Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas is delivering the opening address at the Greek-French conference on Combatting Human Trafficking.

The conference, taking place on Thursday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. at the French Institute in Athens, is entitled “Fighting Human Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and Protection of Victims,” and is being organized by the Foreign Ministry (Office of the National Rapporteur for Combatting Human Trafficking) and the French Embassy in Athens.

Officials and experts from the two countries, the EU, the Council of Europe, the UN, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and civil society organizations that collaborate in confronting the phenomenon will exchange thoughts and best practices in the field of combatting human trafficking.

The conference will be followed by an excerpt from the theatrical production “Sex Trafficking”, by the “Omada Oneiro” troupe. The French Institute’s exhibition space will host an exhibition of awareness-raising materials of the IOM and various other organizations: PRAKSIS, ACT UP, A21, The Smile of the Child, THE NO PROJECT, and the European Network of Women.

The EU says 30,146 people were registered as victims of human trafficking across the EU28 in the three years to 2013. Greece is a gateway to Europe for Human trafficking and the 2012 report highlighted some human trafficking cases that were solved with cross-border police work, including the case of pregnant Bulgarian women shipped to Greece so that they could give birth and be forced to give their children to Greek couples. Six suspects were arrested in Bulgaria and five in Greece.