COOPERATION BETWEEN NGOS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AT NATIONAL LEVEL

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COOPERATION BETWEEN NGOS AND GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES AT NATIONAL LEVEL

• What is being done to prevent trafficking in
  women
• and to assist victims?
• 16 Oct 2008, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
• Jenni Tuominen, Development Manager
• MONIKA - Multicultural Womens Association FINLAND

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MONIKA - Multicultural Womens Association in
Finland (1998)

• Umbrella organization for 18 immigrant women
  associations in Finland.
• Nationwide service provision for immigrant women
  and children victims of violence.
• Easy access service points, 24h telephone
  helpline, shelter Mona-home at secret address.
• Multicultural staff - 30 employees provide
  services in c. 23 different languages.
• About 4500 women and children who come from 60
  different countries, reached annually.

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FINNISH FRAMEWORK

• National Action Plan Against Trafficking of Human
  Beings adopted in August 2005
• Revised Action Plan adopted in June 2008
• Built on four principles
• Victim-centered approach
• Human rights based approach
• Gender and child sensitivity
• Multi-stakeholder cooperation and
  cross-discipline approach in all actions.
• Implementation managed by broad-based interagency
  National Steering Committee

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN FINLAND

• Finland is both a destination and transit country
  
• Number of identified victims still low 32
  victims (12 minors) in assistance system since
  2005.
• At the moment 16 victims in the assistance system
  (4 minors).
• 1 case of safe return.
• 1 sentenced case.
• Low numbers do not represent the actual
  situation not enough training and knowhow on
  identification on victims.

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Structure of inter-agency cooperation in
assisting the victims of human trafficking

• Ministry of Interior is responsible for
  coordinating the National Action Plan and the
  assistance system for VOTs.
• Service and support measures are organized by two
  regional asylum seekers reception centers
• NGO service provision by contract agreement
• Multi-stakeholder Steering Committee monitors
• Ombudsman for minorities independent rapporteur
• National NGO network (experience and data)
• National troika of Nordic-Baltic Project

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Services for victims

• Accommodation
• Health care
• Psychosocial help and therapy
• Legal aid
• Education and support to enter labor market
• Financial support
• Administrative support
• Interpreters
• Guardians for children

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Added value of Nordic-Baltic Pilot Project

• Multi-country cooperation
• Victim centered safe returns
• At national level growing understanding of value
  of international collaboration
• Good cooperation has lead to progress in
  interagency cooperation move from ad hoc
  collaboration to official contracts and more
  clear division of labour between NGOs and
  authorities.

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Challenges for the future

• Lack of financial resources
• No ear-marked funding for the implementation of
  National Action Plan.
• How to keep up the added value and the positive
  outcomes of Nordic-Baltic Pilot Project?
• If we do not have the funding to continue the
  work without a break regression or setback in
  progress already made?

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Thank you!