Foundation for the Future

Address delivered by Minister Laila Dåvøy, Ministry for Children and Family Affairs
Third Joint Seminar of the Nordic Baltic Campaign against Trafficking in Wome
Riga, 27-28.11.2002

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers, I would like to thank the Latvian government to host the closing seminar of our joint Campaign organist traficking in women and children.

Within a very short period of six month å tremendous work has been done to follow up the intention for this campaign. This work makes an important foundation concerned to ACTION FOR THE FUTURE.

Trafficking, as well as prostitution and pornography, have their roots in the imbalance of power between women and men in society. Prostitution and pornography are the main factors promoting the flourishing of the international sex-industry. The long-term aim in combating sexualised violence against women is to create an equal opportunities policy both for women and men in all countries and societies. Economic problems are strongly behind the recruitment of women into prostitution abroad. These problems as we have heard these two days, are connected with safety, human rights and international co-operation between the country of origin, of transition and of destination. We know today that an increasing number of women and children are trafficked to Northern Europe. Currently one of the main ways of involving women in the prostitution business abroad is by means of deception or promises. Girls are offered employment in foreign countries for ex. as au pairs, nurses, or to do agricultural work.

The campaigns in the Nordic and Baltic countries have primarily been prevention campaigns. All countries have chosen different target groups and different ways to do the campaigns. The joint aim in all countries has been to rise the awareness of people and start a public debate in the societies involved in this joint Nordic-Baltic campaign. The target groups have been teachers, youth workers, vocational advisers, social workers, local governors, police, border guards, researchers, women, men, girls and boys, almost all groups in our societies today.

There is a strong need to develop international co-operation in the field of trafficking in women and children to get prostitution and pornography questions into public debates. This co-operation should always include women's organisations and other NGOs.

In the Baltic countries the target group of the campaign has been young persons and it is important to bring the message to young women and girls on their own premises. Young people wish to travel, to see new places, they wish to go abroad for adventure or to earn money and get experience. Important target groups of the campaign are teachers, youth workers and job counsellors. The Baltic co-ordinators have given them information on trafficking in human beings and knowledge of how to check out that the work or study opportunity offered abroad is a serious and safe offer.

Television programmes have also been produced in all Baltic countries. These programs tell about the process of recruitment, show how nice ladies, charming men and good friends can be selfish recruiters who just want to earn easy money. Trafficked women tell how they became victims and what they have experienced when they were forced into prostitution. These are similar to the story of Lilja. The television programmes and the articles in newspapers have initiated the public debate and increased the awareness of trafficking in women and children.

In the Baltic countries Nordic Council of Ministers has co-operated with IOM. These two international organisations have exchanged experiences and co-operated in a fruitful way to inform about and combat trafficking in women. I wish to use this possibility to thank IOM for good co-operation.

In the Nordic countries much of the campaign has been focused on the buyers and the demand. The aim of seminars arranged in our Nordic countries have been to inform of trafficking in women and prostitution, sex tourism to our neighbouring countries, and the demand of sexual services of young women and girls.

In Norway the focus and discussion has been very much on the ethical guidelines for government employees to prevent the procurement and acceptance of sexual services.

The guideline the Norwegian government has accepted is a result of the good co-operation between the NGOs, especially the women's organisations and the authorities. The NGOs also play an important role in the struggle to combat trafficking in women and children. In the Nordic countries the NGOs work voluntarily at crisis centres and in organisations. This work often fills a gap before politicians and authorities have worked out new laws. New laws can influence the public opinion and change basic values. NGOs play an important role in demanding new routines and new laws to be taken in our societies.

Ladies and gentlemen

Now we have come to the point when it is time to look at the actions for the future. Nordic Council of Ministers have during this year risen the burning issue of trafficking in women and children in this Baltic Sea region.

As for the children it is important that all analyses, considerations and measures against trafficking should include children's interests as one of the basic elements. General measures should include and heed the situation of children and their age- and maturity- related vulnerability. In individual cases, their need for specific protection, care and assistance must be given appropriate consideration. When minors are returned from the receiving countries to their homecountry, pre-established co-operation routines between the welfare service of both countries are needed. Such needs do of course also apply to women.

The fight against trafficking is given a high political priority both nationally and internationally. The problem has been discussed in different forums. During the discussions participants have demanded the politicians and decision-makers to include these questions into the public international political debate. There is a need to agree on new policy rules to fight trafficking in human beings.

The modern slave traders are businessmen and are an integrated part of international organised crime. Money is transferred from one country to another and the risks for the persons involved in this business are the least.

The ambition for the future is that we hopefully can agree upon common strategies of co-operation. New actions must be taken in the years to come. It is important to involve all sectors that deal with trafficking in human beings. This is a challenging task since the police, the border control, the justice and gender equality issues are administrated at different ministries in our countries.

In the future we must also invite our colleagues from the Ministries of Interior as well as Ministries of Foreign Affairs to join us in the fight against trafficking in women. The next step Nordic Council of Ministers will take in the work against trafficking in women and children is to organise a Nordic Russian co-operation project combating trafficking in Northwest Russia next year. All the experience and best practises that have been collected during this Nordic Baltic campaign will be used when planning the activities for next year.

An action for the future is also to initiate an information campaign for men by men taking a stand against buying sexual services and trafficking in women and children. It is important to encourage men to rise their voice to combat trafficking in women. An important target group is also the "charming" men and "nice" ladies recruiting young women to go abroad for good jobs.

The aim of our campaign was to increase knowledge and awareness among the public, government officials and NGO's, and to initiate debate about the issue. The campaign has been arranged in eight countries at the same time and has initiated a debate that we have been able to read of in the newspapers in all countries. This ongoing Nordic Baltic campaign gave us the great opportunity to establish a common Nordic Baltic platform, which is a good base for our joint work in the future. During this campaign much new information has been spread via information sheets, articles, in seminars, and via media. During the process new networks and new dialogs have started.

The Nordic Baltic campaign has given us are inspiration, energy and new ideas how to continue the work in our home countries.

At last, it`s more and more clear for me that:

Gender equaligy is the keyword - and we must share experiences and skills how to work both strategic and prakctical to mainstream gender equality in all policy making.

In the end of this year, we will hand over the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers from Norway to Sweden, as Finlnad did last year to us. And I am confident that Sweden will follow up this important work in the most exellent way.

Thank you.