OSCE Academy and Global Campus Central Asia Hosts OSCE Seminar on Addressing Human Trafficking and Labour Exploitation in Supply Chains
28–29 October 2026
On 28–29 October 2026, the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and Global Campus Central Asia, in collaboration with the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, through its Supply Chains Project, hosted a seminar on “Addressing Trafficking in Human Beings and Labour Exploitation in Supply Chains.”
The seminar brought together students and alumni of the MAHRS and other OSCE Academy’s Masters Programmes, alongside experts from academia, the OSCE Secretariat, civil society, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders. The event aimed to strengthen understanding of human trafficking for labour exploitation and forced labour, with particular attention to the challenges facing Central Asia and the wider OSCE region.
Trafficking in human beings remains a serious human rights violation and a persistent challenge worldwide. Labour exploitation and forced labour are among its most prevalent yet often under-identified forms. Addressing these issues requires not only effective law enforcement, but also stronger labour protections, responsible business practices, ethical recruitment and improved governance of supply chains.
The event was opened by Christopher Blair, Head of Human Dimension at the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, and Dr. Anja Mihr, Academic Director of the MAHRS Programme, Global Campus Central Asia.
In his speech, Dr. Dunay underlined that “The trafficking in human beings is an important area of international security where the OSCE, due to its comprehensive agenda, has great potential and can do a lot both inside the OSCE area and also consider the external pressure on many participating States. It can foster cooperation and exchange of views among the participating States and contribute to the efforts of others.”
Through expert presentations, thematic sessions and panel discussions, participants explored the links between human trafficking, labour rights, business and human rights, and sustainable development. The programme also examined due diligence frameworks, victim protection and access to remedy, as well as practical approaches to preventing exploitation in supply chains.
The seminar features contributions from international and regional experts, including Dr. Alexander Trautrims, Associate Director and Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Nottingham; Alessia Vedano, Adviser on Anti-Trafficking Issues at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR); and Tobias Seitz, Researcher and Policy Adviser at the German Institute for Human Rights. A keynote address will be delivered online by Mariam Bhatti, a lived-experience expert and survivor serving on the OSCE’s ISTAC Advisory Council.
Sessions focus on supply chains in Central Asia, forced labour and human trafficking in the region, labour exploitation, and the relationship between sustainable development and responsible supply chain management. By bringing together academic perspectives and policy experience, the event provides a platform for critical discussion, regional knowledge exchange and practical reflection on measures to prevent exploitation and strengthen human rights protections.
The seminar is organized within the framework of the extra-budgetary project “Prevention of Human Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in Supply Chains,” implemented with the financial support of the Governments of Germany, Austria, Norway, Finland and France.