Showing posts with label Yuri Fedotov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yuri Fedotov. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
U.N. Report Shows an Increase in Child Trafficking - NYTimes.com
One in three human trafficking victims is a child, most victims are female, and traffickers operate with wide impunity, the United Nations said Monday in a report on modern-day slavery.
The 2014 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, produced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, also found that the proportion of children among victims appeared to be rising. Its first report, in 2012, said the proportion had been closer to one in four.Read more
U.N. Report Shows an Increase in Child Trafficking - NYTimes.com:
Monday, April 8, 2013
UN Tourism and Crime bodies to call on tourists to play a role in reducing illicit trafficking
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/2013/April/un-tourism-and-crime-bodies-to-call-on-tourists-to-play-a-role-in-reducing-illicit-trafficking.html
Source: UNODC
Madrid, 5 April 2013 - In the presence of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today agreed to launch a new public awareness campaign calling on tourists to help reduce demand for illicit goods and services linked to transnational organized crime.
Preparations for the campaign were set in motion during the Spring Meeting of the Chief Executive Board of the United Nations in Madrid. A Cooperation Agreement was signed between UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov in the presence of United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
The joint campaign, to be launched later this year, aims to raise awareness among international tourists about the types of illicit goods and services to which they are often exposed during their travels and which directly or indirectly fund organized crime groups. Travellers can play a key role in reducing demand for these products through ethical consumer choices. The campaign will encourage tourists to make informed decisions and help reduce demand for trafficking in persons, cultural artefacts, wildlife, fauna and flora such as ivory products, as well as counterfeit goods, and illicit drugs.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended this innovative joint initiative between the two partner UN Agencies: "The illegal trade in goods and services often funds unscrupulous people involved in human trafficking, the illicit ivory trade and other areas that cause immense suffering and destruction. Well-informed tourists can make a real difference in turning the tide against these criminal acts."
Organized criminal networks generate money wherever there is demand and travellers are often exposed to objects which are illicitly sold. With more than 1 billion tourists now crossing international borders each year, there is a growing opportunity to call on tourists to act and reduce demand for these illicit products which in many cases are providing a funding source for organized crime. The campaign drives the message that while some products may seem harmless, the demand created and their sale can, in fact, have devastating effects on the lives of innocent people, on wildlife or on cultural property. The billions of dollars generated through such trade also fund criminal groups who use this money to branch out into other illicit and unethical lines of business.
"Although the infrastructure of tourism - from accommodation establishments to transportation networks - can be misused by traffickers to victimize the vulnerable, tourism has the potential and is firmly committed to reclaim this same infrastructure and use it in the fight against trafficking" said UNWTO's Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. "Through coordinated efforts, we can ensure that awareness travels - that tourism authorities, travel companies and tourists join us on this fight" he added.
According to the Executive Director of UNODC, Yury Fedotov: "This new awareness-raising campaign will help build awareness about organized crime and the devastating effect it has on people and communities worldwide. Tourists are often exposed to the traffickers of human beings and unethical products. By making informed choices, tourists can help sever the financial arteries that fuel these forms of illicit trade".
The campaign will seek to engage the tourism industry including hotel chains, travel agencies and airlines to lend support in raising awareness among tourists and help contribute to limiting these illicit markets.
The initiative supplements UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The Code calls upon tourists to behave in a responsible and respectful manner towards the visited destination, urging them not to commit any criminal acts and to refrain from all trafficking in illicit drugs, arms, antiques, protected species, products and substances that are dangerous or prohibited by national regulations.
Relevant links:
UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
UNODC campaign against transnational organized crime
Source: UNODC
Madrid, 5 April 2013 - In the presence of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today agreed to launch a new public awareness campaign calling on tourists to help reduce demand for illicit goods and services linked to transnational organized crime.
