Unhrc Guide For MUN

BUMUN13 United Nations Human Rights Council
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Table of Contents

Topic: Right of Minorities
Introduction: ......................................................................................2
Statement of the problem: .................................................................2
Problems of Ethnic Minorities: ............................................................3
Examples: ........................................................................................3
Problems of Religious Minorities: .......................................................4
Gender and sexuality minorities .........................................................4
Basic Rights and Liberties ................................................................5
Relationships and Marriage .............................................................5
Youth and Schools ...........................................................................5
Discrimination against Transgender People .....................................5
Questions a resolution Must Answer: .................................................6
Committee Directors Note: ................................................................6

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Topic Area A: Right of Minorities

Introduction:
The term "minority rights" embodies two separate concepts: first, normal individual rights as applied to
members of racial, ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or sexual minorities, and second, collective
rights accorded to minority groups. The term may also apply simply to individual rights of anyone who is
not part of a majority decision.
Minority rights were codified in Austrian law in 1867. Minority rights, as applying to ethnic, religious or
linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples, are an integral part of international human rights law.
Like children's rights, women's rights and refugee rights, minority rights are a legal framework designed
to ensure that a specific group which is in a vulnerable, disadvantaged or marginalized position in
society, is able to achieve equality and is protected from persecution. The first post-war international
treaty to protect minorities, designed to protect them from the greatest threat to their existence, was
the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Subsequent human rights standards that codify minority rights include the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (Article 27), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging
to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, two Council of Europe treaties (the Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Copenhagen Document
of 1990.
Minority rights cover protection of existence, protection from discrimination and persecution,
protection and promotion of identity, and participation in political life. For the rights of LGBT, The
Yogyakarta Principles have been approved by the United Nations Human Rights Council and for the
rights of persons with disabilities; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted
by United Nations General Assembly.
Statement of the problem:
Now that the problem that arises regarding the Right of minorities lies on different grounds, you are
here to cater all the problems that minorities face and to provide an effective and efficient solution. The
minorities face numerous Problems let us classify these problems under their respective head.
Committee Directors Note:
This Study Guide is just the start of your research; this is to lay down the foundations of this topic.
Bear in mind that this would give you the framework of your research, the guidelines and the
specific topics you need concentrate on, rather being a dead end to your preparation.
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Problems of Ethnic Minorities:
Minorities in all regions of the world continue to face serious threats, discrimination and racism, and are
frequently excluded from taking part fully in the economic, political and social life of their countries.
Today, minority communities face new challenges, including legislation, policies and practices that may
unjustly impede or even violate minority rights. The outcome document of the 2005 World Summit of
Heads of State and Government, approved by the General Assembly, notes that the promotion and
protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic religious and linguistic minorities
contributes to political and social stability and peace and enriches the cultural diversity and heritage of
society. Respect for minority rights assists in achieving stable and prosperous societies, in which human
rights, development and security are achieved by all, and shared by all.
The dynamics of majority/minority relationships lead to the emergence of a range of minority issues
which provide challenges and opportunities for States and societies as a whole. Such issues, in all
spheres of life, are identified and articulated both by minorities and by States seeking to manage diverse
societies. Within this wider context of minority issues, the normative framework provided by minority
rights should be understood as a necessary element to ensure integrated societies and to promote
social inclusion and cohesion. In such societies, various national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups
are able to live confidently together, practice their religions, speak their own languages and
communicate effectively, recognizing value in their differences and in their societys cultural diversity.
Ethnic minorities may face rejection by other groups in their society. They may be underrepresented or
unfairly represented in government and local ruling parties. They may be discriminated against or may
face racism and conflict with other communities. Conflicts and discrimination occur in all societies due
to a lack of understanding, misconceptions, preconceptions and ignorance. These conflicts may also
arise as a result of personal feuds between a few individuals, which then escalate.
Sometimes people and whole communities are judged on their appearances, without fully
understanding them. This can only be overcome by both communities developing tolerance and respect
for each other. The different communities need to listen to each other, learn about each other in order
to live in harmony together. They must work towards finding a compromise and not resorting to any
violence or abusive behavior
Examples:
The Chinese community in Paris, France
Some Native North American Indian communities in the United State of America
The Lencas of Honduras
The various Asian communities in Great Britain

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Problems of Religious Minorities:
The most fragile issue that pertains to this topic is problems of religious minorities, now to have a good
grasp on this issue I would want you all to go through this link, and research hard about what exactly the
problems are, in the following links you can find articles having information of different regions as well
as country specific problems. I would encourage all of you to go through this link at-least once and just
note the major points (or similar points) so that it can be used in constructive debate.
1. http://www.refworld.org/publisher,MRGI,,,50ffbce469,,0.html
2. http://www.refworld.org/publisher,MRGI,,,50ffbce466,,0.html
These two above mentioned links pertains information with reference to religious persecution (forceful
conversion of religion) as well as Religious Discrimination. The reason for not elaborating a general
stance over this issue is because every country has his way of dealing with religious minorities and
sometimes during your research it confuses you, this would save your research time as well as give you
adequate information.
3. http://www.minorityrights.org/12071/state-of-the-worlds-minorities/state-of-the-worlds-
minorities-and-indigenous-peoples-2013.html
This third link would open a document which you can take as a case study, it carries information of
about the issues that religious minorities face in Asia, you are required to find the rest of the regions
yourself, even if you dont find it you can take reference from this document and research on the
remaining regions accordingly. However, I would repeat, this is the major portion in this topic and you
need to do your research thoroughly.
Gender and sexuality minorities
The mission of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) LGBT Project is the creation of a society in
which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people enjoy the constitutional rights of equality,
privacy and personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association.
The ACLU has a long history defending the LGBT community. We brought our first LGBT rights case in
1936 and founded the LGBT Project in 1986. The ACLUs LGBT rights strategy is based on the belief that
fighting for the society we want means not just persuading judges and government officials, but
ultimately changing the way society thinks about LGBT people. To end discrimination, the ACLU seeks
both to change the law and to convince Americans that sexual orientation and gender identity
discrimination is wrong. The ACLU carries out this work in five priority areas: Basic Rights and Liberties,
Parenting, Relationships and Marriage, Youth and Schools, and Transgender Discrimination.
Today the ACLU brings more LGBT cases and advocacy initiatives than any other national
organization. With our reach into the courts and legislatures of every state, there is no other
organization that can match our record of making progress both in the courts of law and in the court of
public opinion.
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Basic Rights and Liberties
The ACLU works to ensure that LGBT people have equal opportunity to participate fully in civil
society. No LGBT person should experience discrimination in employment, housing, or in businesses and
public places, or the suppression of their free expression or privacy rights. The ACLU seeks new laws
against discrimination in states and at the federal level, and resists all attempts to weaken the impact of
existing nondiscrimination laws. With the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell, our current federal priority is
passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Parenting Fighting restrictions on parenting by
LGBT people is critical because this discrimination causes serious, enduring harm to the lives of LGBT
people and their children. The ACLU challenges policies and laws that prevent qualified and caring LGBT
people from foster parenting or adopting kids. We also strive to change laws or practices that interfere
in custody and visitation relationships between LGBT parents and their children. Our work debunks
myths about the undesirability of same-sex couples raising children myths often heard in the
nationwide debate over marriage.
Relationships and Marriage
The ACLU believes that LGBT people, like everyone else, should have the freedom to build the kinds of
personal, intimate relationships most meaningful to them without risking that their families will be
disregarded or harmed by the state. Our goal is to obtain full recognition of same-sex relationships
through marriage, in every state and at the federal level. In some states, the ACLU works for domestic
partnership protections as a first step towards the full recognition and complete protections offered
only by marriage.
Youth and Schools
The Youth and Schools program strives to make public schools and other state institutions for young
people safe and bias-free for LGBT kids and teachers. We team up with students to fight for their free
expression rights, to establish gay-straight alliances, and to advocate that LGBT kids be able to attend
school dances with same-sex dates and dressed in gender nonconforming ways if they choose. We
believe that all kids should be taught in an environment respectful of their sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Discrimination against Transgender People
The ACLU strives to eliminate discrimination against transgender and gender nonconforming people and
to create a society in which the full range of gender identities and expressions is respected and
affirmed. We focus our efforts on ending discrimination in employment, housing, public
accommodations, parenting, and schools. We also challenge legal barriers to transgender people
obtaining government identity documents appropriate for their gender identity. Through our legal work,
we help transgender people better understand their emerging legal rights and develop public education
campaigns to persuade the general public about the importance of treating transgender people fairly.
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Questions a resolution Must Answer:

