Trafficking in human beings has different forms, regarding the real dimension only estimates exists. Although there are different forms of trafficking in human beings anti-trafficking work was focused on trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the last years. Other forms of trafficking in human beings, especially trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, attract attention only lately. Different forms of trafficking in human beings require different and adapted measures against it. All measures need to follow a comprehensive approach. This allows combining prosecution, prevention of trafficking in human beings as well as the protection and strengthening of victim’s rights.
Trafficking in human beings forms a human rights violation; consequently efforts against trafficking in human beings are required which put the human rights of trafficked persons at the centre. The BIM’s research focuses on the protection of the human rights of victims in all measures and strategies against trafficking in human beings. This encompasses analysis of legal and political measures at international, European and national level. BIM’s activities further contain publications, especially regarding child trafficking, trainings and presentations as well as networking at national and European level.
On the occasion of a special election of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings of the Council of Europe (GRETA) the Austrian government nominated two BIM experts (Julia Planitzer, Helmut Sax) for this function. Finally, Helmut Sax was elected in December 2010 for a term of four years.
In cooperation with ECPAT Austria and LexisNexis, the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights elaborated two expert opinions on questions concerning assistance to and identification of victims of child trafficking as well as concerning the criminal responsibility of perpetrators.
Main goal of this project is to tailor the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ('Ruggie-Guidelines') for the context of Human Trafficking. The guidelines should be implemented in three different sectors: agriculture, construction and the hospitality-sector.
On the occasion of the European Union Anti-Trafficking-Day, the Austrian National Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking organized a conference on October 5th, 2012 in Vienna.
Event of the Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking (established by the Austrian Federal Government, coordinated by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs) on the occasion of the EU-Anti-Trafficking-Day
In the first issue of the 'Anti-Trafficking Review' an article by BIM-researcher Julia Planitzer is published.
Julia Planitzer reviews in her contribution the monitoring of implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings of the OSCE, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, will analyse in an comprehensive study the links between trafficking in human beings and torture. The legal analysis of existing links between trafficking in human beings and torture is conducted by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights.