4th Regional Conference on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
Sarajevo, March 27th, 2008
Press Release
4th Regional Conference on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
„Legal and social status of domestic victims of trafficking“
Hotel Hollywood, IIidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina
March 24th -26th, 2008
4th Regional Conference on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
„Legal and social status of domestic victims of trafficking“
Hotel Hollywood, IIidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina
March 24th -26th, 2008
The goal of the fourth regional conference on combating trafficking was to review the existing legal framework and the efficiency of referral mechanisms for identification, assistance, protection and reintegration of domestic victims of trafficking from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia.
The conference gathered over one hundred participants from the region.
During the first day of the conference, participants were addressed by Mr. Samir Rizvo, State Coordinator for combating trafficking in human beings and illegal immigration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Gustavo D'Angelo, CARE International Chief of Mission for the North West Balkans region, as well as Dr. Gunther Zimmer, Director of Office for cooperation and technical assistance at the Austrian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The four panels included topics such as: legal and social position of domestic victims of trafficking, programs of recognition, assistance and protection; Domestic victim’s assistance experience; Reintegration and resocialization possibilities, NGO capacities and the role of government institutions of social welfare, financing of programs of reintegration and establishment of victim’s fund; Protection of human rights of the victims / possibilities of compensation for victims of trafficking.
Participants were also addressed by the representatives of National Coordinators offices for combating trafficking in human beings from Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the representatives of judicial system, different Ministries and non-government organizations involved in provision of direct support to the victims of trafficking.
Through thematic discussion in working groups, the participants provided the following suggestions and conclusions:
IMPROVEMENT OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK
1. There is a need for initiative to develop new and improve existing legislation concerning confiscation of the property of a person who committed the crime of trafficking;
2. There is a need to initiate transfer of the burden of investigation in the process of confiscation to the person who committed the crime of trafficking;
3. There is a need to initiate that the motion for compensation to the victim should automatically start after the criminal process has begun;
4. There is a pronounced need to create the fund for the victim compensation;
5. There is a pronounced need to secure free legal aid to the victims of trafficking, and also a need to enable organizations that are providing legal aid with stable financing from the state budget.;
6. There is a need to include non-government organizations in the discussion about development of work plans and the change of legislation dealing with combating trafficking in human beings;
7. Start the initiative for victims of trafficking to get the status of a social category in the legislation of social welfare, in order for them to have access to all benefits (social, medical, material and other forms of support);
8. There is a pronounced need for continuous education of staff involved in combating trafficking;
9. There is a need for regular exchange of information and cooperation between the government and non-government sectors, at national and regional level, as well as continuation of work in this field.
DEVELOPMENT OF ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, REINTEGRATION AND PREVENTION
1. Standardized support and continuous education of teams that are providing support to the victims of trafficking (multidisciplinary approach and teams);
2. The establishment of database that would improve the work of relevant institutions and non-government organizations (national and regional level);
3. To provide complete resocialization/reintegration to the victims in the society;
4. Exchange of experiences at the national and regional level for all participants in providing support to the victims of trafficking;
5. To work on prevention of all forms of violence in the community, and to continuously educate the public;
6. Raise public awareness about violence in the community, trafficking and prostitution;
7. Consistently enforce the laws and more rigorously punish persons who committed the act of trafficking as a form of preventive sanctioning;
8. Continuously work on improvement of cooperation, and formalization of cooperation through adequate legal acts;
9. Improve legal regulation of support for the domestic victims of trafficking;
10. The state should take greater responsibility for financing domestic victims of trafficking;
CARE International in cooperation with organizations LARA from Bijeljina, Žena BiH from Mostar, Savetovalište protiv nasilja u porodici – sklonište za žrtve trgovine ljudima from Belgrade, Centar za žene žrtve rata „Rosa“ from Zagreb, Crnogorski ženski lobi from Podgorica, as well as four national anti-trafficking networks in the region, from 2006 are implementing a regional program of anti-trafficking with aim of prevention and suppression of trafficking through formation of multidisciplinary teams in local communities and municipalities where this problems exists, capacity building of non-government organizations and networks that are active in this field and support of regional cooperation and exchange of experience at the regional level. This program is supported by the Austrian Development Agency, Oak Foundation and Norwegian Ministry of foreign affairs.