1) What major steps should be taken to minimize Ethnic Discrimination?
2) How can UNHRC help in reducing number of nation violation UN Declaration of Human Rights
with respect to safeguarding Ethnic Minorities rights?
3) How should Corporate Businesses help reduce ethnic discrimination?
4) What changes should be made to the constitutions of a country to make safeguard religious,
ethnic and political rights of minorities?
5) How should UNHRC impose these laws on nations for the betterment of the minorities?
6) Are all people free to practice their religion in any country they desire?
7) Is it required for UN to implement a universal blasphemy law to safeguard religious rights?
8) Should UNHRC encourage states to recognize LGBT community?
9) If yes, then how shall UNHRC regulate or form a framework to safeguard their rights?
10) What should be the repercussion of violating Human Right Declaration, and laws that safeguard
Ethnic, Religious and political rights of the minorities?
Committee Directors Note:
I hope by now you understand what this topic is about and what it requires you to do, to proceed with
your research you should know what are the basic human rights and the Human Right Declaration that
safeguards them, given below is the link to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml (Save it and print a copy; just the articles not the
preambles) you can find a better document or a .pdf file on Google. Just make sure it has the same
articles as this one.
With the basic human rights out of the way you can start with country specific research for that I share
with you this link;
http://www.refworld.org/publisher/MRGI.html

On this particular link you can find any topic you wish to have information for, apart from that you can
also find country specific articles, articles that elaborate on the current situation of your country, this
would help you in understanding your country dynamics and would give you a good grasp on the topic.
You can also find articles for other topics. I hope this helps you in your research, I hope you would
prepare yourself for almost anything. Godspeed, best of luck and happy researching
Regards,
Hasan A. Puri

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TOPIC AREA B:
The Elimination of Trafficking

Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring,
harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of
exploiting them. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in
their own countries and abroad. Every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a
country of origin, transit or destination for victims.
What is Human Trafficking?
Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent , Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines
Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by
means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of
the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits
to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of
sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the
removal of organs
Elements of human trafficking
On the basis of the definition given in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, it is evident that trafficking in
persons has three constituent elements;

The Act (What is done) Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons. The
Means (How it is done) Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or
vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim. The Purpose (Why it is
done) For the purpose of exploitation, which includes exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual
exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs.

Criminalization of human trafficking
The definition contained in article 3 of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol is meant to provide
consistency and consensus around the world on the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. Article 5
therefore requires that the conduct set out in article 3 be criminalized in domestic legislation. Domestic
legislation does not need to follow the language of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol precisely, but
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should be adapted in accordance with domestic legal systems to give effect to the concepts contained in
the Protocol.

In addition to the criminalization of trafficking, the Trafficking in Persons Protocol requires
criminalization also of:

Attempts to commit a trafficking offence Participation as an accomplice in such an offence
Organizing or directing others to commit trafficking.

National legislation should adopt the broad definition of trafficking prescribed in the Protocol. The
legislative definition should be dynamic and flexible so as to empower the legislative framework to
respond effectively to trafficking which:

Occurs both across borders and within a country (not just cross-border)
Is for a range of exploitative purposes (not just sexual exploitation)
Victimizes children, women and men (Not just women, or adults, but also men and children)
Takes place with or without the involvement of organized crime groups.

United Nations against human trafficking
In 2000 the United Nations adopted the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime also called
the Palermo Convention, and two Palermo protocols there to:
Protocol to Prevent , Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons , espesially Women and
Chirldern
Protocol against tha Smuggling of Migrants by Land , Sea and Air

