Actions in Norway - achievements and obstacles Birgitte Ellefsen Senior Adviser Organised Crime Section National Police Directorate in Norway

Background information Norway  Ratified the Palermo protocol in 2003  Will ratify the European Convention November 2007  Will criminalize the buying of sexual services in 2008  3 National Action Plans, the latest from  From wondering if we might have a few women victims of trafficking in sexual exploitation  To knowing that we have large numbers of women, men and children victims of sexual exploitation, forced labour, organized begging etc

How many identified as victims?  Authorities and NGOs report on approximately 150 persons identified as victims during 2007 (jan-sept). Reports come from:  Police  Immigration authorities  Health service  Child care service  NGOs  Under-estimations due to hidden numbers must be considered!

How many criminal cases on human trafficking? Final verdict = 2 1.Oslo 2003: Georgian criminal network – women from Russia and Lithuania 2.Trondheim 2004: Estonian/Norwegian network – Estonian girls Process in court = 6 1.Trondheim 2006: Albanian/Norwegian network – Albanian women 2.Norway/Stockholm 2006 – Kripos: Chinese network – Chinese children 3.Norway/Czech Republic Op Kerimo – Czech network – Czech women 4.Oslo 2007: Norwegian network – Thai boys 5.Bergen 2007: Norwegian/Swedish/Thai network – Thai women 6.Bergen 2007: Rumanian network – Rumanian women Under investigation = case in Trondheim 2.3 cases in Oslo 3.1 case in Kristiansand 4.1 case in Stavanger 5.Chinese children – Bergen, Stavanger, Romerike Total numbers of verified victims in these cases = 87 (+ many more identified victims that have been offered, but have not accepted assistance and protection)

Challenge: Co-operation and co-ordination Lack of co-operation and co-ordination results in:  Inefficient identification of victims  Inefficient use of resources in the police’s work with collecting evidence  Inefficient use of resources in the authorities work with assisting and protecting victims  Inefficient assistance and protection for victims

Achievement : ROSA project – coordinating assistance and safe housing IOM project – safe return for victims of trafficking Save The Children HVISK project – national hotline for children victims of trafficking Coordination Unit for Assistance and Protection for Victims of Human Trafficking

National strategy for better cooperation and coordination Inter-Ministerial group Head: Ministry of Justice and the Police Government National Coordination Unit - KOM Project manager: National Police Directorate Project-groupReference-group Police ROSA Prosecutors NGOs Immigration authorities Labour union Social authoritiesEmployers agencies Health authoritiesWelfare projects Labour authorities Child welfare authorities Local Units

Challenge: Identifying the victims The police are dependent of organisations, welfare services, unions, employers agencies, neighbours etc. in identifying victims It is crucial that relevant players have knowledge and are competent to recognise the indicators of human trafficking 3. Victims verified by the authorities 2. Identified victims 1. Invisible victims

Identification Verification  Person him/herself  Lawyer  Authorities  NGOs = Rights to Reflection period, protection and assistance + voluntary safe return  Police – Criminal law  Immigration authorities – Alien law  Child care authorities – child care law = Rights to prolonged/permanent work permit, full rights to social- and health services, victim compensation

National Coordination Unit will produce  Indicator-lists; gender-, age- and profession-specific  Guidelines for identifications  National system for identification, report and monitoring

Challenges for the future  Motivate the victims for cooperation with the police  Motivate the victims to apply for voluntary safe return to home country  Secure exit strategies and sustainable rehabilitation for the victims  Go from short term solutions (projects) to permanent structures on a national level