National Referral Mechanisms – joining efforts to protect the rights of trafficked persons

NRMs are the institutional mechanisms that help States identify trafficking victims and ensure their protection. This handbook provides a guidance model which all OSCE participating States can adapt and apply within their own national systems, to ensure that their NRMs meet the highest standards in both design and implementation. It provides an overview of the working methods, procedures and services that are required across the 4 NRM ‘pillars’ of identification and protection; individual support and access to services; social inclusion; and criminal justice and redress. It also identifies the various stakeholders involved in executing NRMs and their roles across different institutions, and stresses the need for a multi-disciplinary approach.
New innovations in this updated handbook include guidance throughout on dealing with trafficked children, who have particular needs that should be taken into account at all stages. We also include a section on healthcare for the first time, recognizing that victims of trafficking often have specific healthcare needs related to the ill-treatment and trauma they may have suffered. In addition, this handbook is accompanied by a series of practical adult and child assessment guides, a selection of promising practices gathered from individual participating States, and a list of 57 recommended standards to assist OSCE participating States seeking to introduce or improve NRMs.