GOVERNMENT AND NGO REPORTS EVALUATE GERMAN EFFORTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 000269 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PGI, DRL/IL, G/TIP, INL/HSTC, AND PRM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC PGOV GM SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT AND NGO REPORTS EVALUATE GERMAN EFFORTS AGAINST TIP DURING THE 2006 WORLD CUP REF: A. 06 BERLIN 2266 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. 06 MUNICH 347 ¶C. 06 FRANKFURT 4232 AND PREVIOUS ¶D. 06 HAMBURG 15 ¶1. (U) Summary: Reports prepared by the German Federal Interior Ministry and Federal Family Ministry, as well as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and key German anti-trafficking NGOs independently conclude there was no significant increase in trafficking in persons (TIP) during the June-July 2006 Soccer World Cup championship. The reports credit extensive government-funded public awareness and prevention campaigns, as well as comprehensive police measures, enhanced international coordination, and strong cooperation among government agencies, counseling centers, and NGOs. German officials briefed the EU Council's trafficking working group in January on measures implemented during the World Cup and presented their analysis of how the German experience might be used to develop best practices for future large-scale public events. End Summary. World Cup Security Concept Included TIP -------------- ¶2. (U) The German Federal Cabinet approved the Government's final report on the 2006 Soccer World Cup Championship on December 6, 2006. The report was compiled by the Interior Ministry with input from numerous other ministries, as well as the Federal Chancellery and each of Germany's sixteen states. The 200-page report focuses on the nationwide security concept German authorities implemented during the World Cup, including measures taken to prevent and combat trafficking in persons. ¶3. (U) According to the report, "significant measures" were enacted to combat the potential increase in human trafficking and forced prostitution, including enhanced international law enforcement cooperation among the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (BKA),Interpol, and Europol, as well as the inclusion of TIP in federal and state police planning for the World Cup. The report notes police planning took into consideration local particularities and incorporated input from local counseling centers, specialized anti-TIP police units, anti-TIP NGOs, and law enforcement expertsspecialized in combating trafficking crimes. ermany Presents Conclusions to EU Working Group -------------- -- ¶4. (SBU) German officials briefed members of the EU Council's trafficking working group January 4 abut lessons learned during the World Cup. The Geman presentation focused on how the German experence might be used to develop best practices forfuture large-scale public events in Europe. A Family Ministry official told us the EU will use two internal reports prepared by the German Interior and Family Ministries to develop tried-and-tested approaches against TIP for future events. Post has received copies of the two reports and has forwarded them to EUR/AGS and G/TIP. Police Measures against TIP -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The Interior Ministry report presents the results of the Ministry's post-World Cup survey of the experiences of all sixteen State Offices of Criminal Investigation (LKA) and nineteen anti-TIP NGOs. The report describes pre-World Cup police strategies and concepts, including the World Cup National Security Strategy, the state-federal law enforcement information-sharing framework developed for the World Cup, and other police and NGO initiatives. Preventive measures included greater police presence in red light districts; additional surveillance, inspection, and raids on commercial sex venues; selective reinstatement of border controls; efforts to raise awareness among hotels; and enhanced cooperation with social institutions and expert advisory agencies. ¶6. (SBU) According to police and NGOs surveyed in the report, the number of prostitutes working in cities hosting World Cup events increased in the run up to the World Cup primarily because of an influx of prostitutes from other regions of Germany. The report also found a significant number of prostitutes returned home before the end of the World Cup because the anticipated increase in the number of clients did not take place. According to the Interior Ministry, of the 33 TIP-related investigations reported by LKA anti-TIP units during the World Cup, five were related to the World Cup. BERLIN 00000269 002 OF 003 ¶7. (SBU) The report notes the greater police presence also had a deterrent effect with regard to other crimes that typically take place in the vicinity of commercial sex venues. The report concludes the increase in TIP feared by some organizations did not occur during the World Cup and notes that safeguards put in place by the government counter human trafficking and forced prostitution proved to be successful. NGO Campaigns -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The internal Family Ministry report describes government-funded NGO counter-TIP campaigns during the World Cup and evaluates their activities. (NOTE: The government-funded Federal Association against Trafficking in Women (KOK) has published a document describing the twenty-one counter-TIP campaigns conducted by NGOs in Germany during the World Cup. Each of these campaigns received at least partial funding from