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Intervention of Belarus on behalf of Members of the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Twenty-first session Vienna,
23-27 April 2012
Item 5 (a) of the provisional agenda*
Integration and coordination of efforts by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Member States in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice: ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto
Mr. Chairman,
On behalf of the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking (namely Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Venezuela, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, and Ecuador) I wish to thank UNODC for the steps taken to implement the CCPCJ Resolution 20/3 entitled “ Implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons”, as elaborated in the document E/CN.15/2012/7.
The UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons adopted by the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly has become a valuable contribution to the development of a coherent strategic vision and comprehensive UNODC Strategy on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.
The Group of Friends welcomes the practical steps to strengthen the capacity of Member States, the UNODC and partners in the fight against trafficking in persons. Furthermore, a new section on trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants within the UNODC Secretariat should contribute to coordination of efforts to tackle trafficking in persons.
We also note the preparations done by UNODC for the publication of the first biennial global report on trafficking in persons. We look forward to the presentation of information on patterns, forms and flows of trafficking in persons at all levels in a reliable and comprehensive manner, with a balanced perspective of both supply and demand.
An Interactive dialogue on human trafficking was held on 3 April in New York, in preparation for the 2013 evaluation by the General Assembly of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The interactive dialogue addressed existing challenges in the context of the implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and ways of improving the international community’s coordinated efforts to combat human trafficking.
We therefore encourage UNODC’s coordinated and joint efforts within the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons and other relevant entities, including at the regional and sub regional levels.
Through the contributions and pledges generated during its launching in 2010, the Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons is already supporting 12 NGOs addressing interregional and cross-border victim support initiatives and providing remedies for victims of human trafficking.
The Group of Friends appreciates the new contributions announced during the Interactive Dialogue, including from members of the Group. Such financial support will help sustain the Fund in providing humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of trafficking in persons.
We call on Member States to intensify efforts to combat human trafficking. We must work together to ensure that all our initiatives, including the implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons and of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, as well as the management of the Voluntary Trust Fund and the preparation of the biennial report putting an end to the heinous crime of trafficking in persons.
Thank you.