Law enforcement is not enough
[ Interview with Iva Zajmi ]
Why has human trafficking reached epidemic proportions worldwide over the past decade?
The issue of “trafficking” in human beings emerged as a global problem in the late 1980s, as a reaction to the political changes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. There is no single, specific cause. In every affected country, economic, social and political factors play roles. Moreover, there is a supply side – the trafficked victims – as well as a demand side, including traffickers, violent “employers” and sexual exploiters. There are several reasons why people become victims. The causes are intermeshed and tend to reinforce one another, including poverty, lack of education, lack of awareness, hope for a better future in the west and so on. And we should not forget that it is a similar sense of desperation that drives many of the traffickers into this awful business.
Last year, the United Nation’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published a report called “Trafficking in persons”. This document ranks Albania “very high” as origin and transit country.
Well, our official numbers for 2006 speak a somewhat different language. Albania is no longer a country of transit – nor of destination, for that matter. But it still is a country of origin, and the majority of victims are women and children. Their sexual exploitation is still common. We understand that more needs to be done to improve data collection and analysis, and solid steps have been taken in this respect. All relevant agencies in Albania are now required to report on a monthly basis. Last month, an official database was configured, drawing on information from the police, consular services abroad and social agencies that take care of trafficking victims in the countries of destination. This database and its updates will provide a more reliable picture and help to design policy.
What measures has the government taken so far?
In November 2005, it established the Office of the National Coordinator in the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings. As deputy minister of interior, I am its head. The Office is supported by an Anti-trafficking Unit, which was established at the Ministry of Interior one month later. We have an official National Strategy that not only obliges other ministries – such as those of justice, social services, foreign affairs and education – to cooperate closely, but also makes sure that the non-governmental organisations active in the field are adequately involved.
Is it important to involve NGOs?
Yes, definitely so. The National Strategy strives for prosecuting culprits, preventing crime and protecting the innocent. NGOs are essential for doing so. The government is focusing on investigation and prosecution of related crimes, as well as on protecting witnesses and potential victims, and on reintegrating persons who have fallen victim. We are making the public aware of the dangers and improving educational and economic opportunities for vulnerable people. The conditions that drive trafficking must be dealt with.
You can’t be doing everything at once...
Last year, the main effort was to establish referral structures for victims of trafficking at the national and local levels, to better manage Albania’s borders in order to control illegal migration, and to get a grip on internal trafficking of children and women, which seems to be a growing challenge. Moreover, we improved victim identification and protection, by intensifying prevention and raising awareness among social-sector personnel. We really took important steps in 2006.
Please give some examples.
Well, in October, a “help line” became operational. It is a country-wide, toll-free telephone line for denouncing cases of trafficking. It helps the government to assist people all over the country.
In June, we established Regional Anti-trafficking Committees. They comprise staff from the police, social services, education and health institutions, local government and other relevant actors. The committees will play an important role in assessing vulnerable social and economic groups.
In May, our parliament ratified an agreement with Greece on protecting children and assisting child victims of trafficking. We expect similar agreements with other countries to follow; negotiations with Italy have already started.
What tangible results are there so far?
The number of arrests has increased. Local actors have become more proactive. All authorities are now aware of the problem and cooperating closely. A provision against forced-labour exploitation of children has been included in the penal code. It will be accompanied by a new socio-educational package of assistance for these children and their families, provide employment, education and other kinds of aid. My office has also proposed another amendment to the penal code, introducing the new crime of cross-border smuggling of human beings. The proposal has been approved by the Council of Ministers.
What role does training play in the fight against human trafficking?
Experience in the past years has taught our law-enforcement agencies to do their job better, but learning is always useful. Last year, training sessions taught police officers throughout the country how to give legal and psychological assistance to child victims, witnesses or those at risk of trafficking. And close interaction of judges with the police has improved the way they investigate cases.
What else are you planning to do?
We cannot confine our efforts to more arrests and tougher prosecution. We have to take preventive measures to eradicate the root causes. Therefore, we have initiated a campaign with the Ministry of Tourism to make sure that tourism agencies prohibit the sexual exploitation of women and children on their premises. We will also improve our cooperation with neighbouring countries – as well as with destination countries like Germany or the United Kingdom.
In rich countries, many blame trafficking problems on transition countries. But Western Europe is one of the main regions of destination – what is the responsibility of governments there?
A lot has already been done, but good communication and good coordination among authorities from different countries remain crucial. Western governments must stay in contact with their counterparts in the countries trafficking victims come from. Police and prosecutors must cooperate across borders. Moreover, it would make sense to run mutual campaigns to raise awareness among citizens and immigrants, spelling out clearly what the destiny of irregular migrants and trafficked victims, who are exploited sexually or as forced labour, is like. In any case, it is very important that western governments help us to sustain our efforts. There should be a partnership based on the shared interest of putting an end to human trafficking.
You are known to be a strong supporter of European integration. Albania is striving for full membership of the European Union and has recently signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. How does all that relate to questions of human trafficking?
Our association with the EU requires a multitude of deep reforms, aiming to improve, at the root, our economic and social conditions. Accordingly, the process of EU association also relates to combating trafficking in human beings. As I said earlier, the phenomenon is linked to economic, social and political realities at the national, international and global level. As living standards improve, trafficking goes down. On top of that, association with the EU will enhance possibilities of regular migration while, at the same time, the movement of people will be better monitored and controlled.
You have participated in an InWEnt training programme, how did that influence your career?
The programme was an opportunity to expand my understanding of European integration in both theoretical and practical terms. In my current position, European integration is a driving force. It has a lot to do with where reforms we want to undertake should lead to. We want to contribute to stability and to steady development of our country and our region in the political, economic and social sense.
Where do you see Albania and the issue of trafficking in human beings in ten years?
I think the more Albania becomes able to produce stability and fight crime, the closer our ties with our neighbouring countries and the EU will get. The economy will grow, and Albania will become an accepted partner of the EU and the international community in general. In ten years, there will certainly be more options for legal migration. As for human trafficking, only a multidisciplinary approach is promising if we want to tackle the causes and not just the symptoms. The factors that drive this kind of crime are manifold, complexly interwoven and often mutually reinforcing. Law enforcement alone will not solve the problem, it has to go along with economic and social progress. And that is what we want to accomplish during this period.
Questions by Klaus Althoff, InWEnt.