There are more than 800.000 people living in Europe as slaves at the moment. Trafficking of human beings for either sexual exploitation or forced labour is booming business worldwide. Its estimated total profits are on the same level as the illegal drugs trade. European countries and international institutions recognize the urgency of the problem and has tried to respond with policy and legislative instruments. However, since 2004 internal trafficking of human beings in Europe appears to be on the rise. Who are these slaves? Do we have an adequate understanding of the problem? What is being done in for example the Netherlands to protect them? Who are the traffickers, and how do businesses and ordinary citizens become complicit in this crime? With international and local speakers from policy and practice we look at the main concerns and dilemma’s facing the fight against modern-day slavery.
About the speaker and programme
The public can take part in the discussion with Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen (National Rapporteur Human Trafficking), Maria Grazia Giammarinaro (former OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and currently a Judge in the Criminal Court of Rome), Aurélie Hauchere Vuong (ILO Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour), Jerrol Marten (Coordinator of CoMensha) and other representatives from civil society organizations and government in the Netherlands.