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 International Working Group against Trafficking in Human Beings.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia transformed from a rather closed society to one of the world’s largest centers for entry and exit of migrants. While Russia’s transitional period has provided greater liberties and openness for many, adverse social consequences such as trafficking have become more salient. Russia has been a major origin, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation between numerous countries within Europe and the CIS, the Gulf State and North America. Russia has also increasingly become a transit and destination country for labour trafficking, mainly within the former Soviet Union boundaries
The UN views the problem of trafficking in human beings as serious and requiring attention at all levels: in the Government, the civil society and nationwide. It recognizes both the complexity and the sensitivity of the problem as well as its cross-border nature, inevitably making it subject to international attention.
As a means of strengthening understanding, coordination and collaboration on efforts addressing trafficking issues, the International Working Group against Trafficking in Human Beings was first established as the UN/IOM Working Group in March 2004 and was expanded to other key international organizations and bilaterals in March 2006. Participation of UN agencies includes ILO, UNFPA, UNODC, UNDP and UNICEF, which is currently the group’s chair agency.
Acting as a coordinating body for international agencies and donors, the group’s principal goal is to provide support to Government in its anti-trafficking efforts. Specifically, the role of the group is to serve as a forum for:
- harmonizing anti-trafficking actions by these agencies, exploring opportunities for greater collaboration among these agencies and establishing an advocacy message by these agencies regarding trafficking responses;
- providing guidance and technical expertise in coordinated initiatives amongst these agencies; and
- Interacting in a cohesive manner with key stakeholders and partners at the national and federal levels.
International Conventions Documents
International Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families” (format doc)
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (format pdf)
Optional Protocol to the CRC on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (format pdf)
"Human Trafficking in the Russian Federation"
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