Joint oral statement at the European Parliament seminar on human trafficking, Brussels, June 2010

Oral Statement on behalf of UNHCR, UNICEF, OHCHR, UNIFEM, UNODC, and ILO, delivered at the seminar on “Combating and preventing trafficking in human beings: The way forward”

Statement | European Parliament, Brussels | 29 June 2010
This statement is on behalf of the UNHCR, UNICEF, OHCHR, UNIFEM, UNODC, and ILO who have worked together to reach a common position on the European Commission proposal for a Directive on trafficking in human beings.
As UN agencies, we value the efforts and the interest of EU Member States in combating trafficking in persons, a crime which results in serious violations of the human rights of its victims. In this context, we welcome the proposal for a Directive on preventing and combating trafficking, and in particular the objective of protecting, assisting and supporting victims. This Directive would represent an important development which would help ensure that the rights of victims of trafficking are effectively addressed in binding European Union rules.