All of these instruments contain elements of the current international law on trafficking in humans.
The UN office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has assisted many non-governmental organizations in their
fight against human trafficking. The 2006 armed conflict in Lebanon, which saw 300,000 domestic
workers from Sri Lanka , Ethiopia,and the Phillippines jobless and targets of traffickers, led to an
emergency information campaign with NGO Caritas Migrant to raise human-trafficking awareness.
Additionally, an April 2006 report, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns, helped to identify
127 countries of origin, 98 transit countries and 137 destination countries for human trafficking. To date,
it is the second most frequently downloaded UNODC report. Continuing into 2007, UNODC supported
initiatives like the Community Vigilance project along the border between India and Nepal , as well as
provided subsidy for NGO trafficking prevention campaigns in Bosnia , Croatia , and Herzegovina . Public
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service announcements have also proved useful for organizations combating human trafficking. In
addition to many other endeavors, UNODC works to broadcast these announcements on local television
and radio stations across the world. By providing regular access to information regarding human-
trafficking, individuals are educated how to protect themselves and their families from being exploited.
The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) was conceived to promote the
global fight on human trafficking, on the basis of international agreements reached at the UN. UN.GIFT
was launched in March 2007 by UNODC with a grant made on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. It is
managed in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO); the International Organization
for Migration (IOM); the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR); and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Within UN.GIFT, UNODC launched a research exercise to gather primary data on national responses to
trafficking in persons worldwide. This exercise resulted in the publication of the Global Report on
Trafficking in Persons in February 2009. The report gathers official information for 155 countries and
territories in the areas of legal and institutional framework, criminal justice response and victim
assistance services. UN.GIFT works with all stakeholders governments, business, academia, civil
society and the media to support each other's work, create new partnerships, and develop effective
tools to fight human trafficking.
The Global Initiative is based on a simple principle: human trafficking is a crime of such magnitude and
atrocity that it cannot be dealt with successfully by any government alone. This global problem requires
a global, multi-stakeholder strategy that builds on national efforts throughout the world.
To pave the way for this strategy, stakeholders must coordinate efforts already underway, increase
knowledge and awareness, provide technical assistance, promote effective rights-based responses, build
capacity of state and non-state stakeholders, foster partnerships for joint action, and above all, ensure
that everybody takes responsibility for this fight.
By encouraging and facilitating cooperation and coordination, UN.GIFT aims to create synergies among
the anti-trafficking activities of UN agencies, international organizations and other stakeholders to
develop the most efficient and cost-effective tools and good practices.
UN.GIFT aims to mobilize state and non-state actors to eradicate human trafficking by reducing both the
vulnerability of potential victims and the demand for exploitation in all its forms, ensuring adequate
protection and support to those who fall victim, and supporting the efficient prosecution of the
criminals involved, while respecting the fundamental human rights of all persons.
In carrying out its mission, UN.GIFT will increase the knowledge and awareness on human trafficking,
promote effective rights-based responses, build capacity of state and non-state actors, and foster
partnerships for joint action against human trafficking.
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Further UNODC efforts to motivate action launched the Blue Heart Campaing Against Human Trafficking
on March 6, 2009, which Mexico launched its own national version of in April 2010. The campaign
encourages people to show solidarity with human trafficking victims by wearing the blue heart, similar
to how wearing the red ribbon promotes transnational HIV/AIDS awareness.On November 4, 2010,
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of
Trafficking in Persons to provide humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of human trafficking
with the aim of increasing the number of those rescued and supported, and broadening the extent of
assistance they receive
Human Trafficking Case Law Database
To assist countries in meeting their obligations under the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol,
UNODC has developed a reporting system for collecting and disseminating information on human
trafficking prosecutions and convictions.
This case law database intends to enable judges, prosecutors, policy-makers, media, researchers and
other interested parties to take court decisions relating to these instruments into account in dealing
with human trafficking issues, to promote the uniform interpretation and application of these
instruments, to consult on practices in different jurisdictions, and to broaden the knowledge of human
trafficking crimes as well as the realities faced by ordinary people victimized by those who would buy,
sell and exploit them. UNODC invites legal practitioners in all Member States to contribute human
trafficking case law to the database.