Preparations for the campaign were set in motion during the Spring Meeting of the Chief Executive Board of the United Nations in Madrid. A Cooperation Agreement was signed between UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov in the presence of United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
The joint campaign, to be launched later this year, aims to raise awareness among international tourists about the types of illicit goods and services to which they are often exposed during their travels and which directly or indirectly fund organized crime groups. Travellers can play a key role in reducing demand for these products through ethical consumer choices. The campaign will encourage tourists to make informed decisions and help reduce demand for trafficking in persons, cultural artefacts, wildlife, fauna and flora such as ivory products, as well as counterfeit goods, and illicit drugs.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended this innovative joint initiative between the two partner UN Agencies: "The illegal trade in goods and services often funds unscrupulous people involved in human trafficking, the illicit ivory trade and other areas that cause immense suffering and destruction. Well-informed tourists can make a real difference in turning the tide against these criminal acts."
Organized criminal networks generate money wherever there is demand and travellers are often exposed to objects which are illicitly sold. With more than 1 billion tourists now crossing international borders each year, there is a growing opportunity to call on tourists to act and reduce demand for these illicit products which in many cases are providing a funding source for organized crime. The campaign drives the message that while some products may seem harmless, the demand created and their sale can, in fact, have devastating effects on the lives of innocent people, on wildlife or on cultural property. The billions of dollars generated through such trade also fund criminal groups who use this money to branch out into other illicit and unethical lines of business.
"Although the infrastructure of tourism - from accommodation establishments to transportation networks - can be misused by traffickers to victimize the vulnerable, tourism has the potential and is firmly committed to reclaim this same infrastructure and use it in the fight against trafficking" said UNWTO's Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. "Through coordinated efforts, we can ensure that awareness travels - that tourism authorities, travel companies and tourists join us on this fight" he added.
According to the Executive Director of UNODC, Yury Fedotov: "This new awareness-raising campaign will help build awareness about organized crime and the devastating effect it has on people and communities worldwide. Tourists are often exposed to the traffickers of human beings and unethical products. By making informed choices, tourists can help sever the financial arteries that fuel these forms of illicit trade".
The campaign will seek to engage the tourism industry including hotel chains, travel agencies and airlines to lend support in raising awareness among tourists and help contribute to limiting these illicit markets.
The initiative supplements UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The Code calls upon tourists to behave in a responsible and respectful manner towards the visited destination, urging them not to commit any criminal acts and to refrain from all trafficking in illicit drugs, arms, antiques, protected species, products and substances that are dangerous or prohibited by national regulations.
Relevant links:
UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
UNODC campaign against transnational organized crime
Friday, February 15, 2013
Honouring Corporate Creativity and Courage in the Fight against Human Trafficking
http://www.ungift.org/knowledgehub/en/stories/January2013/honouring-corporate-creativity-and-courage-in-the-fight-against-human-trafficking.html
Source: UN.Gift
( UNODC) - During the closing ceremony of the World Economic Forum last week in Davos, Switzerland, Tristan Forster - CEO of the ethical recruitment and management company FSI Worldwide - was awarded the Business Leaders Award to Fight Human Trafficking. The Award merits private sector individuals who show leadership in finding creative and sustainable solutions to combat modern slavery across the globe.
Mr Tristan Forster accepts the 2013 Business Leaders Award to Fight Human Trafficking
Source: UN.Gift
( UNODC) - During the closing ceremony of the World Economic Forum last week in Davos, Switzerland, Tristan Forster - CEO of the ethical recruitment and management company FSI Worldwide - was awarded the Business Leaders Award to Fight Human Trafficking. The Award merits private sector individuals who show leadership in finding creative and sustainable solutions to combat modern slavery across the globe.
Human trafficking affects virtually every country in the world. According to the latest UNODC Global Report on Human Trafficking, victims from 136 different nationalities have been found in 118 destination countries, and there are at least 460 distinct trafficking flows crossing all continents and every region. Human trafficking is also big business for organized crime groups, with estimates running in the billions of dollars annually.
