The international organisation for political dialogue and fostering practical cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and the Swedish Gender Equality Agency are launching the campaign #BeforeYouGo, a joint information campaign to fight labour exploitation. The campaign aims to get information to labour migrants and displaced persons from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania about the risks of labour exploitation, and also the rights they have as workers.

The CBSS has a long-time experience in developing policy lines and practical projects aimed at reducing human trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond. The COVID pandemic and the Russian aggression in Ukraine have negatively impacted the challenges related to human trafficking, including for labour exploitation. The CBSS works on these challenges with partners across the region, says Grzegorz Poznański, Director General at the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

Labour exploitation and human trafficking for forced labour are prevalent in a number of industries in the Baltic Sea Region, including the construction sector, hotel and restaurant industry, berry picking and domestic services.

The information campaign #BeforeYouGo aims to reach people who plan to look for work in Sweden, and in the Baltic Sea Region. The campaign consists partly of a video, which is available on YouTube, where people who have already become established in the CBSS member state Sweden offer advice to their compatriots, and partly of an information page on the Swedish gender Equality Agency’s website.

The campaign concept ‘Before You Go’ starts with Sweden as an area of focus and the hope is to spread the campaign throughout the Baltic Sea Region, with similar films adapted to national contexts.

“Labour exploitation and human trafficking are serious crimes that increase in times of crisis. My hope is that this campaign will help more people find secure paths to employment and that other states in the Baltic Sea Region join our campaign concept ‘Before You Go”, says Paulina Bolton, Advisor at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency.

Source, The Council of the Baltic Sea States and Sweden.