Case Study:
Human Trafficking in Eastern Europe
While human trafficking has existed for centuries all over the world, it has become an increasing
concern for countries in Eastern Europe since the fall of Communism. The transition to a market
economy has led to both opportunity and a loss of security for citizens of these countries. Economic
hardship and promises of prosperity have left many Eastern Europeans vulnerable to trafficking within
their countries and to destinations in other parts of Europe and the world. Unique to Eastern Europe are
some of the situations that support trafficking, such as organized crime, and the recruitment strategies
that perpetuate it. While some generalizations can be made, the countries within this region face
different challenges and are at varying stages of compliance with the rules that govern trafficking in
persons.
Causes
The collapse of the Soviet Union has been identified as one of the main contributing factors in
explaining the recent increase in human trafficking in Eastern Europe. It provided both human capital
and new regional opportunities to fuel the expansion.After this period, trafficking victims, primarily
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women, expanded to include more diverse forms, aided by the rise of organized crime, corruption, and
the decline of borders. Porous borders and close proximity to Western Europe have made it easier and
cheaper to transport victims within the region and abroad.
Another factor contributing to the rise in trafficking in Eastern Europe has been militarization and war in
the Balkans. The presence of a large number of foreign men in the Balkans after the war in Yugoslavia
led to the trafficking of thousands of Eastern European girls for commercial sex exploitation.The
connection between military bases and sex work is a well-known phenomenon and soldiers have helped
drive the demand for brothels in this region.
Prevalence
Although all forms of trafficking exist in Eastern Europe, sex trafficking has received the most attention
and exploitation of women in this area has been widely publicized in the media. Between 2003-2004,
85% of the victims that were assisted were victims of sexual exploitation. "The distinctiveness of post-
Soviet and Eastern European trafficking is the speed with which it grew and globalized. There was no
long-existing trade in human beings or established networks to facilitate this business. Instead, the
conditions of the transitional societies created the ideal conditions conducive to trade in human beings.
Now, years after initial transition, all forms of human trafficking are endemic in the region, a result of
poverty, ineffective counter-measures, the frequent collusion of government officials in this trade, and
the rise of criminal entrepreneurship."
Recruitment
Crime groups in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union have achieved success by being flexible and
altering their routes and methods to suit the rapidly changing global market. Previous work experience
and high education levels have enabled traffickers to "produce fraudulent documents, utilize advanced
communications technology, and operate successfully across borders." Their personal connections and
ability to utilize advanced technology has posed a challenge for many governments and law
enforcement agencies seeking to investigate and prosecute traffickers. Also unique to Eastern Europe is
the advanced education of many of the trafficked victims. Although well qualified for employment in
their home countries, victims often seek better opportunities or pay abroad. Many ploys have been used
to recruit more educated victims including marriage and employment agencies, fake modeling agencies,
film production studios, and work and study abroad opportunities. Because legitimate opportunities
exist in these areas, it is often difficult to separate the fraudulent advertisements from the credible
opportunities. These printed advertisements are rarely vetted.
Child trafficking
Child trafficking in Eastern Europe is mostly likely to occur in children younger than twelve (for begging,
theft, and other street crimes) and older than 15 (for commercial sexual exploitation). Cultural taboos
generally prevent the trafficking of young boys for sexual exploitation, however, some cases have been
noted among Romanian children trafficked abroad. Susceptible to trafficking are children with
disabilities and children belonging to specific ethnic minorities, such as the Jevgjit in Albania and the
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Romani People in other parts of the region. A UNICEF report conducted in 2006, noted that children
meeting these criteria were not generally the victims of outside traffickers, but members of their own
community, who sought to generate an income from their sale abroad. This report also highlighted five
common characteristics of children at risk for trafficking in Eastern Europe. These included: children
who suffer domestic violence
children who lack family support and protection (ex. children living in institutions)
children who have dropped out of school
children belonging to ethnic minorities (ex. Roma)
children who have been previously trafficked
Challenges
Although anti-trafficking campaigns over the past few years have led to improvements in some forms of
trafficking, data collection and management has continued to be a problem for countries in Eastern
Europe.Data collection is an important tool for monitoring country and regional trends and its analysis is
often used to shape anti-trafficking policies. It is important to collect data on both the victims and their
traffickers and information on investigation and prosecution rates are often utilized when assessing a
country's performance.
Some of the data collection problems identified in this region are:
The percentage of crimes committed versus those identified, investigated, and prosecuted is not
well understood
Cooperation is needed by a wide variety of actors and reported statistics need to be
standardized across organizations and agencies
A lack of trust between NGOs and the government may prohibit the open sharing of
information, especially if NGOs feel that sharing information about their clients will put either
the victim or the organization at risk
There may be linguistic, cultural, and inter-personal barriers that lead victims to underreport
occurrences
Some incidences of trafficking are investigated as smuggling, prostitution, etc., which keeps
them from being captured in databases
Incidents investigated as trafficking may continue to remain classified as such, even if they are
reclassified as a lesser charge
To address these issues, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, in cooperation with
national governments and NGOs, has begun the process of forming a standardized approach to data
collection and reporting in Eastern Europe.
The Role of NGOs
While there are a multitude of factors that limit the ability of NGOs to respond to trafficking, such as
lack of funding, extensive mandates, and lack of government support, NGOs play a critical supporting
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role for victims in Eastern Europe. Most NGOs, which emerged during the 1990s, initially struggled to
hold their ground against increasingly predatory traffickers.While their success varies from country to
country, NGOs are often credited with stepping in and taking initiative where governments have failed.
Victims are often more likely to trust NGOs because "many trafficked persons fear and distrust state-
based organizations as they frequently enter destination countries illegally, or have had their
documentation removed on arrival.Fear of deportation, being forced to testify, or retaliation by their
traffickers also contribute to their reluctance to approach statutory agencies for support. NGOs have
risen to fill this gap and provide services to victims. Services they offer include:
legal, social, and psychological counseling and reintegration support
education and awareness about the risks of trafficking
informational and statistical support and research lobbying for victims rights
Representative facts

