Delegation from Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) pays visit to High Commissioner

Delegation from Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) pays visit to High Commissioner

28 January 2019

The Council of Europe’s Warsaw Convention, ratified in 2015, seeks to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, and to protect the rights of victims subject to various kinds of exploitation. 

As part of the first and second joint evaluation rounds reviewing Monaco’s implementation of this Convention, a delegation from the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) visited the Principality from 28 to 31 January 2019.

The GRETA delegation carries out its work by conducting interviews with relevant stakeholders on this issue, and was keen to talk to the Office of the High Commissioner, an independent institution for the protection of rights and liberties in Monaco and, as such, a key interlocutor for international human rights bodies.

Following a general presentation about the role and activities of the High Commissioner since the post was established in 2014, Anne Eastwood and her team answered questions from the delegation.

The discussions covered a range of subjects falling under the competence of GRETA, including systemic risk factors that have been identified, mechanisms that will help to detect potential victims of trafficking and offer them support, and specific opportunities for the High Commissioner to intervene in this area.

While emphasising the importance of introducing a national coordination mechanism for human trafficking, the evaluators welcomed the quality of the actual cooperation that had been established between the various organisations involved, including civil society organisations that support victims.

More generally, the delegation expressed its hope that Monaco would introduce a formal mechanism to prevent and combat human trafficking, and called for an independent national rapporteur, responsible for monitoring action in this area, to be appointed.