Europe Mario speaks out at largest human rights gathering in Europe

Project : MARIO 10 Oct 2011 | best interests of the child child trafficking children in street situation children on the move

Warsaw, 5-6 October 2011: On the occasion of the 11th OSCE Human Dimension Implementation meeting, the project Mario partners drew the attention of the 56 participating states to the child protection concerns identified throughout their activities, with that action will be taken for children on the move in the OSCE region.

Two side events were also hosted by the partners, one entitled “Enhance Child Protection and Prevent child trafficking” and the other being the première of the movie “The Long Way Out” by director Clara Ott.

The first event received support from the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons as well as the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and was moderated by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ Senior Adviser on Anti-Trafficking issues, Ms Mariana Katzarova.

The panelists presented Mario’s as well as partners’ experience in working with children on the move, documenting their situation, preventing unsafe migration and protecting them from further harm. As researcher Antonella Invernizzi pointed out “we need to look at the grey area between trafficking and child protection concerns inside families”. While highlighting the prevalence of the phenomenon of child migration, the event aimed at promoting the substance and principles of the AECT joint statement on Child Protection, Especially among Migrant, Undocumented, Unaccompanied, Separated and Asylum Seeking Children, to enhance Prevention of Child Trafficking.

As a follow up, a common Mario statement (available in the top right corner) was delivered during the 17th working session chaired by Ms Joy N’Gozi Ezeilo, the United Nations Special Rapporteur against trafficking in persons, especially in women and children.

The second event, the première of the movie “The Long Way Out”, took place in the evening of the 5th, in between the working sessions on Roma and Sinti issues and Trafficking in Human Beings. The project Mario partners wished to promote this movie in this setting as one of the best tools to convey the reality of former child victims of trafficking to decision makers. Though the attendance did not reach the level expected, the debates that followed, moderated by Mr Vincent Tournecuillert, former delegate of Tdh in Albania, and Ms Edlira Bshmili, social worker following the cases of the young people featured in the film, showed a complete understanding, a lot of empathy as well as constructive ideas to use this movie as a training and awareness raising tool due to its power. (PC)