"SLAVE TRADE REMEMBRANCE DAY NOT ONLY ABOUT PAST" - LIZ LYNNE

5.18.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 23rd Aug 2007

The 23rd of August is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its abolition. Liz Lynne, Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands, has reiterated the need not only to remember the horrendous trade in human beings in the past, but also the necessity to urgently act against modern slavery and people trafficking.

The MEP has for many years campaigned on this issue, having been the shadow rapporteur for a European Parliament report on human trafficking, the author of a written declaration and parliamentary questions on the subject, as well as influencing her own party's policy.

Speaking today, Liz said:

"The United Nations estimates that between 700,000 and 2 million women and children are trafficked around the world each year and also between 1000 and 4000 are trafficked into the United Kingdom alone. Many of these are forced into prostitution and domestic servitude."

"Victims of trafficking are often extremely vulnerable and we need to ensure they are not treated as criminals but are protected and given time to recover."

"The government have admitted there is a problem in Britain, yet it must act with other countries in order to bring changes. EU members must implement Directive 2004/81 on residence permits for the victims of trafficking; the UK has still not opted into this."

"The only way this atrocious practice will be stamped out is if we have a common and integrated approach across Europe that establishes minimum standards for the treatment of trafficking victims."