The Queen attends CATCH seminar on trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in collaboration with Child10 on the on the EU International Day Against Trafficking

 

On Monday 18 October, the EU International Day Against Trafficking of Persons, the Queen attended a seminar arranged by CATCH on trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. She also handed out the 2021 Child10 Award to ten organizations working against child trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation of children. The seminar was held in the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace.

The Queen opened the seminar by welcoming everyone and holding an opening speech:

No country, no community is free from exploitation of children. And it never will be, unless we really work together; law-makers, governments, civil society and corporates. In order to prevent trafficking and provide protection and assistance to the victims, we need to support each other and learn from each other. Read the Queen’s speech in its entirety here.

Read the Queen’s speech in its entirety here.

The 2021 Child10 Awarded Members

Following this, CHILD10’s general secretary Jacob Flärdh spoke about the organization’s work and this year’s winners.

The Queen awarded diplomas to ten organizations:

• ASTRA, Serbien
• eLiberare, Rumänien
• Ellencentret, Sverige
• Footprint to Freedom, Nederländerna
• Iroko Onlus, Italien/Nigeria/Storbritannien
• Lightup, Tyskland/Norge/Österrike
• MARTA Centre, Lettland
• Novahuset, Sverige
• Novi Put, Bosnien och Hercegovina
• Vatra, Albanien

According to UNODC:s global report on trafficking,  every third victim of human trafficking is a child. The report also shows that 9 out of 10 victims of human trafficking for sexual purposes are girls and women. The organisations receiving the award all work to counteract that exploitation of children and support those that have fallen victim to it across Europe.

 

Panel discussion focusing on the role of civil society and collaboration across sectors

At the end of the seminar, a panel discussion was moderated by CATCH Managing Director Therese von Blixen-Finecke between

• Malaika Oringo, Survivor/CSO representative, Footprint to Freedom, Child 10 Award Member
• Ilias Chatzis, Head of the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section at UNODC HQ
• Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Assistant Secretary-General and UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Partnerships
• Erik Wottrich, Head of Sustainability at Tele2
• Diane Schmitt, EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator
• Evin Incir, Member of the European Parliament
• Anna Ekstedt, Swedish Ambassador-at-large for Combating Trafficking in Persons