November 15, 2002

New Tool to Combat Regional Trafficking of Human Beings

Bucharest, Romania, November 15, 2002 - Border police, specially-trained anti-trafficking police, prosecutors and civil society representatives from across Europe are meeting today to discuss and review a new manual to help fight trafficking of human beings. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, FYR of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Ukraine will attend.

The Manual is designed and based on a "victim first" approach, in compliance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasizing the protection and security of the victims as witnesses in judicial investigations and prosecutions. The project is being jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Romanian Ministry of Interior, and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Law Enforcement Manual on Combating the Trafficking of Human Beings will include three main sections: a directory of relevant institutions and organizations in the region; a "best practices" section on investigative methods applicable to each stage of an investigation; and a compendium of regional legislation to allow better cooperation in enforcing anti-trafficking legislation.

The Manual has been produced in close cooperation with other international organizations and regional initiatives. Each stage of its design and development has been subject to quality control, which has been jointly endorsed by its partner organizations: the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) Regional Center for Fighting Trans-border Crime, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Center for Legal Resources (CRJ).

For more information, please contact Mr. Mihai Toader, UNDP Project Manager, Tel. (021) 410-1134, e-mail mihai.toader@undp.ro, or visit the Internet website
http://www.undp.ro/governance/law_enforcement.htm.