International Round Table – 27 September 2019 – Vienna

events, human trafficking, international round table

This year’s anti-trafficking work and activities with a focus on various forms of exploitation – including for labour, domestic servitude, abusive/forced marriages, child abduction etc. in countries of origin, transit and destination – culminated in our International Round Table with the Topic:

RESILIENCE VS VULNERABILITY:
How to Break the Cycle of Exploitation & Human Trafficking in the Digital Age
27 September 2019 – 10 a.m – 4 p.m.
Haus der Europäischen Union – Vienna
#IRTvienna

Internationally renowned experts provided new research findings and practitioners shared their experience and expertise in working with women, men and children affected by exploitation and human trafficking in countries of origin, transit and destination, with a view to encourage and trigger more effective ways of breaking this vicious cycle. The focus of the discussions were on the interaction between the development of individual resilience and the protective measures offered by service providers and stakeholders, as well as on the policies and resources made available, by taking a closer look at the influence and implications of new technologies in improving current anti-trafficking (and migration) systems.

More Resilience – Less Vulnerability: Ways for Breaking the Cycle of Human Trafficking and Exploitation | Reality Check: Examples & Experience from Practice | Risks & Challenges Posed by Technological Change: ‘Clicktivisme’, Social Media & Other Online Networks | Fresh Policy Responses to New Challenges by European Institutions, International Organizations, NGOs and Politics: Ways Forward

Resilience is generally thought of as a ‘positive adaptation’ of individuals in the face of a stressful or adverse situation.It is understood as overcoming deeply stressful situations with ‘competent functioning’. Mistakenly it is often assumed to be a trait of the individual. Most recent research now shows that resilience is the result of individuals being able to interact with their environments and the processes that either promote well-being or protect them against the overwhelming influence of risk factors and adverse conditions, such as maltreatment, poverty, exploitation, trafficking and/or other factors triggering vulnerabilities. Resilience is best understood as a mutual process. How can resilience in the context of human trafficking be strengthened? What are the protective/adverse factors and how are different forms of individual resilience overlooked by authorities, policymakers and rescuers?

How has the digital age with its social (and other online networks) media hype, including its ‘liking-compulsion’ and ‚ clicktivisme’ influenced the modus operandi of (anti-)human trafficking & exploitation with regard to vulnerability and resilience? What ethical, social and policy frameworks (should/must) ensure that Apps (created to offer advice to would-be migrants on job opportunities abroad and/or on how to avoid being exploited or trafficked)) are not used subsequently against the interests of the users? Do we need a radical shift in perspective? Do we need a new anti-trafficking/anti-exploitation strategy and/or (international, European, national) Instruments?

Agenda, Info and Social Media Overview

For more information about this event please download our:

Final Agenda

Panelists, Commentators, Experts, Researchers, Practitioners List

A Social Media Overview regarding this International Round Table can be found here: https://walls.io/IRTvienna (brought you by Act.Now)

Audio Recording

An Audio Recording of the International Round Table can be heard here:

Gallery

Here are some photos from our event, made by the Staff of Act.Now:

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Related Notes, Documents, Background Info & Links

Daja Wenke: 

Markus Gonzalez Beilfuss:

Klara Skrivankova:

  • a report and a comment made by the UN SR on poverty Philip Alston in relation to “digitalgovernment”  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/27/britain-welfare-state-shadowy-tech-consultants-universal-credit
  • a report by an NGO that looks at child poverty poignantly entitled: The Computer saysno! http://www.cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/Computer%20says%20%27no%21%27%20Stage%20one%20-%20information%20provision_2.pdf.
  • She publishes extensively, including as a specialist contributor of Human Trafficking Handbook: Recognising Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery in the UK, Chandran P.ed, Lexis Nexis, 2011, with chapters on forced labour and on compensation for victims of modern day slavery;
  • Routledge Handbook of Human Trafficking, Piotrowicz, R., Rijken, C., Uhl,B. (eds.), Routledge 2017, with a chapter on defining exploitation and a co-editor of Vulnerability, Exploitation and Migrants: Insecure Work in a Globalised Economy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. She was also the principal drafter of Modern Slavery Guidance published by the Ethical Trading Initiative in 2017 and contributed to The Modern Slavery Agenda. Policy, Politics and Practice in the UK, Craig, G., Balch, A., Lewis, H. and Waite,L. Polity Press, 2018.

Suzanne Hoff:

ICAT Issue Brief #7 on “HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND TECHNOLOGY: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES” produced during the OSCE and UN Women Co-chairmanship. https://bit.ly/2SPlkcy

Peter von Bethlenfalvy:

FRA – European Agency for Fundamental Rights:

Olivier Peyroux:

Jihane Isseid:

Tetiana Rudenko: