An action plan containing measures to remove human trafficking from Finland has been unveiled by Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The action plan, containing 55-measures, was created in response to the criticism Finland has received from international human rights watchdogs for its lack of actions to prevent human trafficking within the country.
The Finnish government said that its three-year action plan is designed to reduce and prevent human trafficking, promote the detection of human trafficking, enhance the realization of criminal liability and improve the position of human trafficking victims.
Finnish Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson explains, “I’m confident that the measures laid down in the action plan enable us to respond also to the recommendations and reprimands we’ve received.”
Henriksson noted that the entire criminal procedure must be more efficient at detecting human trafficking and ensuring all key stakeholders – from police and prosecutors to criminal sanctions experts – understand how to address it and the procedures entailed to offer assistance to victims.
“The goal is that victims will think it’s a safe, realistic option for them to seek official assistance, apply for a residence permit and file a criminal complaint about the exploitation they’ve experienced,” said Henriksson.