Why Overview NRMs?
About the need to understand how NRMs function
National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) as a concept developed by the OSCE/ODIHR have been established and become operational in the countries across the globe. Their purpose is to create co-operative framework through which state actors fulfil their obligations to protect and promote the human rights of trafficked persons, co-ordinating their efforts in a strategic partnership with the civil society.
Yet, in practise, NRM systems vary widely and lack uniformity in the national interpretation, implementation and delivery of laws, procedures and services. Coordinated and effective response to human trafficking both within the national states and cross border requires a correct understanding of the functioning of NRMs in different national states, based in a solid insight into different working methods, procedures and services in place. Only if this basic pre-requisite is fulfilled, a functional transnational referral mechanism can be established.
Enabling the access to a practitioner-friendly overview of the organisation and functioning of the NRMs in Europe and beyond is one of the goals of the database run by the CCSDD Human Trafficking Chapter.
