NATO policy on combating trafficking in human beings

1. This NATO policy takes into account the universal condemnation of the crime of trafficking in human beings and reiterates that it constitutes a serious abuse of human rights, especially affecting women and children. It is a transnational problem, requiring concerted multilateral action if it is to be defeated. Trafficking in human beings, affects countries of origin, countries of transit and countries of destination. This modern day slave trade fuels corruption and organised crime. It has the potential to weaken and destabilise fragile governments and runs counter to the goals of NATO-led efforts especially in South Eastern Europe. A zero-tolerance policy regarding trafficking in human beings by NATO forces and staff, combined with education and training, is required.
2. Allies reaffirm their commitment to promoting peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic Area and to combating the trafficking in human beings and agree the following policy. NATO will support and sustain further development of practical cooperation between nations and between NATO and other international institutions such as the UN, OSCE and International Organisation for Migration. NATO will also consult with NGOs active in this field with a view to improving its existing mechanisms and measures for the implementation of the present policy. Close exchange of information and experience between NATO and the EU should also be developed in accordance with agreed procedures.
3. This policy on combating the trafficking in human beings aims to reinforce efforts by NATO and individual nations to prevent and combat trafficking and the commitments undertaken in the context of other international organisations including the “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”. and the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings. NATO and non-NATO troop contributing nations will develop and implement various measures that discourage the demand by their military and civilian personnel that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons.
4. In the context of this policy trafficking means, the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat of use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.
5. This policy is developed by NATO in consultation with its Partners and nations contributing forces to NATO-led operations. Allies re-affirm their commitment to ratification, acceptance or approval of the UN Convention and relevant Protocol and agree:

a) to review national legislation and report on national efforts to meet obligations associated with the UN Convention and its Protocol in accordance with the relevant decisions taken by the Parties to those treaties;

b) to encourage all nations contributing forces to NATO- led operations to ratify, accept or approve the UN Convention Against Organised Crime and relevant Protocol and adhere to the OSCE Code of Conduct;

c) that this policy is aimed at securing standards of individual behaviour;

d) that all personnel taking part in NATO led-operations should receive appropriate training to make them aware of the problem of trafficking and how this modern day slave trade impacts on human rights, stability and security, as well as being informed of their own responsibilities and duties and the respective responsibilities of International Organisations in this field;

e) in the conduct of operations, to continue efforts, within their competence and respective mandates, to provide support to responsible authorities in the host country in their efforts to combat trafficking in human beings;

f) to incorporate contractual provisions that prohibit contractors from engaging in trafficking in human beings or facilitating it and impose penalties on contractors who fail to fulfil their obligations in this regard; and

g) to evaluate implementation of their efforts as part of the ongoing reviews carried out by the competent authorities.

6. In order to ensure maximum effectiveness of the present policy, NATO nations commit themselves to ensure full national implementation of this policy. Non-NATO Troop contributing nations are expected to take similar steps upon joining a NATO-led operation.

7. NATO personnel serving at NATO Headquarters and its Agencies as well as those taking part in NATO led operations should continue to conduct themselves with regard to the highest professional standards and with respect to national as well as international law.

NATO Guidelines on combating trafficking in human beings for military forces and civilian personnel deployed in NATO-led operations

Introduction and scope

1. The present guidance is intended for the use of military and civil elements that, while not being NATO staff, participate in operations under NATO command and control. Its aim is twofold:

a) to define the basic standards of behaviour to which NATO-led forces must adhere in the course of their work; and

b) to define the parameters within which NATO deployed forces can, within their competence and respective mandate, provide support to responsible authorities in the host country in their efforts to combat trafficking in human beings.

2. This guidance is aimed at highlighting the general principles and activities that participating nations are expected to request from their nationals. It is not exhaustive and will require, as appropriate, specific implementing actions by individual nations and forces to be fully effective. This includes, where necessary, ratifying/acceding to/approving the “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime” and implementing its requirements, as well as ensuring implementation of the present guidelines.

