A/HRC/14/30/Add.2 13. The Government of Romania indicated to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 20075 that the phenomenon of children left behind by migrating parents at home in the care of relatives, extended family and even State institutions increased with the opening of the country’s borders following its accession to the European Union. 14. In 2008, UNICEF estimated that around 350,000 children (over 8 per cent of the child population) were affected by this phenomenon. Of these, approximately 126,000 were affected by the migration of both parents, 50 per cent were below the age of 10, and 16 per cent had lived apart from their parents for more than one year.6 The phenomenon seems to be on the decline, since information provided by the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights updated to include March 2009, showed that at least 51,790 children were left behind by one migrating family member. Of these, at least 10,995 had a single caregiving parent working abroad and 28,447 children had both parents working abroad. A total of 3,560 children left behind benefited from the special protection system established by the Government, which is described below. C. Transnational organized crime 15. Romanian nationals have been prey to transnational organized crime, primarily trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labour and forced begging mostly in Europe. Forced labour takes place in the agriculture, construction and service sectors, among others. Romania is also a country of transit and, to some extent, destination7 in the human trafficking cycle. Roma children are reportedly major victims of transnational organized crime, including trafficking in persons and forced begging. 16. According to the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex),8 in 2007, the human trafficking phenomenon in Romania involved 2,492 victims and a total of 1,509 identified facilitators. According to the Government, the total number of victims identified in 2007 was 1,780 and there were no reported cases of human trafficking in foreign citizens. 17. While the majority of cases of international trafficking in persons involved Western Europe, particularly Italy and Spain, cases of domestic trafficking in persons were also reported in 2008 according to a human rights report issued by the United States Department of State.9 Other countries of destination for trafficked persons of Romanian origin for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour are Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey. Information provided by the Government indicates that, in 2008, 18 cases (8 females) of trafficking in foreign citizens were identified in the Romanian territory: 13 from Honduras, 3 from the Republic of Moldova, 1 from France and 1 from Colombia. 18. Information gathered by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe in a visit to Italy in January 2009 shows that a significant number of unaccompanied migrant children of Romanian origin entered Italy irregularly, most of 5 6 7 8 9 6 See CRC/C/ROM/4. “National analysis of the phenomenon of children left home by their parents who migrate abroad for employment”, p. 19. Ibid., para. 16. General Report 2008, p. 15. Available from http://www.frontex.europa.eu/gfx/frontex/files/justyna/frontex_general_report_2008.pdf. United States Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report 2009 – Romania (16 June 2009). Available from http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a4214962d.html. GE.10-12102