Approval for the national action plan against human trafficking
Press release 254/2005
25 August, 2005
The Government in its general session on 25 August approved the national action plan against human trafficking. The action plan is the first ever proposal for comprehensive measures to combat human trafficking in Finland.
The national plan now approved is based on the final report compiled by the working group appointed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and submitted to Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja in spring 2005.
A central precondition of the action plan, drawn up from the human rights perspective, is rapid identification of and assistance for victims. Identification of victims will be promoted by educating authorities and civil society actors. By increasing public awareness about human trafficking, people will be better able to recognise the possible existence of human trafficking in Finland. An additional goal is to curb demand. Prosecution of those guilty of human trafficking, too, is a significant goal.
Victims of human trafficking should be provided with services meeting their individual needs. Activities require cooperation between authorities and civil society organisations. Assistance for victims of human trafficking should be given, to the extent possible, by means of existing services. A fundamental difference in service-provision arises with regard to whether or not the victim holds a residence permit for Finland. Services for residence permit holders are provided by the municipality where they live, while those without a residence permit are not entitled to municipal services, with the exception of urgent medical care. A provision concerning the granting of a residence permit to victims of human trafficking is being added to the Aliens’ Act.
In its report the working group proposed that the national action plan would be monitored by a chairmanship that would alternate between two ministries, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of the Interior. Political discussions held during summer, however, led to the conclusion that the Ministry of Labour will take on responsibility for the scheme of services to assist victims of human trafficking. The Ministry of Labour will also direct implementation of the national action plan, together with the Ministry of the Interior.
In further work the Ministry of Labour will determine the details of the service scheme and the arising financial needs. Each ministry bearing responsibility, however, sees to implementation of measures falling within its own sphere of jurisdiction.
Proposed implementation of the national action plan will be circulated widely for comments during autumn. After this, efforts to combat human trafficking will continue in the working group appointed to follow-up implementation of the national action plan.
Additional information: Johanna Suurpää, Head of Unit, Unit for Human Rights Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel.+358 9 160 56551, or Director Mervi Virtanen, Immigration Policy, Ministry of Labour, tel. +358 9 160 48020.
Composition of the working group
In its human rights policy report to the Finnish Parliament on 31 March 2004, the Government undertook to draw up a national action plan against human trafficking. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs on 26 August 2004 appointed a working group charged with compiling a proposal for an action plan against human trafficking, to be submitted to the Government. The working group submitted its final report to Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on 31 March 2005.
The working group had the following composition:
Chair:
Johanna Suurpää, Head of Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Members:
Mia Spolander, Senior Officer, Legislative Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs , until 31 December 2004
Camilla Busck-Nielsen, Senior Officer, Legislative Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, from 1 January 2005
Liisa Männistö, Special Adviser, Ministry of Education
Mielikki Tenhunen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Labour
Olavi Parvikko, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Anne Hujala, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Tuomo Kurri, Ministerial Advisor, Ministry of the Interior
Ilkka Herranen, Major, Frontier Guard Headquarters
Mikko Lampikoski, Chief Superintendent of Provincial Police, Ministry of the Interior
Jukka Lindstedt, Counsellor of Legislation, Ministry of Justice, until 30 October 2004
Janne Kanerva, Counsellor of Legislation, Ministry of Justice, from 1 November 2004
Jaakko Sonck, Detective Superintendent, National Bureau of Investigation
Jaana Kauppinen, Executive Director, Pro-tukipiste ry
Reet Nurmi, Executive Director, Monika-naiset liitto ry
Kevät Nousiainen, Academy Professor, University of Helsinki
Researcher Venla Pärssinen from the University of Turku and Janina Hasenson, Senior Officer, Legislative Affairs from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs were the working group secretaries.