General Principles

3. Forces conducting operations under NATO command and control are prohibited from engaging in trafficking in human beings or facilitating it. This prohibition also applies to any civilian element accompanying such forces, including contractors.
4. Forces conducting PSO under NATO command and control, will support, within their competence and mandate, the efforts of responsible authorities in the host country in combating trafficking in human beings.

Definitions

5. With reference to the definition of trafficking in human beings, Allies reaffirm their adherence to and compliance with the provisions of Article 3 of the “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”.
6. In particular, trafficking in human beings means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat of use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

Implementing Guidelines

7. The implementation of the principles at Paragraphs 3 and 4, above, can only be successful if appropriate implementing measures are taken by NATO Authorities and Troop Contributing Nations.
8. For NATO Authorities this includes as a standing requirement:

a) the development of specific policy provisions, within existing PSO doctrine, for the role of NATO-led forces in supporting, within their competence and mandate, the efforts of responsible authorities in the host country to combat trafficking in human beings;

b) the establishment, at NATO educational institutions (NS, NDC), of specific training modules devoted to raising the awareness of the issues connected to the trafficking in human beings and of the means to combat it. These modules will be designed and implemented with the advice of anti-trafficking experts, including intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations with expertise in this area; and

c) the development of an evaluation mechanism to analyse progress on combating trafficking, as well as of a confidential and transparent NATO internal reporting mechanism on violations of the present policy.

9. In the planning and conduct of PSO, NATO Authorities will:

a) include in the relevant portions of the Operational Plan (OPLAN), specific measures, within their competence and mandate, to support the effort of responsible authorities in the host country in combating the trafficking in human beings;

b) include, in the pre-deployment phase, specific training on issues related to trafficking in human beings;

c) assess the conformity of contributing forces to the principles defined in this document; and

d) identify within the Area of Operations, local and international organisations with capacity for protecting and housing adult and child victims of trafficking and the establishment of appropriate liaison arrangements with such organisations.

10. As a standing requirement, troop contributing nations will organise specific training modules preparing their forces and accompanying civilian elements and contractors for PSO. Such modules may include training on the issue of trafficking in human beings and legal consequences stemming from the violation of anti-trafficking laws, as well as training on the means to support, within their competence and mandate, the efforts of responsible authorities in the host nation to combat trafficking in human beings. Similar modules may also be developed by PfP Training Centres and included, as appropriate, in their training curricula.
11. As a standing requirement, it is recommended that troop contributing nations:

a) review, if necessary their existing criminal legislation, including the enforcement of such legislation, to ensure that members of the forces – as well as civilian elements – who engage in trafficking in human beings, or facilitate it, are liable to appropriate prosecution and punishment;

b) provide details of their national legislation and national efforts to combat trafficking;

12. In the planning and conduct of a NATO-led PSO, it is recommended that troop contributing nations:

a) conduct specific pre-deployment training on criminal issues including those related to trafficking in human beings and the means to combat it;

b) conduct timely investigation and prosecution of cases of misconduct by members of their forces or civilian elements, including contractors;

c) develop specific mechanisms for reporting crimes , including those related to trafficking in human beings;

d) in accordance with national legislation, create and disseminate policies explicitly protecting whistleblowers who come forward with evidence of crimes, including trafficking in human beings, and

e) in accordance with national legislation, retain records of misconduct by individuals, including, those related to trafficking in human beings, for use in recruitment, vetting and deployment.