Armenia

Institutional framework
The specific offence of trafficking in persons was established in Armenia in 2003. The new National Plan
of Action on Combating Trafficking in Persons for 2007-2009 was approved in December 2007 and
followed the previous national action plan for 20042006.

Criminal justice response
A special police unit on trafficking and illegal migration under the Department against Organized Crime
was created in 2005. Trafficking in persons and related offences are dealt with chiefly by this
department.

Services provided to victims
State authorities provide legal protections, medical and psychological support, and housing and shelter
services. Local NGOs provide housing and shelter, medical and psychological support,and legal
assistance to victims.

Additional information
All the persons convicted of trafficking in persons in 2005-2006 were Armenian except one, who was a
citizen from another country of the region. The Armenian victims sheltered were repatriated from
Southern Europe, the Middle East and other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Foreign
victims were trafficked and exploited in Armenia.

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Belarus

The specific offence of trafficking in persons was established in Belarus in 1999, and the law was
amended in 2005 to increase the liability for this crime. The specific offence of trafficking in persons is
criminalized by the article 181 of the criminal code. In addition, other articles of the criminal code are
also used to prosecute trafficking cases, namely the offences of exploitation of prostitution and
involvement in the exploitation of prostitution (article 171), the offence of stealing
persons(article182), and illegal actions directed to job placement abroad (article 187). Furthermore,
the articles 173 (the involvement of minor in anti-social behaviour) and article 343 (the diffusion of
pornographic materials) might be used in trafficking in persons cases. A national action plan was
adopted for 2008-2011, following a previous action plan covering 2002-2007.

The Department for Drug Control and Prevention of Trafficking in Persons was established within the
Ministry of the Interior. The department includes a number of special units and operates at the national,
regional and district levels. The following statistics refer to the specific offence of Trafficking in Persons
(article 181) and to the related offences of exploitation of prostitution and involvement in the
exploitation of prostitution (article 171), the offence of stealing persons (article 182), and illegal
actions directed to job placement abroad (article 187).
State authorities provide legal protections, temporary visas, and medical and psychological support.
Local NGOs and international organizations provide housing and shelter, medical and psychological
support, and legal assistance to victims. Victims are identified by State agencies church bodies, NGOs,
international organizations, consular staff and other involved parties, who then refer them to the
relevant organization providing reintegration assistance.

