The NR is to identify and characterise the existence of trafficking in human beings for sexual and other purposes within and to Sweden; and in the annual reports, she will review connection between trafficking in human beings and other forms of serious crime, smuggling of human beings and as well as prostitution and sexual exploitation.

 

The mandate of the NR includes the collection and analysis of data and information about the extent of trafficking in human beings in and to Sweden, as well as recommendations for how the problem can be prevented and combated. The NR also handles intelligence information concerning suspected criminal activities and cooperates with police forces in countries of origin and transit in joint cases, answers questions from the media and the public, and arranges and participates in seminars and trainings nationally and internationally.

The NPB will also, before long, make public a joint policy document for police and prosecutors on investigative/operational measures against trafficking in human beings by law enforcement, which will include a manual for investigators.

 

The NR publishes annual reports on the character, state and scale of trafficking in human beings in and to Sweden. To ensure that the documentation is reliable, information is collected at source through the six existing regional Criminal Intelligence Units, and through yearly questionnaires to the 21 police districts. So far the NR has released nine annual reports¹. The next report is due in March 2009. The NR mandate and work is reviewed by the Government with some regularity.

 

In its reports, the NR pays particular attention to the adequacy of legal and policy measures for the protection, assistance, rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration, redress and compensation of victims of trafficking in human beings, especially women and children. Also, the NR monitors and considers the effectiveness of the legislative and policy framework on trafficking in human beings, including policies and legislation criminalizing the demand for sexual services. The NR also examines investigations, prosecutions and sentencing of buyers, procurers and traffickers and organized crime networks. In addition, the NR also actively monitors, evaluates, and publicizes information and data about emerging issues, such as new forms and methods of trafficking in human beings of women and children to and within MS.

 

The NR also issues recommendations on how to develop and ameliorate the work to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, and victim protection and support in MS to governments, public authorities and civil society in the annual reports.

 

The NR should study the effectiveness of already implemented policy, legal and practical measures, or as the case may be, lack of measures. It should not, however, coordinate the implementation of those measures to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, decided upon and/or developed by the government and parliament. It is essential to keep these two functions apart - the NR is solely a monitoring mechanism, not an implementer.

 

The NR publishes annual reports on the character, state and scale of trafficking in human beings in and to Sweden; the latest report will soon be delivered in English. It is essential not to confuse the tasks of NR on THB and a National Coordinator for activities on trafficking in human beings. A National Rapporteur monitors measures suggested and implemented by public authorities, and civil society, to prevent and combat TRB, a National Coordinator oversees the implementation of such measures, often set out in a National Action Plan. 

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