January 26, 2016
On January 26 Mrs. Myria Vassiliadou – EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator had a meeting in Hilton Hotel with representatives of Bulgarian NGOs and agencies of international organisations working on the problems of trafficking in human beings and trafficking in children. This meeting was held after the National conference for combating trafficking in human beings and the protection of victims, which was also attended by Mrs. Myria Vassiliadou.
The meeting with Mrs.Vassiliadou with the NGO sector was attended by representatives of the following organisations: Animus Association Foundation, Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, ICMPD, Risk Monitor, World without Bounderies, IOM, Nadia Center, Campaign A21, Foundation „SOS – Families in Risk”, Women’s Alliance for Development, Foundaton„Partners – Bulgaria“, Alliance “Children and Youth”,Crisis Center for children – victims of trafficking and violence “Faith, Love and Hope” – Sofia, Neglected Children Society – ECPAT Bulgaria, Foundation “Demetra”, Center for the Study of Democracy.
The main topic at the meeting was the exchange of ideas and expectations concerning trafficking in human beings in Bulgaria. During the discussion with NGOs Mrs. Myria Vassiliadou presented current information at EU level about the development of the anti-trafficking and expressed her interest in the points of view of the NGOs about the situation in Bulgaria concerning the protection of victims of trafficking and the counteraction taken against traffickers; what are the main problems and trends and what are the main priorities in the new strategy of Bulgaria against human trafficking.
All representatives of NGOs shared their experience attained in projects and activities in the sphere of prevention and counteraction of human trafficking and trafficking in children, and also presented their findings concerning the existing problems and recommendations for actions at national and international levels.
Neglected Children Society – ECPAT Bulgaria, Foundation “Demetra” and Center for the Study of Democracy took part in the meeting with Mrs.Vassiliadou as members of the EU Civil Society Platform Against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The EU Civil Society Platform Against Trafficking in Human Beings was created in 2013 and today more than 100 European organisations join their efforts in the Platform which serves as a forum for the organisations working at European, national, international and local level in the field of human rights, child rights, rights of women and gender equality, migrants’ rights and the right of asylum. Participants shared their experience and specific ideas about how their networks could expand, how victims could be helped in the best way and how the existence of new victims of trafficking could be avoided. The European Commission supports the Platform by organizing regular meetings twice a year with the purpose of collecting important information and opinions about the main challenges faced by civil society organisations in their work. Two years in a row discussions are held in three workgroups during every session of the Platform: Workgroup 1: Children at high risk of trafficking; Workgroup 2: Emerging concern about forced marriages, forced involvement in criminal activities, family servitude, trafficking in human organs; Workgroup 3: Prevention of trafficking in human beings. The results and recommendations of the workgroups are submitted to the members of the Platform for further dissemination in their countries. A number of researches, studies and manuals for action against human trafficking are also shared. It is required from the European members of the Platform to offer their support as representatives of the civil society and exert influence on the institutions and the state policy for increasing the measures for combating human trafficking. The Bulgarian representatives in the Platform have actively participated so far in the work of Workgroups 1 and 3 with critical opinions and recommendations.
The recommendation of Mrs.Vssiliadou to the Bulgarian NGOs was to work on the problems of human trafficking with the partners within their network, exchange their expertise and be partners of the three NGOs – members of the EU Platform. Platform NGO members can inform other NGOs about all initiatives and documents based on the EU policy against human trafficking. The representatives of the Bulgarian NGOs – members of the Platform on their part expressed the opinion that partnership already exists among NGOs in Bulgaria and assured Mrs Vassiliadou that Platform members will continue to be the active link to the Bulgarian institutions and NGOs with relation to European policies for combating trafficking in human beings and trafficking in children.