Georgia

The specific offense of trafficking in persons was established in Georgia in 2003, and a new provision
entered into force in June 2007. A national action plan was adopted in 2006.
A Division to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Illegal Migration within the Ministry of the Interior was
established in 2005. A special interagency commission for the coordination of activities against human
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trafficking and efficient implementation of the action plan, headed by the Prosecutor-General of
Georgia, was established by the National Security Council on 1 February 2005.
State authorities provide legal protection, temporary visas, medical and psychological support, and
housing and shelter. Local NGOs provide legal assistance to victims.
Most of the Georgian victims were repatriated from Southern Europe and the Middle East. Eight of
these victims were subjected to internal trafficking. During the reporting period, two shelters were in
place in Georgia for victims of trafficking in persons; one in Western Georgia (Batumi, opened in 2006)
and one in Tbilisi (opened in 2007) that serves Eastern Georgia. Each shelter can accommodate 10
victims. Over the course of 2007, 15 persons were assisted in these shelters, including three children
(whose parents were victims of trafficking); 11 of the victims were Georgian and four were citizens of
other countries in the region.
Moldova
The specific offence of trafficking in persons was established in Moldova in 2001, and the legislation was
amended in 2005 to criminalize all forms of trafficking as listed in Article 3 of the UN Trafficking
Protocol. The amended legislation contemplates a specific provision for trafficking in children. A national
action plan was adopted in 2005.
A special section for combating trafficking in persons was established within the Ministry of the Interior
in 2000. A specific unit on trafficking in persons was created in 2005 within the structure of the Office of
the Prosecutor-General, and the Centre on the Fight against Trafficking in Persons was established in the
same year. The centre is a specialized body of prosecutors, investigators, analysts and support personnel
created to combat trafficking in persons. The total number of police personnel involved in anti-
trafficking activities ranged from 50 to 10 officers in 2007
State authorities provide legal protections, medical and psychosocial support, and housing services.
Local NGOs and international organizations offer housing and shelter, medical and psychosocial support,
and legal assistance to the victims. The Ministry of Family, Youth and Children coordinates victim
identification, reintegration and rehabilitation through multidisciplinary teams consisting of
representatives from different State authorities and NGOs set up in each district
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During the reporting period, about 10 cases of trafficking for the purpose of organ removal were
investigated in Moldova. Most of the victims sheltered by IOM are women and girls. Thirteen men were
sheltered in 2005- 2006.

Turkmenistan

A law on combating trafficking in persons was adopted in Turkmenistan and entered into force in
December 2007, but the law does not specifically establish trafficking in persons as an offence.
Turkmenistan has no specific police unit for combating trafficking in persons, though the State Service
for Registration of Foreigners (SSRF) is the de facto leading agency on combating trafficking in persons.
During the reporting period, no prosecutions and no convictions for trafficking in persons were recorded
in Turkmenistan. One case of sexual exploitation was prosecuted in 2005 and concluded with a
conviction
There is no official referral mechanism in place for victims of trafficking in persons. Between 2003 and
2006, there were no victims of trafficking in persons identified by State authorities. A registered NGO
conducted prevention and sheltering activities for trafficking victims during the reporting period. All
victims sheltered in 2005 and 2006 were adult Turkmen citizens returned from abroad. Four women
were sheltered in 2005, and seven women and one man in 2006. Three of them were trafficked for
forced labour (in 2006) and the remaining were trafficked for sexual exploitation.

Ukraine

The specific offence of trafficking in persons was established in Ukraine in 1998. The criminal code was
emended and in 2001 the new offence of trafficking in persons was established under the article 149 of
the Criminal Code. This article was amended later in 2006. A National Action Plan has been adopted for
the period2007-2010.
The Department for Combating Human Trafficking of the Ministry of the Interior was created in 2005.
Regional branches, divisions and units of the department were established in all regions of Ukraine. The
Page | 17

National Security Service also works closely with the relevant authorities responsible for coordinating
anti-trafficking activities in Ukraine.
State authorities provide legal protection, medical and psychological support, and housing and shelter.
Local NGOs and international organizations provide housing and shelter, medical and psychological
support, and legal assistance to victims. In addition, h o u s ing allowances,microenterprisegrants,
educational grants, vocational training and physical therapy also are provided by the State and NGOs as
well as IOM (International Organization on Migration).

Uzbekistan

The specific offence of trafficking in persons was established in Uzbekistan in April 2008. Prior to that
law, Article 135 of the criminal code (1994) provided criminal liability for the recruitment of persons for
the purpose of sexual or other exploitation. In early 2008, a draft plan of action to combat trafficking in
persons was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval.

The Special Unit to Combat the Illegal Recruitment and Exploitation of Persons was established in April
2004 within the Ministry of the Interior, with branches set up at the regional and local levels nationwide.
Since its establishment, a total of 118 certified officers have worked for the unit and its branches. A
special unit also exists within the Ministry of the Interior for the prevention of offences related to the
recruitment of persons for the purposes of exploitation and offences against morality, with branches at
the regional and local levels. The total number of officers working for this unit and its branches is 154.
The following statistics refer to the offence of recruitment of persons for the purpose of sexual or other
exploitation.
State authorities provide legal protection for victims of trafficking in persons. Local NGOs and
international organizations provide legal assistance, housing and shelter, and medical and psychosocial
support.

