Швейцарского телевидения ищет женщин в Одессе/Swiss TV looking for female in Odessa

Я связался Патрисией Банзер Швейцарского национального телевидения, которая ищет молодую женщину в Одессе, чтобы говорить о том, что именно – молодая женщина в Одессе и с которыми они сталкиваются, касающихся прав женщин. Предпочтительно активное участие в кампании за права женщин, хотя молодая девушка со свежим и интересным подходом к теме также будет представлять интересю

Всех, кто заинтересован и доступен на разговор с Швейцарским национальным телевидением в пятницу 20 сентября тогда пожалуйста, не пишите мне, но электронная почта Патрисии напрямую; patricia.banzer @ srf.ch

I have been contacted by Patricia Banzer of Swiss National Television, who is looking for a young woman in Odessa to talk about being exactly that – a young woman in Odessa and the issues they face relating to womens rights.  Preferably active in campaigning for womens rights, although a young lady with a fresh and interesting approach to the subject would also be of interest.

Anybody interested and available talk with Swiss National Television on Friday 20th September,  to please do not contact me, but email Patricia directly:  patricia.banzer@srf.ch

Shrinking demographics – 33-36 million forecast for 2050 in Ukraine

Rather unsurprisingly Ukrainian demographics are forecast to shrink to between 33 – 36 million by 2050 from the current 45/46 million.  Unsurprisingly because European demographics are going to shrink by 2050.

With demographics, it is often wise to look at the big data to understand that of the small more comprehensively.

In fact by 2050 the “western world” (Europe+ USA+Canada+ Australia etc) will account for only 1.5 trillion people from the estimated 10 trillion people on the planet – at which point, as ably displayed by the peerless Hans Rosling, the numbers of humans on the planet will plateau.

http://embed.bambuser.com/broadcast/2996396?autoplay=1

(Watch from 34.18 onwards – prior to that it is a waste of your life)

Should this be of concern or should it be welcomed?

Though I am not a woman, I would suggest it would be welcomed by women in particular – after all, for reasons of automation negating the “muscular mans world” to almost parity, by removing the need for physical strength and replacing it with joy-pad controlled  hydraulics, pressing a pre-programmed computer button to shape steel and the numerous other ways hard physical labour has been replaced by machine, plus improved health care and individual control of reproduction, reducing the need to have 10 children for 3 to survive – demographics will decline correspondingly with female emancipation/opportunity.

As Asia and Africa become more industrially advanced, child birth is likely to reduce there, just as it has in the “western world” for the same reasons – hence the anticipated plateau of the number of humans reaching approximately 10 trillion.

The question therefore facing the Ukrainian government is not only how to deal with and maximise output from shrinking national demographics, but also how to manage and maximise Ukrainian commodities and human capital in amongst an expanding – then plateauing – human race.

For policy makers on a global scale, the question is how to manage the planets resources to sustain 10 trillion.

Ukraine ranked 64th for gender equality

There has been so much written on gender equality over the years I am not going to attempt to write anything that would be meaningful, thoughtful or new.

Suffice to say, Ukraine has just been ranked 64th globally when it comes to gender equality – drawing this response from Natalia Korolevska, the Ukrainian Minister for Social Policy.

It is difficult to disagree with anything she said.

Perhaps most poignant is this, “But if this programme remains solely a framework document, where it is written that we are all for good and against bad things, that we will hold round table meetings and let women go first, then it all would not be enough for our country to ensure the empowerment of women.”  – which as regular readers will know is a major criticism of mine regarding every government Ukraine has ever had – Ineffective implementation!

A rare moment – Convictions for Human Trafficking involving Ukraine

Right – Back on my soap box relating to an cause I passionately believe in.

For once a flicker of light in an otherwise very black hole known as human trafficking.

As it is no secret that convictions globally for this abhorrent crime are minimal – despite the sheer scale of the problem in terms of numbers and illicit money – the SBU and foreign partner agencies have managed to get convictions of 4 people for trafficking Ukrainian women for sexual exploitation.

The Ukrainian involved has been jailed for 5 years.

Hurrah and huzzah!

Let us hope that Ukraine remembers its commitments to the UN relating to The Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

If Ukraine needs reminding,  the trafficked women should receive:

Victims have a right be treated with compassion and respect.
Victims have a right to information on the proceedings.
Victims have a right to present their views to the judicial authorities.
Victims have a right to legal representation at no cost should they be unable to afford it.
Victims have a right to see their privacy and identity protected.
Victims have a right to protection against retaliation and intimidation.
Victims have a right to be offered the opportunity to participate in mediation.
Victims have a right to receive compensation from the state in cases of violent crime.
Victims have the right to receive social assistance.

Will Ukraine apply those points relevant to these women as it has stated it will on several occasions now the legal system has done its job – or will they be cast adrift to be possibly re-trafficked in the future?

Attempts to legalise prostitution and the effect of human trafficking

Well, this entry is likely to get a lot of reading over the coming months – not because of ruminations it contains, but because it will contain those SEO magnetic key words of Ukraine, women, prostitution, sex, escorts and the like.

One look at my blog statistics and it is clear to see that many posts, some years old, are still frequently read because the search engines will bring them to the attention of those seeking fun and frolics, sexual adventures, girlfriends, wives etc from Ukraine – I cannot vet my readership, and to be fair, there will be some historical entries here that may be of some use to those seeking such things.