Despite these economic realities, the dominant approach to combating human trafficking has been to rely almost exclusively on Governments and civil society organizations, and little has been asked of the private sector. "For all our efforts, for all our hard work, we must also acknowledge that we cannot confront human trafficking alone" said UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov at the Award ceremony. Human trafficking demands a joint response from all sectors of society, including the private sector.
The Award Jury unanimously selected Tristan Forster for establishing and leading a recruitment and manpower company promoting ethical labour supply. FSI Worldwide's work centers around demonstrating to employers that an ethically recruited and managed workforce is significantly more efficient and effective than one made up of bonded, demoralized and exploited workers. All recruits are selected on merit, and the company has provided an umbrella of employment protection for over 2,000 recruits. The company currently operates in Nepal, Kenya, India, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, providing ethically sourced manpower to sectors with high-risk of human trafficking and bonded labour, such as security, oil and gas, hospitality, retail and construction.
FSI Worldwide is also engaged with partners in Government, academia, the private sector and civil society to develop best practices in "third country national" recruitment and to help eradicate the threat of human trafficking and exploitation among the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.
"The Award highlights the excellent work being done by private sector companies in addressing this global challenge" said Mr. Fedotov. "I hope that the achievements, so clearly evident today, will encourage other business leaders to come forward and to add their own creativity and insight to the fight against human trafficking."
The Business Leaders Award to Fight Human Trafficking is a good practice award launched in 2008 at the regional meeting of the World Economic Forum in Luxor, Egypt. It is designed to spur private sector action by recognizing the work of executives engaged in combating human trafficking and to serve as an incentive for greater innovation to combat this crime. The Award is jointly led by End Human Trafficking Now, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), the United Nations Global Compact and UNODC.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Deborah Bergman: How You Can Help Protect Victims of Human Trafficking by Voting in the Next Presidential Election
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-bergman/how-you-can-help-protect-_b_1462959.html
Source: The Huffington Post
04/29/2012 3:31 pm
Marina* was recruited from Ukraine with the promise of a well-paying job and free housing in the United States. But upon her arrival, she found herself in a nightmare. Her traffickers took away her passport, told her that she owed them a debt and forced her to work. She cleaned houses during the day and offices at night. On the weekends, she cooked and cleaned for her traffickers. They paid her only $100 a month for working more than 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Marina's traffickers used gang
Source: The Huffington Post
04/29/2012 3:31 pm
Marina* was recruited from Ukraine with the promise of a well-paying job and free housing in the United States. But upon her arrival, she found herself in a nightmare. Her traffickers took away her passport, told her that she owed them a debt and forced her to work. She cleaned houses during the day and offices at night. On the weekends, she cooked and cleaned for her traffickers. They paid her only $100 a month for working more than 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Marina's traffickers used gang
rape, physical abuse and threats to make her submit. They pulled her hair so hard that she bled and then pushed her down a staircase. They told her they would drown her in the ocean if they caught her trying to run away, and that if she ever left the apartment or called the police, she would be arrested and deported. They also threatened that if she ever escaped, they would traffic her 8-year-old daughter and force her into prostitution.
Marina's story is not unique. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that there are approximately 14,500 to 17,500 human trafficking victims in this country. The numbers are more staggering globally, with an estimated 27 million human trafficking victims worldwide. Eleven percent of these victims are trafficked into the commercial sex industry, while the other 89 percent are, like Marina, forced into labor.
On March 15, as part of his efforts to prevent human trafficking, President Obama convened the annual Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who chaired the event, made it clear that the Obama administration remains committed to preventing human trafficking. She stated that human trafficking is an "affront to our most fundamental values" that affects "men, women and children toil[ing] in bondage." Her statement echoed those of President Obama, who recently said that, from those forced into "labor and debt bondage to [those] forced [into] commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude," the victims of "this ongoing global tragedy are men, women and children." These announcements recognize the plight of labor trafficking victims -- people like Marina who are forced to work in horrendous conditions, subject to physical, psychological and even sexual abuse by their traffickers.
The Obama administration's specific recognition of labor trafficking victims is notable because it stands in stark contrast to the George W. Bush administration, which focused heavily on sex trafficking. President Bush spoke often about wanting to make the fight against sex trafficking a legacy of his presidency, and he frequently conflated human trafficking with prostitution. For example, in a 2003 speech to the United Nations General Assembly, he said, "Each year, [a staggering number] of human beings are bought, sold or forced across the world's borders. Among them are hundreds of thousands of teenage girls, and others as young as five, who fall victim to the sex trade." Absent from his speech was any mention of labor trafficking. The prosecutions undertaken by the Department of Justice during his time in office reveal his disproportionate focus on sex, rather than labor, trafficking. For example, from 2001 to 2004, the ratio of sex trafficking to labor trafficking prosecutions was nearly three to one. This imbalance overlooked the thousands of men, women and children who were victims of labor trafficking during that time.
By contrast, the Obama administration has focused more evenly on labor and sex trafficking. For example, of the 95 trafficking cases prosecuted by the Department of Justice in 2009 and 2010, roughly half (51) have been prosecutions for labor trafficking. These prosecutions better reflect the reality of human trafficking in the United States today than those undertaken during President Bush's time in office, since ten times more people are trafficked into labor than sex.
None of the Republican candidates for the 2012 presidential election have yet taken a strong stance on human trafficking. However, former candidate Rick Santorum frequently stated that he believes there is a "pandemic of porn" in the United States, which "contributes to misogyny and violence against women. [He believes] it is a contributing factor to prostitution and sex trafficking." He proposed to solve these problems by enforcing obscenity laws, which prohibit the distribution of lewd words and pictures. Mitt Romney echoed this sentiment by saying that he also supports"strict enforcement of our nation's obscenity laws." It thus appears that Romney may be poised to follow in President Bush's footsteps.
Yet, if the goal of a human trafficking policy is to prevent human trafficking, it would be wise for the remaining candidates' positions to be driven by actual statistics rather than personal morals. They should look for solutions that actually work. Enforcing obscenity laws will not combat human trafficking because the vast majority of trafficking victims do not work in the pornography industry. It will only consume resources that should be used to aid the victims of all forms of trafficking and to prosecute their traffickers. It will also reverse the progress that President Obama has made by rescuing more labor trafficking victims. Now that Romney is likely to win the Republican Presidential primary, he should think hard about this decision and discuss his position with the public. And we, as voters, should pay attention so we can make an educated decision this November at the ballot box. If we do, we may be a part of the reason for the rescue of people like Marina, who are not being forced into prostitution but are nevertheless suffering brutal abuse, and who would otherwise continue silently "toil[ing] in bondage."
* The names of trafficking victims in this piece are fictional because their real names were protected in court, and are therefore unknown.
The authors are students at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where they recently completed the Human Trafficking Seminar.
* The names of trafficking victims in this piece are fictional because their real names were protected in court, and are therefore unknown.
The authors are students at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where they recently completed the Human Trafficking Seminar.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Hollywood actress and UN anti-crime agency launch fund for trafficking victims
The announcement of the Small Grants Facility for victims of human trafficking coincides with International Women’s Day, a symbolic move, according to UNODC, given that two-thirds of the victims of this $32 billion global industry are women and children.
The Facility is part of the UNODC-managed UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, which provides humanitarian, legal and financial aid through established channels of assistance, such as governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
The UN estimates that more than 2.4 million people are currently being exploited after being trafficked by unscrupulous human smugglers. The Voluntary Trust Fund, launched last November, is an important element of the UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, adopted by the General Assembly in July 2010.
UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov highlighted the critical steps being taken in pushing an increased victim-centred approach to human trafficking as he addressed the launch event in London.
“The launch of this Small Grants Facility is the first concrete step in rolling out the UN General Assembly’s Global Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons adopted in 2010. As a coordinated and comprehensive approach to end human trafficking in all its forms, the Trust Fund will make a real difference to the lives of those who need it most.”
