With €72,000 in support from the Hungarian NGO fund of the EEA and Norway Grants, the Foundation for the Women of Hungary (MONA) is carrying out an educational campaign on prostitution and human trafficking for civil servants, politicians, lawyers, police officers and NGOs.
In her speech at the conference, Norway's Ambassador to Hungary Siri Ellen Sletner praised the work done by MONA in the field of trafficking. "Fighting human trafficking requires a long-term concerted effort," Sletner said. "I am pleased to see that MONA is dedicated in its efforts to develop amendments to Hungarian legislation and prepare a detailed plan for a nationwide, integrated system of assistance and care for victims of trafficking and prostitution."
According to the Hungarian women's organisation, there is a lack of information and research in the field of prostitution and trafficking in Hungary. As part of an awareness-raising campaign, MONA has evaluated how elements of anti-trafficking and anti-prostitution legislation in Norway and Sweden could be introduced in Hungarian legislation. MONA is conducting training courses for police officers on how they best can provide support to victims of trafficking and prostitution, and is also developing a nationwide system for care and assistance for these victims.
In addition to Hungarian stakeholders, the conference was attended by representatives of the Coordination Unit for Victims of Trafficking of the Norwegian National Police Directorate, the Norwegian Reform Resource Centre for Men and BalticFem, an interregional NGO working for gender equality in the Baltic region.
Read more about the conference.
Photo: Guri M. Smenes, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Budapest.