THE FIRST YOUTH PEACE REGIONAL CONFERENCE!
THE FIRST YOUTH PEACE REGIONAL CONFERENCE!
The first of three planned Regional Youth Peace Conferences of the project Mladi za Mir (Youth Peace Advocates in Eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina) took place in Srebrenica, on Wednesday, 17 February 2010, with over 80 participants from different organizations and institutions! The participants came from several Youth Councils placed in the Birac region (Srebrenica, Bratunac, Vlasenica and neighboring municipalities), Youth Council of Republika Srpska, as well as local and international organizations active in youth and peace work.
The Conference has visited and greeted by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Srebrenica, who hosted the Conference, Mr. Pandurevic, EU Delegation in BiH Task Manager, Ms. Sumka Bucan, CARE NWB Director and H.E. Gary D. Robbins, OSCE Ambassador in BiH.
The Conference was the opportunity for public presentation of the project Mladi za Mir and its implementing partners, local youth strategies, guest organizations, as well as the group of the youth peace advocates, the activists of the project Mladi za Mir, who caught the great attention of the participants as well as more than 15 media outlets who followed the event.
Presented results of the base line research, conducted within the project framework, pointing on the most important issues regarding the youth views in respect of human rights, cultural life and inclusion of the youth in the community, violence and its causes, as well as priority for building peace and potential youth have for that, provoked a lot of interest.
At the end of the Conference, the participants addressed reality of the youth peace work, challenges, as well as potential and possible way ahead, using potential youth and youth organizations have.
The first of three planned Regional Youth Peace Conferences of the project Mladi za Mir (Youth Peace Advocates in Eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina) took place in Srebrenica, on Wednesday, 17 February 2010, with over 80 participants from different organizations and institutions! The participants came from several Youth Councils placed in the Birac region (Srebrenica, Bratunac, Vlasenica and neighboring municipalities), Youth Council of Republika Srpska, as well as local and international organizations active in youth and peace work.
The Conference has visited and greeted by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Srebrenica, who hosted the Conference, Mr. Pandurevic, EU Delegation in BiH Task Manager, Ms. Sumka Bucan, CARE NWB Director and H.E. Gary D. Robbins, OSCE Ambassador in BiH.
The Conference was the opportunity for public presentation of the project Mladi za Mir and its implementing partners, local youth strategies, guest organizations, as well as the group of the youth peace advocates, the activists of the project Mladi za Mir, who caught the great attention of the participants as well as more than 15 media outlets who followed the event.
Presented results of the base line research, conducted within the project framework, pointing on the most important issues regarding the youth views in respect of human rights, cultural life and inclusion of the youth in the community, violence and its causes, as well as priority for building peace and potential youth have for that, provoked a lot of interest.
At the end of the Conference, the participants addressed reality of the youth peace work, challenges, as well as potential and possible way ahead, using potential youth and youth organizations have.
Report by: Cvijeta Novakovic, M.A.
Project Manager
Project Manager
YouthForPeace-BaseLine-Research
Youth for Peace- New Peacebuilding Training in Neum!
A new peacebuilding training that is part of educational program of the project Mladi za Mir (Youth for Peace, formally Youth Peace Advocates in Eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina) will begin on 25 August 2010 in Hotel Neum, Neum.
The three year project supported by the European Union and the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary, is in the second year of implementation.
The training on the topic Leadership in a Context of Youth Work and Civil Society Organizations will last five days. The group of 21 youth from different national/religious backgrounds coming from Srebrenica, Bratunac and Vlasenica will again gather and work together, preparing for their activities as youth leaders and activists, as well as for realization of the new project activities.
Mr. Felegyhazi, EU attaché in the Embassy of Hungary will visit the group and the training in Neum.
