CMNT_TITLE

The Committee has noted a communication dated 2 September 2002 of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) submitting comments on the observance of the Convention, a copy of which has been forwarded to the Government on 2 October 2002 for any comments it might wish to make on the matters raised therein.

The communication of the ICFTU concerns the problem of trafficking of persons for sexual and labour exploitation. While pointing out that there are no accurate statistics, the ICFTU alleges that there is little doubt that thousands of persons are trafficked from the Russian Federation to other countries, including Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Spain, Thailand and the United States. It is also alleged that internal trafficking within the Russian Federation is taking place; women are generally forced to work as prostitutes while men are trafficked into agricultural or construction work. There are also said to be confirmed cases of children being trafficked for sexual exploitation.

The ICFTU refers to allegations that organized criminal gangs operate through false employment agencies offering good jobs abroad, and that women, who make up 63 per cent of the registered unemployed, are particularly vulnerable to these offers. On arrival, their papers are taken away and traffickers use coercion and violence to control them. The victims often find themselves in debt bondage as they owe the traffickers recruitment and transport costs which are then inflated with charges for food, accommodation and interest on the debt.

The ICFTU indicates that there is currently no specific law against trafficking in the Russian Federation. Traffickers are most often prosecuted for document fraud, if at all. It is pointed out that widespread corruption, lack of resources, and a lack of understanding of trafficking issues mean law enforcement agencies rarely investigate cases. The ICFTU notes that law enforcement authorities are said to have acknowledged that they rarely open a case following such complaints because often no domestic laws were broken, and because law enforcement authorities are evaluated according to the number of cases they close.

In its communication the ICFTU refers to figures from Russian consulates showing that only very small numbers of victims of trafficking seek assistance from government officials, and to information which appears to indicate that only a very limited number of consular officials are aware of and receptive to the problems faced by trafficked women. The ICFTU also points out that for those women and men who manage to escape and return to the Russian Federation, there is limited support available to them. It indicates that there is no direct government assistance available to victims in the form of counselling, medical assistance, or training, despite their having endured mental and physical abuse.

The ICFTU considers that the absence of specific anti-trafficking legislation and the lack of specialized training in law enforcement are serious impediments to preventing people from being subjected to trafficking and forced labour, and that the lack of adequate resources available for providing support and assistance to victims who have returned to the Russian Federation leaves them vulnerable to being re-trafficked.

The Committee requests the Government to present its comments on the allegations made by the ICFTU.