As prepared for delivery...

Combating Trafficking in Persons

Remarks by Ambassador Michael Klosson
World Forum for Religions and Cultures Conference
June 27, 2005

Minister Christou, thank you for joining us this morning and thank you for your leadership and dedication to addressing the issue of trafficking in persons. Thank you, Your Eminence, Nikiforos, Bishop of Kykkos, for your commitment to focusing attention on this important topic. The World Forum for Religions and Cultures has been a generous and committed partner in organizing this conference. For that we are most grateful.

People here often ask why is the United States Embassy so concerned with trafficking in persons? Why do we spend time researching this problem in Cyprus? Why does the State Department write -- sometimes even “how dare” the State Department write – an annual Report on Trafficking in Persons? Why do we care about the fate of women working in bars, nightclubs and cabarets on this island?

My first response: trafficking in human beings is not simply a Cypriot problem or an American problem. It’s a global problem. Between 600,000 and 800,000 men, women and children, according to State Department estimates, are trafficked every year across international borders from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. (I might add that of those 80 percent are women and girls and 50 percent are under the age of 21.)

Trafficking is not the exclusive domain of the developing world. We have a trafficking problem in the United States as well. In several weeks, the United States Department of Justice will release its annual report, which assesses United States efforts to stop trafficking on our soil. Yes, trafficking in human beings is a global scourge, and the solution demands we all cooperate on a global scale. That is why the State Department has an annual report, that is why the American Embassy in Nicosia is active on this issue and that is why we are here today.

My second point: it is entirely appropriate, necessary and right that the United States actively work to combat the spread of trafficking. I firmly believe that we all have a responsibility to work to eliminate what is in essence modern-day slavery. Our work is part of an international effort, undergirded by international conventions and carried out by NGOs, national governments, and international organizations. That is why American Embassies in every country that has a trafficking problem are working with local authorities and groups to combat it.

I regularly hear disturbing and unsympathetic comments about the women who work in cabarets in Cyprus and who find themselves in these most horrific of circumstances. I put it to you today: these are attitudes we must work to change. Over the next two days, you will hear plenty of evidence that there are indeed women who were misled about the nature of their work in these nightclubs. You will also hear stories of women who knew that they would work in the sex industry, but nevertheless became victims of trafficking the moment they were forced to work exorbitant hours and given little or no compensation, the moment they were threatened, beaten or raped.

Cyprus’ Ombudswoman, Eliana Nicolaou, and her office deserve great credit for being the first to shine a bright light on the trafficking problem in Cyprus. The Ombudswoman released a groundbreaking report in November 2003 that gave policy makers a base line from which to address the situation. This report was both a wake-up call and a call to arms. Since then, Cyprus has made strides in addressing the problem. You will hear about the progress today and tomorrow to address what we call the “three P’s”: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution. Preventing exploitation from occurring in the first place; protecting those identified as victims; and prosecuting those who trafficked and exploited them.

Before I close, I want to take this opportunity to express my admiration for those of you -- both in the government and outside of it, in what we call “civil society”-- who have dedicated yourselves to combating trafficking. This is a difficult and sometimes dangerous and thankless job, but your work is so important. Thank you.

There is still much more work to be done. So I hope that all of you leave this conference inspired and ask yourselves what you can do to become more involved in this effort. I believe that we all have a responsibility to the victims of trafficking and to the wellbeing of our societies, and that responsibility will continue as long as there are women in Cyprus who need our help.

Thank you.