Struggle against sexual slavery
According to the 2006 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, about four million people around the world fall victim to trafficking every year, of which around 80 % involves trading in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The overwhelming majority of them are women and children. Different international organisations warn for an increase of human trafficking in connection with the global financial crisis. Finland signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings on 29 August 2006. The purpose of the Convention is to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, also taking gender equality aspects into consideration. The Parties are obligated to take different steps to intensify the prevention and combatting of human trafficking. For example, they must arrange awareness-raising and education campaigns as well as research and information. Furthermore, the Parties commit themselves to various measures to discourage the demand for services of victims of trafficking. The Convention also encourages cooperation with civil society. The Åland Islands Peace Institute has been involved in trafficking prevention activities mainly in Lithuania, Belarus and the Kaliningrad region. Cooperation with the partners in Latvia was initiated in 2009. The Nordic girl group and boy […]