#EUAntiTraffickingDay - Commission calls for more action to protect women and girls

To mark the 12th EU Anti-Trafficking Day, Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos (pictured) will today (18 October) address an event organized by the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) Committees of the European Parliament for the launch of a report on gender-specific measures in anti-trafficking actions, prepared by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in co-operation with the European Commission. The report highlights that trafficking for sexual exploitation is the most commonly reported form of human trafficking in the EU: 95% of registered victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in the EU are women or girls. Commissioner Avramopoulos said: "Trafficking in human beings is a heinous crime and has no place in Europe or anywhere else in the world. There should be zero tolerance towards traffickers that continue to exploit and abuse vulnerable people, in particular women and girls. Europe needs to put an end to this crime, and prevent that it happens in the first place, while offering effective support to the victims. We need operational deliverables and tangible results. Today's report is a stark reminder of how serious the problem is, and aims to ensure actual impact on the lives of many victims of trafficking. Together we will continue our efforts to fully eradicate the trafficking in human beings, building a Europe that is safe for all."  The report is a deliverable of the new set of priority actions adopted by the Commission in December 2017. Commissioner Avramopoulos will speak in the European Parliament at 11h30 CET, which will be streamed live on EBS+. More information on the Commission's priority actions on trafficking in human beings is available in the factsheet and on the anti-trafficking website.

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