government sources. Post has forwarded a copy of this document to EUR/AGS and G/TIP. END NOTE.) The Family Ministry directly funded several of the most prominent campaigns, as well as two of the three NGO-operated nationwide telephone hotlines for TIP victims, potential clients, and others. ¶9. (SBU) At the Ministry's request, NGOs analyzed the success of the hotline initiative after the World Cup. Phone calls to the hotlines led to the discovery of fifty-one cases of forced prostitution. The NGOs concluded, however, that none of the cases was connected to the World Cup. Callers also used telephone hotlines to obtain general information on violence against women and help in cases of domestic violence. ¶10. (SBU) The Family Ministry report concludes the World Cup was an important platform for sensitizing the general public about TIP. Counseling centers and NGOs, most government-funded, succeeded in forging a broad alliance for further action and nationwide awareness-raising activities. Public awareness and prevention initiatives reached a wide and multi-faceted spectrum of civil society far beyond the women's movement and other organizations normally engaged on the issue. Counseling centers reached similar conclusions to those of law enforcement. Indeed, counseling centers actually reported a decline in the number of forced prostitution cases during the World Cup. The report credits the effectiveness of police and NGO measures. IOM: No Increase in TIP -------------- ¶11. (U) In September 2006, IOM and the Swedish government Agency for International Development Cooperation (SIDA) published a draft report on their study of the possible connection between TIP and the 2006 World Cup. The goal of the study was to determine whether there was an increase in victims during the event, analyze the German approach, and recommend potential counter-trafficking measures for similar events in the future. The IOM report concluded: "Despite the host of international pressure in the immediate run-up to the World Cup, the research findings revealed that the German authorities had actually begun developing concepts and planning of action with regard to an increased risk of human trafficking during the World Cup well before the media coverage started -- in autumn 2005." The report continues: "All data, information and expert statements that are available to this date strongly indicate that an increase in trafficking in human beings before and during the World Cup did not occur." ¶12. (U) The report credits a number of factors, including prevention campaigns, increased police focus, and the character of the fan-base, which was comprised mainly of groups, couples, families. The report also cites the success of fan festivals in host cities in minimizing violence and fan misconduct. The report laments the amount of sensationalism and "hysteria" in some pre-World Cup media reporting and suggests a coordinated media approach, accompanied by media training, would have limited misinformation while helping to ensure the issue of trafficking received adequate public attention. According to IOM Germany, the final report will be published later this year. NGOs Evaluate World Cup Public Awareness Campaigns -------------- -------------- BERLIN 00000269 003 OF 003 ¶13. (U) The twenty-one regional and national NGO public awareness campaigns during the World Cup included efforts to sensitize the general public, educate potential clients, provide assistance and counseling for victims, and pressure federal, state, and local politicians to implement additional measures to improve protection and benefits for TIP victims. According to KOK, the NGO campaigns attracted significant attention nationally and internationally and succeeded in raising public awareness. State legislatures in each of the sixteen federal states discussed TIP. The NGO recommended that World Cup campaigns continue in order to attain a sustainable effect. Final Whistle Campaign -------------- ¶14. (U) One of the most widely recognized counter-TIP World Cup initiatives was the government-funded "Final Whistle" campaign organized by the German Women's Council (GWC),under the patronage of Berlin's Mayor and the President of the German Soccer Association (DFB). The campaign was conducted in cooperation with the Council's 50 member organizations and 13 other groups. The Council's public awareness campaign used the media and local and national events to raise TIP awareness, reaching out to the general public and soccer fans throughout Germany. ¶15. (U) According to the GWC, the campaign resulted in over 80 regional "Final Whistle Actions." Close to 1,000 local and regional groups participated in the campaign. By the end of the campaign, approximately 80,000 people had signed the campaign's petition, which called for increased funding for counseling centers, police training, and public awareness efforts. Another 100,000 people reportedly signed petitions organized by several Catholic women's associations. According to a GWC spokesperson, the campaign received "overwhelming worldwide media attention." The spokesperson stated "the responsible and sensitive" approach used by police, in addition to the GWC campaign and other efforts, contributed to the fact that there was no significant increase in forced prostitution during the World Cup. On January 16, the Council presented the list of signatures and their petition to Susanne Kastner, the Vice President of the German Bundestag. According to Henny Engels, the GWC's Executive Director, the Council will continue its campaign in ¶2007. TIMKEN JR