Women leaders gather in Israel to combat crime of trafficking

An impressive array of female leaders from
throughout the world recently gathered in Haifa to address a host of
common concerns, including a problem that is becoming a world-wide plague:
trafficking in human beings.

This modern form of slavery – which
usually victimizes women – was one of the central issues addressed during
the three-day conference on Migration and Gender Issues held at Haifa’s
Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC). The purpose
of the gathering was to examine the role of migrant women in achieving the
United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals and develop strategies to
assist in the obstacles and challenges faced by migrant women.

More than 50 women leaders from around the world attended the
conference, including ministers, members of parliament, judges,
representatives of the World Bank, UN agency officials and representatives
of international organizations. Many of them had never before been to
Israel. Special guest of honor, Rachel Mayanja, UN Assistant Secretary
General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women,
delivered the conference’s opening and closing remarks.

In
addition to trafficking, the conference looked at different aspects of
migration in light of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. All UN member
states have adopted and pledged to meet these goals, which are aimed at
reducing hunger and poverty, boosting education, gender equality and
health, by 2015. The conference focused on the trends and changes in the
migration of the 21st century as they affect women, and will expose the
obstacles and special challenges facing migrant women. In addition, the
participants discussed the empowerment of women undergoing the process of
migration, emphasizing the special role of migrant women as agents of
change, and examining their vulnerability.

The visiting
dignitaries were particularly interested in discussing strategies for
fighting the phenomenon of international trafficking in women. It is,
unfortunately, a problem with which Israel has been increasingly familiar
in recent years. While the country faces a long road in combating
trafficking, in recent years Israeli officials have made great strides
towards formulating guidelines to contain the crime. At the conference,
the women from around the world compared notes and learned from one
another.

Describing trafficking in women as “one of the most
severe violations of women’s right to liberty,” MK Zehava Gal-On, chair of
the Knesset committee for the struggle against trafficking in women,
outlined the phenomenon in Israel, as well as the committee’s goals,
achievements and future directions. According to Gal-On, awareness of this
crime – among both the general public and law enforcement authorities –
has grown significantly during the last five years.

Where
ignorance or indifference once characterized Israeli attitudes to
trafficking, both citizens and governmental bodies are now more aware of
this industry. Annually, said Gal-On, several thousand women, many of them
18-25 year old single mothers from the former Soviet Union, are smuggled
into the country – at an annual turnover of at least one billion dollars.
Often they are tricked or forced to work as prostitutes, abused,
threatened, or imprisoned, and are traded as property in the criminal
world for thousands of dollars.

In addition to bringing the
problem to public attention, Gal-On’s committee has sought to promote
stringent treatment of trafficking offenders and to ensure protection and
compensation for victims. Among its accomplishments, the committee,
working closely with the government and NGOs, has passed comprehensive
legislation to tackle different aspects of the fight against trafficking.

“The committee set itself a goal to serve as watchdog over the
authorities and has compelled the state to act in accordance with
international standards,” said Gal-On. “Today women are treated as victims
of a crime, and as people whose human rights have been breached. Those who
traffic and pimp in the bodies of women are treated severely.”

“I
must emphasize just how important it is to continue and press the law
enforcement authorities to detain the offenders, to close the brothels, to
be more stringent in punishment, and to give priority in the courts to
cases of trafficking in women,” said Gal-On, who has drafted a bill for
the establishment of a governmental authority for the war against human
trafficking.

In recent years Israel has significantly increased
efforts to combat trafficking in women, said Head of the Criminal Division
of the Ministry of Justice’s Department of Legislation and Legal Counsel
Rachel Gershuni. According to Gershuni, the country’s record in
prosecuting criminals, holding police-initiated investigations,
apprehending central figures and working with other countries is steadily
improving.

“Our Supreme Court can be seen as a light unto nations
in this matter,” said Gershuni, pointing out that the Court defines
trafficking as a human rights offense, and gives it a wide interpretation.
Any transaction in the body of a person is viewed as trafficking, and is
punished severely.

District courts, according to Gershuni, are
“pretty good when they specialize in these cases, but need to become more
sensitized to the needs of victims.”

In other efforts, the
Ministry of the Interior has given temporary visas to victims following
their testimony. A shelter for trafficking victims now operates in North
Aviv. There, 50 women receive housing, as well as medical, social services
and employment services. Legal aid is available for both those in the
shelter and other victims of trafficking.

“Zehava Gal-On and our
NGOs have been completely dedicated to helping victims, lobbying and
teaching,” said Gershuni.

The international conference was
convened with the support of MASHAV – the Center for International
Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Center for
International Migration and Integration (CIMI), the American-Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee (JDC) and the International Organization for
Migration (IOM).

Set back on a quiet, leafy Haifa street, MCTC was
founded in 1961 by MASHAV. Designed as a training center for the
socio-economic advancement of women from developing countries, MCTC
regularly holds courses, workshops and seminars on subjects dealing mainly
with education, community development and small business management. To
now, some 12,000 participants, more than 70% of them women, have taken
part in these activities.

At any given time, a rainbow of
international visitors, often sporting their countries’ varied and
colorful dress, can be found at the Golda Meir center. Their presence
serves as testament to that former prime minister, whose tenure was
distinguished by her commitment to the developing world.

In Meir’s
words, ‘As long as there are spots on the globe where some people are more
developed and others less, there is no development and no culture, there
is nor freedom and, I am afraid, no peace in the
world.’