convention will come into force on 1 March 2009. Its importance is determined by formulating its rules firmly and thus to impose certain obligations on the country.
It puts great emphasis on protecting victims’ rights, especially women and children. In addition, it obligates countries to take specific actions to proper victims’ identification and the protection of their private life, as well as to provide them with necessary assistance. What is new is the clause of the police for victims who are forced by their captors to participate in unlawful. As a consequence, this may contribute to greater cooperation of human trafficking victims with law enforcement and thus increase the number of convictions.
18 October 2008 – European Day Against Human Trafficking.
Launch awareness campaign against human trafficking.
In cooperation with the Polish Council for Human Trafficking, Foundation Against Human Trafficking and Slavery La Strada and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) we started a social campaign against human trafficking.
The main objective of the campaign is prevention through awareness of the potential victims – mostly young women going abroad, that by applying a few simple precautionary principles – so called “pre-travel principles” – they can avoid great misfortune. Another goal of that campaign is to educate the whole society, that the crime of which the real size is difficult to quantify, may directly or indirectly affect each of us and play before our eyes. It is important that we did not stay blind.
We invite you to watch a short shocking movie „I am Elena” (starring Oscar winner Emma Thompson), which was available to us thanks to Helen Bamber’s Foundation with its headquarters in London.
There were formed so called “pre-travel principles”, for the purpose of the social campaign. They were the collection of 10 main advices for people going abroad, they may help to protect against unforeseen circumstances. These proposed tips have been created in cooperation with the Police and the professionals who deal with the problem of fight against human trafficking including La Strada Foundation. They are contained in the printed leaflet and distributed with poster in the campaign.
Meeting of the Foundation President Jolanta Kwaśniewska and representatives of UK Barka with Polish-language media in the UK.
Ms. Jolanta Kwaśniewska meeting with the Foundation Board Secretary Ms. Ewa Sadowska, foundation staff and Barka Network in Poland self-group leaders was held on 6 September 2008 in Barka UK headquarters in London. The main subject of the meeting was to discuss the problem of human trafficking and the Barka Foundation’s activities in the UK.
Barka operates mainly on the London streets and daily Centers. It provides help to the Poles, who find themselves in different circumstances. It also deals with the difficult process of building trust and links with Polish citizens in the UK.
After the meeting, press conference with Polish media in England was held. Journalists who were invited received leaflet produced with Barka UK. This is a guide about the Poles’ rights in Great Britain. Polish language booklet proved to be very useful not only for the organizations which assist the Poles but also for the Metropolitan Police.
Meeting of the Polish Council for Fighting Against Human Trafficking.
The second working meeting of the Polish Council on Fighting Against Human Trafficking was held on 25 June 2008. This meeting was to present the results of the last three months (first, inaugural meeting of the Council was held on 8 March 2008) to determine the details of action planned for the next few weeks and create long-term strategy in order to draw universal attention to the problem of human trafficking.
Ms. Jolanta Kwaśniewska meeting with Ukrainian pop star and former parliamentarian, Ms. Ruslana Łyżyczko.
Jolanta Kwaśniewska and Ruslana Łyżyczko are members of “The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking” – Women Leaders' Council, which was formed in February this year, during the Vienna Conference.
WLC consists of about 30 women leaders from around the world. There are such personalities as Suzanne Mubarak, Dr. Margarita Cedeňo de Fernández, Baroness Mary Teresa Goudie, Julia Ormond, and Emma Thompson. WLC’s task is to fight against human trafficking, mainly by increasing public awareness, coordination and cooperation development on an international scale, as well as activities aimed to reduce the stigmatization of human trafficking victims.
Ruslana, Ukrainian singer who won first place in the Eurovision Song Contest, recorded track "Not for sale" especially for the campaign against human trafficking.
Meeting on 3 June 2008, sought to establish the cooperation details and to plan common actions to draw attention to the problem of human trafficking.
A press conference devoted to issues of preventing and fighting against human trafficking.
The meeting, organized at the Foksal Press Center on 8 March 2008 was intended to draw attention to the universal problem of human trafficking, and enforcement from the Polish authorities the Convention ratification about actions against human trafficking, as soon as possible.
The Polish Council for Fighting Against Human Trafficking has been presented there. It comprises the leading representatives of science, culture, arts, business, NGOs and the Police, including Professor Barbara Barbara Skarga and Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Its main purpose is to fight against human trafficking, mainly through preventive measures, such as raising awareness of the whole society, especially potential victims, what may make them more cautious and therefore less prone to become human traffickers’ victims.
For the Council, Mrs. Jolanta Kwaśniewska appealed to the Polish authorities to take action in order to ratify Europe Council Convention according to actions against human trafficking, as soon as possible. Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski have received letters asking them to take the necessary actions.
The Convention, signed by Poland on 16 May 2005, still waits for ratification.
The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking.
On 13-15 February 2008 in Vienna was held an international conference on problems of human trafficking - The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking. Its principal organizers were: United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in cooperation with Vital Voices Global Initiative. The conference was attended by over 1200 people from over 115 countries, including United Nations representatives, experts, parliamentarians, lawyers, NGO members and rescued human trafficking victims. The opening was attended by First Lady of Egypt - Suzanne Mubarak, and Oscar winner, British actress Emma Thompson.
During the session, they created Womens Leaders' Council, composed of about 30 women leaders from around the world, including Suzanne Mubarak, Dr. Margarita Cede?o de Fernández, Baroness Mary Teresa Goudie, Julia Ormond, Emma Thompson, Melanne Verveer and Jolanta Kwaśniewska – President of the Foundation "Communication Without Barriers". WLC’s task is to fight against human trafficking, mainly by increasing public awareness, coordination and cooperation development on an international scale, as well as activities aimed to reduce the stigmatization of human trafficking victims.
According to ONZ estimates, as a result of human trafficking, in slave-like conditions, in various ventures, approximately 2.5 million people on the world operate. Most of the victims are people aged 18-24 years. Every year, human trafficking victims are 1.2 million children.
More information can be found on the UN.GIFT website:
www.ungift.org