NATO Guidance for the development of training and educational programmes to support the policy on combating the trafficking in human beings

1. Training and creating awareness are key elements to ensure the successful implementation of this policy. In particular, training will provide information required to identify trafficking and will put military and civilian personnel on notice of consequences for engaging in trafficking.
2. Two different kinds of training to be offered by NATO and national training institutions are envisaged for the implementation of the present policy:

a) a general module, aimed at the personnel (military or civilian) to be employed in a NATO operation, with a twofold focus:

• outline the characteristics of trafficking in human beings; and
• summarise the national and international legal provisions which punish those who engage in trafficking in human beings, or facilitate it;

b) specific modules, aimed at all those categories of personnel who have specific responsibilities, either under national legislation or under the present policy, to police the behaviour of personnel or take specific actions to combat trafficking.

3. The general module will need to include, as a minimum, the following elements:

a) background information on the trafficking phenomenon, its origins, its victims, its perpetrators (organised crime) and an overview of the purposes for which human beings are trafficked including those links which exist between trafficking and the illegal sex industry;

b) if the training is imparted in a pre-deployment context, an outline of the specific instances of trafficking to which personnel might be confronted in the deployment area from a security perspective. In this respect, training would address how trafficking in human beings supports other elements of organised crime that present a threat to the mission;

c) guidelines to detect instances of trafficking or identify trafficked people, and how to deal with such events (reporting, actions to be taken, etc.); and

d) a summary of the legal provisions affecting those who engage in trafficking or facilitate it.

4. The specific modules will contain, as a minimum, the following elements:

a) For commanders and supervisors: how to deal with reports concerning involvement of their subordinates in trafficking and what measures to take; and

b) For military police units which are part of national contingents: how to investigate allegations of involvement in trafficking by members of their national contingent, with specific focus on the sensitive aspects of such an investigation, such as victim identification and protection.

5. To ensure the greatest effectiveness training modules should:

a) be provided to  all levels of military  and civilian personnel;

b) include information tailored to the specific situation/requirement of the target audience;

c) be developed with input from anti-trafficking experts of international and non-governmental organisations with experience in combating trafficking;

d) where feasible focus on “train the trainers” events to ensure the dissemination of appropriate information at all levels;

e) should include case studies, interactive methods of training; and

f) make use of distance and computer based training.

Guidelines for NATO staff on preventing the promotion and facilitation of trafficking in human beings

Introduction and scope

1. The present rules set out the standards expected of all NATO staff in furtherance of the mandate of the North Atlantic Council, as laid out in PO(2003)185(INV).
2. These rules apply to all NATO staff, whether on post or deployed on mission on behalf of the Organisation.

General Principles

3. The basic principles for the behaviour of NATO Staff are laid down at Article 12.14, 13.1 and 13.2 of the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.
4. In conformity with established procedures and regulations with specific reference to trafficking in human beings, this means that:

NATO staff shall not engage in trafficking in human beings, including for the purpose of sexual exploitation, nor they will facilitate it; and

NATO staff shall have the duty to report to his/her supervisors any instance of human trafficking of which he/she may have become aware, as well as any concerns that he or she may have regarding the involvement of another NATO staff in trafficking in human beings including for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Definitions

5. With reference to the definition of trafficking in human beings, NATO reaffirms its adherence to and compliance with the provisions of Article 3 of the “UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”.
6. In particular, trafficking in human beings means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat of use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.
7. “NATO staff” means international civilian personnel (seconded or freelance), i.e. personnel of a NATO body recruited from among the nationals of members of the Alliance and filling international posts appearing on the approved establishment of that NATO body. The present policy applies also to consultants and temporary personnel.

Implementing Guidelines

8. In order to implement the principles spelled out at Paragraph 4, above, the following measures are required:

• NATO Secretary General will, drawing upon the expertise acquired by other regional, international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organisations and in coordination with the Director of the International Military Staff and NATO Strategic Commanders, develop specific guidelines which will define, i.a.:

a) the specific standards of behaviour to which NATO staff will abide; and

b) the investigative and disciplinary procedures to be implemented.

• Member Nations will ensure that NATO staff who are under their jurisdiction and who have engaged in criminal activities related to trafficking in human beings, are prosecuted in accordance with their national legislation and procedures.