Ms. Sorvino stressed the need to prioritize responses to victims. “Through my work in various parts of the world I have seen with my own eyes the unspeakable pain trafficking victims go through: from girls stolen from their homes or sold by their own parents into sex work, to men enslaved and made to perform torturous labour, to children whose innocence and safety are ripped from them at the hands of adults whose only concern is their profitability.
“As a victims’ advocate in the fight against human trafficking, I encourage each and every person to work together in tackling this crime: modern day slavery only exists because we tolerate it.”
UNODC estimates that in Europe alone, trafficking is worth an annual $3 billion, with around 140,000 people trapped in a vicious cycle of violence, abuse and degradation across the continent.
“Our fellow human beings are sold like goods – it’s time we renew our stance towards this terrible practice and work to beat this crime,” said Mr. Fedotov.
Source: UN.org
Hollywood actress and UN anti-crime agency launch fund for trafficking victims
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
UN.GIFT launches its web-radio “SoS - Sound of Silence”
SoS - Sound of Silence
UN.GIFT launches its web-radio
The S.O.S. cries of victims of human trafficking is often not heard, but some exceptional people and organizations are dedicated to hearing their stories and fighting this unimaginable, yet all too real crime.
UN.GIFT's new web-radio show, SoS - Sound of Silence, will engage with guests including civil society and think-tanks representatives, academics, UN staff and UN goodwill ambassadors to document work being done, experiences gained and ideas to move forward in the fight against human trafficking.
For its premiere, UN.GIFT is releasing a five-part online radio show on events surrounding the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which took place in Vienna at the end of October.
In Part 1, you can listen to an abstract of a speech given by Nicolas Cage, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for Global Justice, at the inauguration of a UN.GIFT photo exhibition. The pictures from the exhibition, taken by Mr. Scotti in central and east Europe, can be viewed here.
Nicolas Cage launches the UN.GIFT photo exhibition. (part 1)
In Part 2, you can learn more about trafficking in persons: its causes, its forms and different approaches taken in fighting it.
The fight against human trafficking (part 2)
Part 3 discusses future challenges in combating human trafficking in areas such as punitive and compensatory justice and the issue of implementation.
Human trafficking and justice. (part 3)
Part 4 considers the fact that human trafficking is human rights violation that affects us all and asks, what can we, as citizens of the world, do to combat this heinous crime?
An everyday fight. (part 4)
Concluding the segment, Part 5 looks back to the institutional role in putting an end to this global crime and underlines the necessity of adopting a multi-stakeholder approach, in which UN.GIFT plays a central role.
Necessity and benefits of a multi-stakeholder approach. (part 5)
Every Friday starting next week, SoS - Sound of Silence will focus on the critical job Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are doing everyday to combat human trafficking and support the victims . Next week's guest will be Marieke van Doorninck, advisor of Public Affairs at La Strada International, an organization which has been granted funding by the UN.GIFT Small Grant Facility. Ms. van Doorninck will tell us about the activities of her organization in this field.
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UN.GIFT would like to thank all the persons who generously accepted to be interviewed for the inaugural SoS show and so openly shared their invaluable knowledge, expertise, and experiences:
H.E. Dr. Helmut BÖCK - Ambassador of Austria at the UNOV.
H.E. Ms. Miroslava BEHAM - Ambassador of Serbia at the UNOV.
Yuri Fedotov - Executive Director of UNODC
Susu Thatun - UNICEF focal point for anti-trafficking
Evelyn Probst - Coordinator, Lefö-Ibf Austria
Klara Skrivankova - Trafficking Programme Coordinator, Anti-Slavery International
Christina Storm - Executive Director and Founder of Lawyers without Borders
Dr. Walter Kemp - Director, Europe and Central Asia, International Peace Institute
Nicolas Cage - UNODC's Goodwill Ambassador for Global Justice
UN.GIFT launches its web-radio “SoS - Sound of Silence”
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