The agenda includes co-operation to prevent trafficking, methods of reducing the risk of getting caught up in the trade, sharing information on investigations, rehabilitation of victims, prevention of violence and the potential for a programme to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of teenagers in St. Petersburg.

The purpose of the conference is to bring together the appropriate forces in the various countries, NGOs, social work bodies and educational establishments.

The conference, which is being organised by St. Petersburg City and the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in the city, will be held on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 April at Smolny (the Government of St. Petersburg).

Provisional programme:

16 April 2008 (Wednesday)

9.15 – 10.00: Registration

10.00 – 10.45:
Chairperson: Mr. S.P. Litvinov
(Committee for Labour and Social Security of St. Petersburg)

Conference opens
Welcoming addresses:

Ms. L.A. Kostkina, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, Russia
Mr. I.I. Klebanov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in North-West Federal District (tbc)
Ms. M. Hanhijärvi, Director, the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in St. Petersburg, Russia
Mr. A.V. Prokhorenko, Head of the External Relations Committee, Government of St. Petersburg, Russia (tbc)
Mr. L.P. Bogdanov, Head of the Committee for Law, Order and Security, Government of St. Petersburg, Russia (tbc)
Mr. A.N. Rzhanenkov, Head of the Committee for Labour and Social Security, Government of St. Petersburg (tbc)

10.45 – 11.15:
Chairperson: Mr. S.P. Litvinov
(Committee for Labour and Social Security of St. Petersburg)

“Social and legal aspects of co-operation in preventing trafficking in human beings”

“Co-operation between the Nordic Council of Ministers and St. Petersburg Government”.
Ms. Carita Peltonen, Senior Adviser, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Secretariat

“European co-operation in preventing trafficking in human beings”
Ms. Vera Gracheva, Senior Adviser to the OSCE Secretariat

11.15 – 11.45:
Coffee-break

11.30 – 12.30:
Press conference (auditorium 242, Smonly)

11.45 – 14.00
Chairperson: Ms. Maria-Pia de Palo
(Nordic Council of Ministers’ Secretariat)

“Main trends in Russian state policy in preventing trafficking and law enforcement in protecting victims’ rights”
Ms. E. Mizulina / Ms.T.Kholshevnikova, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Chairperson of the Committee for family issues, women and children (to be confirmed)

“National Plans of Actions as ways consolidating efforts by governments, NGOs and law enforcement structures in counteracting trafficking and defending victims’ rights, in particular, women and children”:

Representative of Sweden (Ms. Ulrika Dackeby, Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality)
Representative of Norway (Mr. Jan Austad, Ministry of Justice and Police)
Representative of Denmark (Ms. Anne Katrine Tholstrup Bertelsen, Ministry of Welfare)
Representative of Lithuania (Mr. Igoris Bazylevas, Ministry of Interior )

14.00 – 15.00:
Lunch

15.00 – 17.00:
Chairperson: Ms. M. Rusakova (Regional NGO “Stellit”)

“National Plans of Action…” (continuation)

Representative of Estonia (Ms. Brit Tammiste, Ministry of Justice)
Representative of Latvia (name to be confirmed)
Representative of Finland (name to be confirmed)
Representative of Iceland (name to be confirmed)

“Co-operation between governmental, non-governmental and law enforcement organisations in counteracting trafficking in human beings”

“Organisation of cross-sector co-operation in defence of victims’ rights, in particular, women and children. Main trends in state policy”.
Ms. Nelli Gedimina, Responsible secretary of the Commission on Minor’s Affairs and Protection of their Rights under St. Petersburg Government, member of the Working Group against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors under the Commission of Minors’ Affairs and Protection of their Rights under St. Petersburg Government, Russia

“Activities of the Steering Committee for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Main trends in state policy.”
Ms. Irina Maksimova, Head of the Sector on Realisation of Policy of Equal Rights and Obligations for Men and Women in All Spheres of St. Petersburg Society of the Department of Family Policy, Social Protection of Maternity and Childhood of Department on Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Committee for Labour and Social Security, member of the Steering Committee for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, and other social institutions, Russia

“Legal aspects of the prevention of trafficking in Russia”
Ms. Svetlana Kushnerenko, Senior lecturer and Chair of Organization and Methods of Criminal Prosecution, St. Petersburg juridical institute of the Russian General Prosecutor’s Academy

End of the first day

17.30:
Nordic Council of Ministers’ reception
(Hotel “Smolninskaya”, Tverskaya st., 22)

17 April 2008 (Thursday)

“Presentation of best practices, discussion of priorities in development of prevention, investigation of crimes and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking”

10.00 – 12.30
Chairperson: Ms. Carita Pettersson
(Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Estonia)

“Influence of NGOs on state policy on trafficking. Establishment of co-operation between state institutions, NGos and law enforcement bodies.”
Ms. M. Rusakova, Director of Regional Public Organisation of Social Projects in Sphere of Population’s Well-Being “Stellit”, Russia

Reports:
Ms. Maria Sagitova (Nordic Council of Ministers Office in St. Petersburg)
Mr. Lars Loof (CBSS)
Mr. Alberto Andreani, Coordinator of the Counter-trafficking project, International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
Ms. M. Mokhova (Independent Charitable Centre of assistance to victims of sexual violence “Sisters”, Russia)
Mr. Terry Kinney (Federal prosecutor, Representative of the US Ministry of Justice in Russia) (tbc)

12.30 – 13.30:
Lunch

13.30 – 14.55:
Discussion, conclusions and recommendations for future co-operation to combat trafficking in North-West Russia, the Baltic States and the Nordic countries.

Chairpersons:
Ms. Olga Levina (Regional NGO ”Stellit”)/Ms. Maria Sagitova (NCM Office in St. Petersburg)

14.55-15.00
Conference closes

Contact in the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in St. Petersburg: Andrey Anisimov, tel. (+7 812) 336-75-80, fax (+7 812) 336-75-81, e-mail: aa@norden.ru