Human trafficking: Swiss urged to improve victim protection
The report calls on Switzerland to carry out systematic police investigations into disappearances of children.
Keystone/Peter Steffen
Switzerland has been told by the Council of Europe that it needs to step up efforts to tackle human trafficking, but it has also been praised for making progress over the past few years.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ug
Español
es
Suiza debe hacer más para proteger a víctimas de tráfico humano
A special group of experts from the Strasbourg-based council, which is not connected to the European Union, called on the Swiss authorities to improve the identification and protection of victims of trafficking in a bid to crack down on labour exploitation.
“[We] recommend that Switzerland ensure that a formalised victim identification procedure is put in place in all cantons,” the council said in a statementExternal link published on Wednesday.
The expert report also urged the Swiss authorities to do more to prevent trafficking of unaccompanied or separated children by providing safe accommodation and adequate supervision.
“All victims of trafficking under Swiss jurisdiction, including asylum-seekers and people exploited abroad but identified by Switzerland, must benefit from assistance measures,” said a press release.
Progress
The council acknowledged that progress had been made since a first report on Switzerland in 2015, including the adoption of an action plan to fight human trafficking, training for officials and the launch of awareness campaigns for the public and medical staff.
Human trafficking remains a problem for Switzerland
This content was published on
Taken together with the 113 ongoing consultations from previous years, FIZ says the number of cases of women being trafficked into the country (many for prostitution) remains high. In 2017, FIZ provided support for 228 women. To combat the problem, FIZExternal link has joined forces with Church groups to provide better care for the victims. The Zurich-based entity will receive funding…
Swiss political class divided over reform of EU asylum pact
This content was published on
As a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Switzerland must adapt five laws linked to the Schengen/Dublin agreements.
AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland strengthens police cooperation with Bulgaria
This content was published on
Swiss authorities on Wednesday made public an agreement with Bulgarian police forces aimed at speeding up information exchange and supporting investigative work, particularly on human trafficking.
Swiss help European police catch child traffickers
This content was published on
Switzerland has participated in a big operation by European police against human trafficking which resulted in the arrest of 70 people.
Nigerian found guilty in sex trafficking and voodoo case
This content was published on
A Nigerian woman has been sentenced to three years in jail and deportation from Switzerland for trafficking and enslaving women as sex workers.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.