Europe Advocacy officers defined three themes for future advocacy

Project : MARIO 25 Mar 2010 | child trafficking protection systems victim protection

Brussels: Advocacy officers met in the European capital on 17-19 March to build Mario advocacy strategy for the next two years. ECPAT, Save the Children and Terre des hommes European liaison officers in Brussels gave an introduction to the upcoming European initiatives and policy changes that provide opportunity for Mario to efficiently advocate for better protection of child victims of trafficking.

The partners also discussed opportunity for more coordinated advocacy among the organizations toward the European institutions. After long discussions and reflections from the liaison officers, as a result of the two days meeting, partners agreed on focusing on the issue of ‘invisible children’ with a special attention to birth registration, identification, best interest determination in the process of return. Organizations will give recommendation how assistance could be offered in countries of origin to facilitate the registration of newborn children. Partners also advocate for outreach work and improved identification capacities in the countries of destination and origin.

Finally, recommendations how best interest determination ( i.e. risk assessment in the country of origin) can be better respected and implemented based on examples from Kosovo and Albania will be presented to European decision makers during experts’ meetings. [ZF]