8 June 2022, Rome – The high-level conference on the parliamentary support to victims of terrorism concluded its works today, after two days of intense debates and presentations. It was hosted by the Italian Parliament, and was co-organized by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), the United Nations Office of Counter-terrorism (UNOCT), OSCE PA, the African Parliamentary Union (APU), and the Shura Council of the State of Qatar.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including parliamentarians, representatives of the UN, leading experts, victims of terrorism and their associations, and civil society, with the objective of identifying the best way for parliamentarians to address the rights and needs of victims of terrorism through tangible legislative measures, which can be implemented to enact positive change and create lasting impact.
On the first day of the conference, PAM President, Hon. Gennaro Migliore, in his opening remarks, emphasized the multidimensional nature of terrorism, which poses a multitude of challenges for the international community. Among these challenges, providing concrete support to victims of terrorism is one of the top priorities on the agenda of PAM. Specific reference was made to the ongoing Russian brutal aggression against Ukraine, and the thousands civilians killed or being innocent victims of atrocities, war crimes, abuses and terror.
In this regard, the launch of the United Nations Model Legislative Provisions constituted milestone, and he continued, “Today we have the extraordinary opportunity to work together to exchange experiences and to enact laws aimed at further assisting victims of terrorism to have their voices heard, their needs met, and their rights protected.”
On the second day of the meeting, Hon. Dherar Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, PAM Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict, and Victims of Terrorism (UAE), presented
the report “Hijacked Civil Rights”, in which he focused on the crimes against women and children in human trafficking.
In his report, Hon. Belhoul Al Falasi highlighted that the number of trafficked women and boys around the world is estimated at 30.2 million, and the number of children under 18 years of age is estimated at 10.1 million. These are alarming numbers, and only strong and structured regional and international cooperation can fight against these crimes.
At the end of the conference, PAM President delivered the concluding remarks. In his intervention, he stated that “parliaments could do more for victims of terrorism, for example supporting the creation of victims’ organizations, and provide them with the necessary budget to explicate their functions, or, giving victims more opportunities to openly speak about their experiences in national and international fora, to help rebuilding their confidence and self-importance.” He added that each euro spent on counterterrorism, and euros should be spent for education and prevention, including for the victims of terrorism.
All the participants agreed on the importance of the UN Model Legislative Provisions to strengthen and tailor national parliaments’ responses, and the necessity to harmonize legislations and effectively synchronize parliamentary efforts with the global counter-terrorism strategy and the international instruments to support victims of terrorism.
Witnesses and direct victims of terrorism brought a unique and intense reflection on their experiences adding a moral and human dimension to the debate.//