This entry may or may not fall into that category – but it is not my intention to glorify or undermine the sex industry, whether that which exists within Ukraine or that without that effects Ukraine.  Working with an Odessa NGO that deals with domestic violence, prostitution, human trafficking etc – and having worked for 8 years within the drugs and prostitution agencies in the UK – regardless of whichever side of the “moral line” you sit on regarding the sex industry, the reality is that it exists, has always existed and always will.

The issue for governments, society, NGOs and those employed illegally within that industry, is how to deal with it.

In some nations, prostitution is illegal – it is that simple.  In others it is legal.  In many it sits in a grey area where parts of it are legal and others illegal.  In some nations, a prostitute (or two) can work from a domestic dwelling selling sex and remain within the law.  Three working from that dwelling then makes it a brothel – and thus illegal.  In other nations, brothels are legal, taxed and employees subject to regular medical checks.

Then there are the massage parlours, visiting masseuses, escorts, gentleman’s clubs, entertainment centres et al, which whilst offering services within the law, also infer (correctly) that services outside the law are also available.

All rather complex shades of legal right and wrong – and no degree of legality or otherwise seems to have much effect on those trafficked to nations to enter the sex trade.

As much as I intensely dislike generalisations, it would be fair to say that in Asia most human trafficking has more to do with forced labour than sex.  Across Europe it is the other way around, with more human trafficking aimed towards the sex trade than slave labour.

Ukraine is not only a source of pretty women and children for trafficking into the sex industry, but also a trafficking route of some significants.

It is with interest then, that I note a third attempt is under way within the Czech Republic to legalise prostitution and brothels.

You can understand that through legalisation there is probably not only a significant revenue from taxation to collect, but also some form of inferred additional safety for those currently having to hide what they do from the authorities – not to mention a significant chance to reduce sexually transmitted disease – if handled correctly.

It is unlikely however, to reduce the amount of human trafficking through and from Ukraine to the Czech Republic.  I have yet to see any academic study that has shown a significant reduction in human trafficking to Germany or The Netherlands where prostitution and brothels are legal.  Women are still trafficked there for the sex trade in fairly significant numbers.

Also it has to be said, that more legal places to work as a prostitute outside Ukraine has little effect in the internal trafficking of women to the major cities from the provinces by the criminal elements.

What I have noticed over my (now many) years here, is that more women are working for themselves in Ukraine and are advertising their services for free on social media sites such as VK or Mamba.

For how long that keeps them free from the clutches of criminal underworld, or if indeed this modem operandi keeps them any safer, well, I can find no Ukrainian statistics on the issue – despite working with a Ukrainian NGO of 15 years standing in this arena.  However I do know self-employed prostitutes and escorts who only use these sites to advertise their services – thus there must be some benefit to working this way and avoiding not only the law enforcement agencies but also the criminal underworld – if nothing other than for a little longer than would otherwise be the case.

That said of course, statistics on prostitution where it is illegal, and human trafficking,  is naturally far harder to gauge.  Much has to be based upon guess-work no differently that estimating the size of the black economy in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, it is interesting that the Czech Republic will, for the third time, try to legalise prostitution very soon, as if there are any semi-reliable statistics for human trafficking relating specifically to the Czech Republic and the sex trade, then if legalisation is successful, it should be possible to note any increase or decrease in trafficking rates as a result.

One hopes that somebody will have the sense to try and assess any such outcomes.

Вера, Надежда, Любовь

As yesterday was yet another celebration in Ukraine – Old New Year – today there is nothing of note written by me – naturally!

I will draw your attention to an Odessa based NGO that has got my attention though – for the right reasons.  “Вера, Надежда, Любовь” – Let’s see what I can do for them this year – if anything – I am meeting with them soon!

Sexually Transmitted Infections – Sex Workers Ukraine

Before I begin, I should make a declaration of (previous) interest.

No – I am not and never have been a sex worker in Ukraine!

I did, however, spend 8 years dealing with the issue of prostitution and all the surrounding issues in the 1990’s in the UK.  Over such a period of time, and witnessing closely, both the ups and downs of those I came to know very well during that time, attitudes if not changed, certainly become somewhat more understanding – or even mellow – depending upon individual circumstance.

The UN has just released its December 2012 “Prevention and treatment of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections for Sex Workers in Low/Middle Income Countries Policy Brief” – a catchy title I’m sure you’ll agree.

It does not mention Ukraine specifically, but due to the huge variation in living standards here, it can be inferred that this report will apply to a large section (but not all) of the sex workers in Ukraine (and those trafficked out of, or via, Ukraine).

I have to state that I agree with all that is said in the UN policy brief, even the proposal to de-criminalise such work (which is not the same thing as legalising it).

However, in a country such as Ukraine, where under the Tymoshenko government pornography was banned – without defining what was to be classed as pornography and what was not (where would nude sculptures, classical paintings of nudes etc stand?), the pending homophobic laws under the current government et al,  then can we expect any such implementation of UN policy/domestic liberalisation here?

No.

6th EU Human Trafficking Conference

Today is something of a rushed post.  Yesterday was my birthday, a day when I spent much time being kissed by many people I would prefer not to be kissed by, and a day when I was not kissed by many people I would happily be kissed by.  Hmmm!

Anyway, as you can imagine, there was not much time to sit and write anything even remotely considered for you to read today.

Thus, I will draw your attention to the forthcoming 6th annual EU human trafficking conference that will be held on Thursday which will discuss and cogitate over the 2012 – 2016 EU strategy in line with this Eur-Lex and GRETA document.

For those with more than a passing interest in human trafficking, what comes out of this conference will set the tone for the next 12 months as far as a large part of the European continent is concerned.