Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings 2019-2021
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Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings 2019-2021 MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF DENMARK SEPTEMBER 2018 ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 2 3 ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 Contents Preface 5 Introduction 7 Action area 1: Prevention and outreach work 9 Outreach and confidence-building work 10 Education and training 11 Action area 2: Identification, assistance and support 12 Identification of victims 13 Assistance and support 14 Prepared repatriation and reintegration 15 Action area 3: Traffickers are prosecuted 16 Investigation and prosecution 17 Action area 4: Coordination and knowledge 18 Coordination of efforts 19 Knowledge and information 20 International cooperation 21 Overview of public players involved in coordination and operational efforts 22 ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 4 5 ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 Preface Human trafficking is a breach of fundamental be flexible and adapted to the needs of the indivi- human rights and a gross infringement of the rights dual victim. of individuals to exercise control over their own Since the first action plan in 2002, there has bodies and own lives. It is a global problem and been broad parliamentary support in Denmark for unfortunately a lucrative ‘business’ for cynical the Danish efforts. It is important and necessary traffickers. that all authorities and other players stand united Victims of human trafficking are vulnerable on combating human trafficking, and that they all people who are often deeply dependent on their secure strong efforts to help the victims. We must traffickers because of threats against themselves act when human rights are breached and when and their families. The traffickers are deeply crimi- individual freedoms are violated. nal, exploiting the vulnerability of their victims and The Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Hu- the demand for the services their victims provide. man Beings 2019-2021 sets the framework for Some traffickers are part of global criminal net- future work. This action plan continues and further works which commit serious organised crime. develops previous efforts in the area and it ensures By far the majority of victims of human traffick- that Denmark will continue to meet international ing in Denmark, and internationally, are women conventions and obligations. trafficked into prostitution. However, typical for Therefore, work will continue to identify and human trafficking is that new forms of exploitation manage human trafficking whenever it takes place; turn up all the time, and we must be ready to deal to focus on investigating and prosecuting traffick- with these. Combating human trafficking there- ers; and to make sure that individual victims receive fore requires collaboration and close coordination the support and help they need to move on with between the large number of different authorities their life; a life without human trafficking. and players involved in the work. Initiatives must Troels Lund Poulsen, Minister for Employment Mai Mercado, Minister for Children and Social Affairs Søren Pape Poulsen, Minister for Justice Eva Kjer Hansen, Minister for Equal Opportunities Ulla Tørnæs, Minister for Development Cooperation Karsten Lauritzen, Minister for Taxation Ellen Trane Nørby, Minister for Health Anders Samuelsen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Inger Støjberg, Minister for Immigration and Integration ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 6 Number of individuals assessed as being victims of trafficking by year 2007-2017 140 121 120 98 100 93 76 80 71 66 60 60 53 47 40 28 17 20 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Source: Danish Centre against Human Trafficking (CMM) 7 ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 Introduction Trafficking in human beings is a global problem. In 2017, 98 people were assessed as victims of 1 Source: Global Estimates According to the International Labour Organiza- trafficking in Denmark and of these 86 were in of Modern Slavery, ILO, 2017 tion (ILO) almost 25 million people are victims of prostitution, five in crime, one in forced labour and 2 The Danish Immigration forced labour, including human trafficking. World- three in other types of exploitation. 86 of the 98 Service assesses whether a person has been trafficked wide, 15.6 million women/girls and 9.2 million victims were women. with regard to asylum men/boys are victims. And 4.8 million of these are In 2016, 121 people were assessed as victims of seekers and people without assessed to have been forced into prostitution. The trafficking in Denmark and of these 112 were in legal residence in Denmark. CMM makes the assessment ILO assesses that there are also unreported or prostitution. when the person has legal undiscovered dark figures1. In 2015, a total of 93 people were assessed as residence. A total of 730 people were assessed by the Dan- being victims of trafficking by the Danish authori- 4 Source: Danish Ministry of 2 Justice. ish authorities as being victims of human traffick- ties, and of these, in connection with a major police ing in 2007-2017. Of these, 87% were women. The operation (Aktion Hvepsebo) 37 were assessed as majority of victims come from countries like Nige- being trafficked for economic crime3. ria, Thailand and Uganda. There has been a con- From 2010-2016, a total of 554 people were stant increase in the number of the people assessed convicted for human trafficking pursuant to section as being victims of human trafficking. 262a of the Criminal Code. The UN assesses that Fact box: International obligations EU Directive on preventing and combating The Palermo Protocol: Denmark has signed and trafficking in human beings: The European ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Parliament and the Council adopted Directive Organized Crime of 15 November 2000 and the no. 2011/36/EU of 5 April 2011 on preventing protocols thereto (the Palermo Protocols), one and combating trafficking in human beings and of which concerns preventing, suppressing and protecting its victims, and replacing Council punishing trafficking in persons, especially Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA. The Direc- women and children. tive lays down rules on offences and penalties as well as on assistance and protection of vic- Council of Europe Convention on Action against tims of trafficking in human beings such as safe Trafficking in Human Beings: Denmark ratified the accommodation, medical care and psychological Council of Europe Convention of 16 May 2005, on assistance, as well as access to legal advice and Action against Trafficking in Human Beings on 19 legal representation. The Directive falls under September 2007, with effect from 1 February Denmark’s opt-out on justice and home affairs 2008. The Convention focuses on protecting and therefore does not apply in Denmark. victims and combating human trafficking. However, with Act no. 275 of 27 March 2012 on the amendment of the Criminal Code (which ILO conventions: Denmark has ratified a number expanded the definition of human trafficking), of ILO conventions, including the Forced Labour Danish criminal legislation has been brought Convention (29), Abolition of Forced Labour into line with the Directive. Convention (C105) and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (182). Most recently, on 14 The UN Convention on the Elimination of All July 2017, Denmark ratified the 2014 ILO Proto- Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the col to the Forced Labour Convention. Among UN Convention on the Rights of the Child also other things, the protocol obligates countries to contain obligations to prevent abduction, sale or have a national action plan, to prevent forced trafficking in women and children, respectively. labour, and to ensure victims access to appropri- ate legal remedies such as compensation. ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS 2019-2021 8 human trafficking is the fastest growing area within efforts in this area are authorised in the Danish organised crime. Aliens Act. The framework for efforts against human traf- Human trafficking is made punishable under ficking is composed of a number of international section 262a of the Danish Criminal Code, and conventions that Denmark has signed and ratified. is defined as to recruit, transport, transfer, house The international obligations in the area include or receive a person using or following the use of criminalisation of human trafficking and an obliga- unlawful coercion, deprivation of liberty, threats, tion to provide support and assistance to victims of unlawful induction, corroboration or exploitation human trafficking. of a declusion or other unseemly conduct for the In Denmark, since 2002 four-year action plans purpose of exploitation of the individual through to combat human trafficking have been drawn prostitution, taking pornographic photographs up. The Danish Centre against Human Trafficking or film, presentations with pornographic perfor- (CMM) was established in 2007. CMM is today the mances (sexual immorality), forced labour, slavery core of the nationwide social initiatives under the or slavery-like conditions, punishable actions or action plan to combat human trafficking. removal of organs. Assistance and support to the victims of human The definition in the provision builds on the UN trafficking is provided on the basis of this action Palermo Protocol. According to the Criminal Code, plan in the context of CMM and other relevant