Final Conference of the European project: trafficking of human beings for begging purpose
On 4 February 2015 the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua organised in the Aula Magna Galileo Galilei the Final conference of the European project STOP FOR-BEG against emerging forms of trafficking in Italy: Exploited immigrants in the international phenomenon of forced BEGgging.
The project, funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the Veneto Region - Section Migration Flows aimed to promote the cooperation and the multi-agency work among law enforcement agencies, public agencies and NGOs, with the goal of preventing, fighting and protecting victims of new phenomenon of trafficking for begging purposes.
The project activities aimed at doing:
a) research on new forms of trafficking with the specific goal of acquiring knowledge of trafficking for begging purpose, people that are involved, vulnerability and potential cases of exploitation;
b) training courses addressed to 80 social workers and police officers who work on the field of human trafficking, with the goal of standardizing good practices about reporting and addressing of the victims of trafficking for begging purposes, identification, assistance and protection;
c) a final conference aimed at promoting the creation of a trans-national network between the countries of origin and the countries of destination of the victims of trafficking for begging purposes in order to carry out prevention activities about the groups who may be involved in trafficking and cooperation in protecting the victims and in the assisted voluntary returns;
At the final Conference partecipated all the partner organizations such as Region of Veneto, Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Municipality of Padua, Municipality of Venice, Municipality of Verona, Municipality of Rovigo, Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua, Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Volontarius Association, Cooperative Equality, Caritas of Udine, Etnoblog Association, Nuovi vicini non-profit organization, Comunità dei Giovani, as well as associated partners including the Police Headquarters of Treviso, Police Headquarters of Vicenza, Police Headquarters of Gorizia, Police Headquarters of Rovigo, Municipality of Pordenone, Presidency of the Council of Ministers - Department for Equal Opportunities, Police Headquarters of Belluno and Police Headquarters of Venice.
The Conference was also attended by the representatives of the State Police - Central Operational Service, Carabinieri, National Anti-Mafia Directorate and other organizations engaged on the issue of trafficking from France, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.