The 24th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, organized by the OSCE, took place on April 15th and 16th in Vienna. On behalf of the Order of Malta, the Conference was attended by:
- H.E. Ambassador Prof. Dr. Michel VEUTHEY
Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to monitor and combat trafficking in persons, Head of Delegation
- Dott. Emanuele G. A. PILUSO
Advisor to the Ambassador and Attaché on Human Trafficking - Mr. Yannick GALEAZZI
First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
The Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference is an annual gathering of key stakeholders from across the OSCE region that aims to raise the political profile of the fight against trafficking in human beings and discuss emerging topics and trends in the area. The Alliance supports OSCE participating States in developing a harmonized approach to combat trafficking that seeks to protect human rights, security, the rule of law, and good governance.
The 24th Alliance Conference Against Trafficking in Persons convened in Hofburg, Vienna, Austria, on April 15th and 16th, 2024. Under the theme “Beyond Awareness-Raising: Reshaping Human Trafficking Prevention,” the conference aimed to delve deeper into effective strategies to combat human trafficking by targeting vulnerabilities, bridging gaps in prevention efforts, and shaping future prevention policies and practices.
The two-day conference consisted of three panels, a moderator-led talk and several side-events :
- Panel 1: Targeting vulnerabilities and overlooked forms of human trafficking
The first panel emphasized the imperative of comprehensively understanding the diverse vulnerabilities within the human trafficking landscape. Discussions centered on recognizing the intersectionality of gender, social, and economic inequalities that contribute to trafficking crimes. Experts from OSCE participating States, civil society, and international organizations analyzed overlooked forms of trafficking and the methods traffickers employ to exploit vulnerabilities.
- Panel 2: Bridging gaps for more impactful prevention
Panelists highlighted the importance of adopting a data-driven approach to prevention strategies, with a focus on promoting evidence-based practices and safety measures in the digital realm. The discussion explored proactive responses to emerging trends and the necessity of targeting financial flows to strengthen prevention efforts across national authorities, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
- Moderator-led talk: Up close on prevention
The moderator-led talk delved into the intersection of human trafficking with other crimes and the challenges this presents to current anti-trafficking responses. Panelists engaged in interactive discussions to explore public health approaches to prevention and highlight promising practices addressing underlying causes of trafficking, such as stereotypes, social behaviors, and norms.
- Panel 3: Beyond awareness-raising: Reshaping prevention for the future
The final panel focused on forging impactful measures to prevent human trafficking in all its forms and preempting emerging trends. Panelists offered actionable recommendations to shape impact-driven prevention policies and practices, emphasizing structural government-led efforts, evidence-based measures, impact journalism, and comprehensive policy and law development. Discussions also highlighted the importance of empowering vulnerable groups and fostering cooperation to tackle evolving forms of trafficking.
Overall, the conference provided a valuable platform for stakeholders to exchange insights, best practices, and recommendations, advancing efforts to reshape human trafficking prevention strategies towards greater effectiveness and comprehensiveness. Furthermpre, the Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons was attended by 475 representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States and 11 Partners for Cooperation, major international organizations and NGOs which are partners in the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, as well as civil society, media, the private sector, faith-based organizations, academia and relevant professional networks of national anti- trafficking practitioners.
Here you can access to the full recorded Conference:
