ODIHR facilitates discussion on National Referral Mechanisms for victims of trafficking in Central Asia

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organized a roundtable for Central Asian experts responsible for developing and implementing national anti-trafficking policies on 21 and 22 May in Istanbul.

The event, “Building National Referral Mechanisms: Gaps, Analysis and Good Practices”, gathered representatives of government institutions and non-governmental organizations, as well as international experts to share their experiences and identify possible gaps in the development of National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) for victims of trafficking. NRMs are co-operative frameworks through which states fulfil their obligations to protect and promote the human rights of trafficked persons, co-ordinating their efforts in a strategic partnership with civil society.

“Efforts to combat trafficking must have human rights at their core, and NRMs can play an important role in ensuring that trafficked persons have their human rights fully protected,” said Omer Fisher, Deputy Head of ODIHR’s Human Rights Department.   

The two-day event is part of a three-year project called “Protection for Trafficked Persons and Vulnerable Groups in Central Asia”, launched in July 2012. The roundtable covered legislative aspects, as well as the role that social institutions, law-enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations play in NRMs.