Past UN Actions:
Various resolutions were passed on the issue of Human Trafficking, such as resolution 55/25 of 15
November 2000, 58/137 of 22 December 2003, and 59/166 of 20 December 2004. These are a few to
Page | 18

name that have the purpose of quelling the threat of trafficking. In addition, two certain protocols have
been adopted as international law; the Palermo Protocols. Also, other protocols have been established
that can help the situation improve, such as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of
the Children on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, however, this particular
protocol has not been ratified or acceded by the majority of countries in the committee in question. The
most noteworthy action by the UN, in regards to trafficking, is the adaptation of the Palermo Protocols.
The protocols are two supplements of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime, which was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 of 15 November 2000. However,
countries must become parties of the actual convention before they can become parties\signatories to
either of the protocols.
The first protocol is the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially
Women and Children; it was put into force on 23 December 2003. This protocol in particular has the
status of being the first global legally binding instrument with an agreed meaning on trafficking in
persons. The focus of this protocol is to form uniformity in national approaches in investigating and
prosecuting trafficking in persons cases. Another focus of the protocol is the protection and assisting of
victims of trafficking with full awareness of their human rights.
The second protocol is the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air, which
entered into force on 28 January 2004. For the first time in a global international instrument, a
definition of smuggling of migrants was made and agreed upon; a major achievement of the Protocol.
The focus of the protocol is to stop and fight the smuggling of migrants, promoting cooperation among
States parties, and protecting the rights of smuggled migrants while preventing the worst forms of their
exploitation.
Proposed Solutions:
As for solutions, three practices address/relieve the problem of human trafficking. These practices are
prevention, protection, and prosecution. Prevention here means the prevention of victims and
trafficking crimes. That is, as many women empowerment groups and other groups to combat human
trafficking prevent this act by such involvement in awareness campaigns that also grabs the attention
here to need of rights and responsibilities for those victims. This brings the issue of raising awareness
among potential victims. What to be aware about is the tactics criminal groups use to coerce and traffic
people, the risks of trafficking, what people can do to protect themselves against criminal groups, what
the rights of potential victims are elsewhere, and how people can get help. Another method of
prevention is to focus on the perpetrators, such as providing more employment opportunities.
Protection focuses on the victims of trafficking, while prosecution focuses on the offenders. To apply
protection, one must know how to protect the victim, where to have them protected, have full
awareness of their human rights, and full awareness of the laws of the country where the crime is being
committed. However, prosecution may be slightly more difficult. A big majority of human trafficking
cases go unreported and offenders remain at large. Also, local law enforcement may be corrupt,
meaning that they may be involved in the illegal exporting or importing of humans. However, if
Page | 19

prosecution can deal with all the complications of the situation, then prosecution is an excellent way to
solve the problem!

Questions a Resolution Must Answer (QARMA)
What is Human Trafficking and what causes it?

What is the magnitude of the situation? How can it be quelled\stopped\reduced?

Is the definition of human trafficking set forth by the United Nations sufficient for understanding
Human Trafficking as a Human rights violation?

What are the role and response of the countries that victims of human trafficking are
transported?

What should countries do to perpetrators?

What is the role of international bodies like the UN in terms of understanding the effects of
Human Trafficking and determining how to combat it?

What are the barriers facing states combating human trafficking? What can be done on the
regional and sub-regional level to alleviate such barriers?

How is Human Trafficking related to Contemporary Slavery? Are all Trafficked Persons
considered slaves?

Other than being a human rights violation, what other dangers result from human and sex
trafficking concern the international community?

What can and what should the global international, regional, and transnational organization do
to help fighting human trafficking?

REFERENCES
1. http://www.un.org/en/
2. http://www.unodc.org/
3. http://www.interpol.int/
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4. https://exploitedchildren.eu/
5. http://www.ilo.org/sapfl/lang--en/index.htm
6. http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/HT-globalpatterns-en.pdf
7. http://www.human-trafficking-research.org/
8. http://www.dmoz.org/Society/People/Women/Women%27s_Rights/Anti_Trafficking/
9. http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/20601/
10. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/index.html

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