Pernyataan oleh Perwakilan Khusus OSCE untuk Memerangi Perdagangan Manusia, Perlunya Memperkuat Upaya Anti-Perdagangan Manusia di Masa Krisis

    Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings,                                                        Vienna, 3 October 2019. (OSCE/Ghada Hazim)

VIENNA, 3 April 2020 - Valiant Richey, Perwakilan Khusus OSCE dan Koordinator untuk Memerangi Perdagangan Manusia, hari ini mengeluarkan pernyataan berikut, berkoordinasi dengan Ketua OSCE Albania, kepada Negara-negara peserta OSCE pada pandemi COVID-19. Dia mendesak bahwa, “justru ketika komunitas global kita dikejutkan oleh krisis sebesar ini, kewajiban kita untuk memerangi eksploitasi orang-orang rentan menjadi sangat akut”. Pernyataan lengkapnya berbunyi:

“Dengan penyebaran COVID-19, dunia menghadapi ancaman yang belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya terhadap kesehatan masyarakat, yang, pada gilirannya, menimbulkan tantangan luar biasa terhadap kohesi ekonomi dan sosial dari semua komunitas kita. Dalam perang melawan musuh bersama ini, banyak pemerintah telah mengambil langkah-langkah pencegahan yang kuat, sering kali dikombinasikan dengan intervensi publik yang bertujuan mengurangi beberapa kerugian ekonomi yang dihasilkan oleh tindakan-tindakan tersebut.

Meskipun ancaman COVID-19 bersifat universal, konsekuensi negatif dari krisis ini akan secara tidak proporsional dipikul oleh yang paling rentan dalam masyarakat kita. Pertama, para korban perdagangan manusia menghadapi bahaya luar biasa karena sistem eksploitasi yang mengakar kacau balau dan pelaku perdagangan berusaha mempertahankan pendapatan mereka melalui kekerasan yang lebih besar atau bentuk eksploitasi baru. Sementara itu, akses ke tempat penampungan dan struktur pendukung lainnya semakin terbatas pada saat kebutuhan paling besar. Kedua, ketika sumber daya tertarik untuk mengatasi masalah kesehatan masyarakat, perhatian dialihkan dari menghalangi pelaku kriminal, dan orang-orang yang rentan yang hidup dalam keadaan genting sekarang berada pada risiko yang lebih besar untuk terseret ke dalam situasi eksploitatif.

The consequences of the current crisis on victims are far-reaching. Trafficking for sexual exploitation is increasingly moving online where traffickers can keep their revenue intact and enhance the isolation of and control over victims, particularly women and girls, who comprise 94% of the victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Children, at a time of school closures and potentially more hours spent online, face a greater risk of online grooming. Victims of forced labour find themselves with even fewer options for survival and less legal protection. In the case of trafficking for organ removal, one of the darkest and least addressed forms of trafficking, the impacts of COVID-19 are starting to raise alarm.

In moments of crisis, traffickers will increase their recruitment as more and more people find themselves in dire economic straits. For this reason, it is essential that governments ensure equal access to healthcare, unemployment services, and other welfare services, regardless of recent employment history or legal status, to guarantee that those who need this support the most can effectively access it. Anyone without an income or other form of support is at risk of falling into the hands of traffickers. In these chaotic times, it is vital that States do not let their guard down, but instead strengthen their anti-trafficking efforts.

Human trafficking feeds off vulnerability —in particular, gender and economic inequality — and it is a symptom of frailty in our society. It is precisely when our global community is shaken by a crisis of this magnitude that our obligation to combat the exploitation of vulnerable people becomes most acute. Where trafficking goes unchecked and impunity reigns, the rule of law is undermined and the security and safety of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable, is threatened. For this reason, combating human trafficking is not just a law enforcement responsibility. It is a human, societal and security imperative, and an urgent priority.

The COVID-19 crisis will be remembered for generations, and we have just started to see its transformative impact on our lives. Today, as in all moments of historic change, we have the opportunity to steer our future in a better direction. Inclusive programmes ensuring protection to vulnerable groups can be a powerful tool to break the cycle of exploitation and strengthen exit pathways, giving a real alternative to those in need. With the necessary attention, adequate resources and the right programmes, we can start today to build a better and safer tomorrow for all.”