OSCE Anti-trafficking Coordinator Maria Grazia Giammarinaro called on countries to acknowledge human trafficking as massive-scale modern-day slavery in a speech last Thursday. The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe), a partner of the United Nations, is the world's largest inter-governmental security organisation, with 56 member states stretching across Europe, America and Central Asia. Since 2003, the OSCE has been coordinating a response to human trafficking through raising awareness and building political will within member states to produce an effective response.

While presenting a report to the OSCE, Giammarinaro called for human trafficking to be seen not just as a “threat to security” but as a “human rights violation”. The report, Combating Trafficking as Modern-Day Slavery: A Matter of Rights, Freedoms and Security, illustrates the current reality of human trafficking and its multiple forms. It also describes the progress, policies and actions of the OSCE in 2010 recommending a strategic approach for future work.

Giammarinaro highlighted the concern that as the trafficking industry evolves and expands it poses a real challenge for law enforcement, prosecutors and judges, in both cultural and legal terms. She outlined that while physical violence continues to be regularly used against some groups of trafficked persons, more subtle methods of coercion and abuse of vulnerability have appeared.

Trafficking in human beings is a violation of human dignity and therefore a human rights-centred approach is needed in all anti-trafficking action, she said. "We should do a better job of helping trafficked persons to take their life in their hands and have access to justice and remedies," she added.

India's major challenge

DFN UK welcomes Ms Giammarinaro’s comments, believing that India faces human trafficking challenges on a massive scale. India’s Dalit people are the primary victims of trafficking. The cycle of poverty and discrimination mean that Dalits make up almost half of all those trafficked into modern slavery. DFN UK is encouraged that the Indian government recognises the massive scale of human trafficking and modern slavery in India, as evidenced by recent moves to establish more Anti Human Trafficking Units and roll out more training for police and judiciary.

In line with Ms Giammarinaro’s comments, DFN UK’s projects in India are geared to helping victims and those most vulnerable to trafficking to take their life in their hands. In particular, they are given access to education, training and loans to better their future.  Find out more about our work in India, and how you can support these projects here.