Finland hosts a NATO/EAPC seminar on combating trafficking in human beings
Press release 64/2005
24 February, 2005
Finland will host a NATO/EAPC seminar to be held in Helsinki on 3-4 March titled "Avoiding military involvement in trafficking in human beings: best practices from the field". The objective of the seminar is to discuss training of staff who work in crisis management and creation of regulations used by military forces to avoid involvement in trafficking in human beings.
The NATO/EAPC summit in Istanbul last year adopted a NATO Policy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. The policy includes a framework for the training of personnel on how to combat trafficking in human beings and regulations for military forces in NATO-led operations to avoid involvement in trafficking. The overall objective of the training is to raise the awareness and know-how of military and civilian personnel working in operations to recognise human trafficking and inform them about the consequences of criminal offences related to human trafficking.
The seminar is a joint effort by the Finnish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence and its overall aim is to look into the best practices of combating trafficking in human beings from the perspective of individuals and states. Experts from international organisations and NGOs will also participate.
Further information: on seminar arrangements Counsellor Pirjo Tulokas, Unit for Security Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5322, and Adviser Janne Kuusela, International Defence Policy Unit, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8131; on media relations Director General Yrjö Länsipuro, Department for Communication and Culture, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5800; and on Finnish human rights policy Director Johanna Suurpää, Unit for Human Rights Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6551