LISBON (ILO News) - Human trafficking for forced labour has become an insidious global problem posing complex challenges especially in Europe. Several European countries are now openly collaborating to build national and regional capacities to combat these modern slave-like practices.
The ILO and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) will hold a conference with over 100 participants from 15 European countries in Lisbon on 29-30 June at Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB). The conference will develop regional responses to forced labour exploitation and the trafficking of migrant workers. The ILO is providing current research, country studies on coercive exploitation as well as training materials for law enforcement to the participants for action.
A recent estimate by the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated that of the 2.4 million trafficking victims worldwide about 43 per cent are exploited in the sex industry. Annual profits generated from the illegal movement of people, and their subsequent exploitation, are as high as US$ 32 billion: half of which are generated in industrialized countries.
The ILO has recently concluded an intensive project on the forms of coercive exploitation covering Germany, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The activities and findings of this project will also be presented at the Conference to illustrate good practices and experiences in Europe in combating forced labour outcomes of human trafficking.
In Portugal, the Ministry for Labour and Social Solidarity has coordinated action against trafficking for forced labour under this project. The Ministry has received strong support from other government ministries, law enforcement agencies, as well as worker and employer organizations and other members of civil society.
Modern forced labour, largely overlooked by public opinion, has many faces: young women forced into prostitution; domestic workers confined to private homes; construction workers who receive little if any pay for their work; or seasonal agricultural workers coerced into extremely hazardous and exploitative work.
Most of these workers have irregular status in the destination country and are generally unaware of their rights.
The ILO and its partners have promoted cooperation between lawmakers and law enforcement agencies, labour authorities and legitimate recruiters, in order to have more effective sanctions against unscrupulous recruiters or employers.
Among the participants for the conference are: H.E. Mr. José Vieira da Silva, Minister of Labour for Portugal; Helga Konrad, former OSCE Special Representative on Trafficking in Human Beings; Friedrich Buttler, Director of the ILO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; Roger Plant, Head of the ILO's Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour as well as representatives of employers' and workers' organizations.
For further information please contact: Ana Santos, ILO Lisbon Email: santosa@ilo.org Tel: +351 21 317 3447
Albertina Jordao, ILO Lisbon Email: jordaoa@ilo.org Tel: +351 21 317 3440 Mobile: +351 966 194 742
Laetitia Dard, ILO Media, Geneva Email: g6dcomm@ilo.org Tel: +41 22 799 8272
Kevin Cassidy, Communications Manager for the ILO Declaration Email: cassidy@ilo.org Tel: +41 22 799 7589