Alliance Expert Coordination Team Statement on support to anti-trafficking civil society organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Document number

3384

Date

18 December 2020

Title

Alliance Expert Coordination Team Statement on support to anti-trafficking civil society organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author/publisher

OSCE OSR

Availability

View/save PDF version of this document

Document type(s)

Media/News,

Keywords

AECT Civil society pandemic financial support funding trafficking

Summary

The Alliance Expert Coordination team calls for support to anti-trafficking civil society organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic and issued a statement, co-signed by twenty AECT partners, including La Strada International. Civil society organizations (CSOs) are particularly well placed to complement governments’ activities in combating trafficking in human beings and the range of civil society engagement is wide and diverse.  However, CSOs often continue to face both legal and practical challenges affecting their daily work  that range from changes in the legal environment, to challenges in finding and accessing resources, to obstacles in accessing policymaking, and even the criminalisation of human rights defenders. The AECT is convinced that national strategies and actions to combat trafficking in human beings would vastly benefit from the inclusion of and support provided to CSOs working to prevent human trafficking and assist victims or those at risk of trafficking and severe forms of exploitation. See statement and recommendations to States.