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Fighting Human Trafficking in Conflict: 10 Ideas for Action by the UN Security Council

On 8 September 2016 the Workshop Launch Report was given at UN Headquarters in New York under the sponsorship of United Nations University (UNU), Thomson Reuters, the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and the Grace Farms Foundation. Moderated by Richard Lui, journalist and anchor for MSNBC and NBC News, the launch included a screening of “Fighting Human Trafficking in Conflict: 10 Ideas for Action” and a panel discussion including Dr. James Cockayne, Head of Office at the UN for UNU; H.E. Mr. Christian Wenaweser, Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the UN in New York; H.E. Mr. Martin Shearman, CBE, British Permanent Representative to the UN; Mr. Warrick Beaver, Director for Thomson Reuters Customer & Third Party Risk; and Ms. Krishna R. Patel, General Counsel and Justice Initiative Director at Grace Farms Foundation and former Assistant U.S. Attorney.

In brief, the ten ideas for action of the UN Security Council (UNSC) can be summarized as follows:

Adopt a framework for future action

  • Ask the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative on Trafficking in Persons in Conflict and to issue an annual report to the UNSC
  • Discuss the content of the annual report in an annual Open Debate

Denunciation and accountability

  • Promote and enforce existing norms
  • Encourage the active discussion of trafficking in persons in conflict in the UNSC and beyond

Disruption

  • Data-sharing by relevant public- and private-sector actors
  • Monitoring the presence and impact of human trafficking in persons in armed conflict
  • Sanctions and other mechanisms to disrupt human trafficking in conflict
  • Due diligence by the private sector in line with the corporate Responsibility to Respect human rights reflected in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Protection

  • Strengthen UN field capabilities
  • Encourage actions by Member States

The report, video, and French-language materials can be found online at http://unu.edu/fighting-human-trafficking-in-conflict.

-Brian K. Muzás

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