Lisbon treaty will help combat trafficking in women and children
Issued : Monday 2 June, 2008
Statement by Joan Burton TD
Labour Spokesperson on Finance
The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Spokesperson on Finance, Deputy Joan Burton, has said that the adoption of the Lisbon Reform Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights would greatly enhance the capacity of countries to combat trafficking in women and children.
"The Lisbon Treaty includes the Charter of Fundamental Rights which makes a set of fundamental rights legally binding. Article 5 of the Charter states that 'Trafficking in human beings is prohibited'.
"Human trafficking is an international problem. In Europe most human trafficking is for purposes of sexual exploitation, most victims being women and girls. Experts believe around 100,000 people are trafficked into Europe every year. The Council of Europe estimates that 78% of women victims come from Eastern European countries. According to Europol, human trafficking is not only considered to be the fastest growing criminal business but it remains a low risk business with high rewards.
Human trafficking and the sex industry are closely linked, which makes the wider debate about prostitution and the sex industry relevant when we are trying to tackle human trafficking. This raises questions about legalized prostitution in the Netherlands or Germany acting as a pull-factor, and suggests that the Swedish model which criminalizes users of prostitutes should be considered as a European-wide option.
In Ireland Ruhama, organization which works with victims of prostitution, has dealt with 200 trafficked victims in the last eight years, including children. This figure is only the tip of the iceberg, but no other figures are available. Amnesty International points out that last July, an undercover BBC investigative team exposed a Bulgarian child smuggler, since arrested by the authorities, who told them the safest route into Britain was through Rosslare, Co Wexford. In August, a report from the Welsh Assembly specifically mentioned ferry routes from Ireland as an increasingly popular choice for child traffickers. Nearly 390 separated children have gone missing from HSE accommodation over the past eight years - it must be assumed that some of these children have been trafficked.
The Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Human Trafficking entered into force in January and though Ireland has signed it, has yet to ratify it. Response to human trafficking has to be stronger both at national and European level. The Lisbon Treaty will make it easier for ALL European countries to work harder to fight human trafficking and the sex industry.
The Lisbon Treaty will enable the European Union to be more effective in fighting cross-border crimes like human trafficking. Human trafficking has to be fought collectively, all European countries together. The Lisbon Treaty is a YES to fight Human Trafficking.