Partnership for Global Justice Update

The May 2013 update from Partnership for Global Justice:

May 13, 14, 2013: 

UN High Level Meeting on Human Trafficking

Countries met to assess progress in implementing the Global plan of Action in Combating Human Trafficking.  The Partnership plays an active role in the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking and we are grateful to all of you who support efforts in your area and nationally and globally.

Some highlights of the meeting:

·       Human Trafficking is an estimated $32 billion industry, trapping 2.4 million into forced labor, domestic servitude, sexual work and as child soldiers.

·       154 member states out of 193 have ratified the protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.  16 percent of countries have never recorded a conviction for trafficking.  Rates in the world for conviction remain very low.

·       Ban Ki -moon:  “Human Trafficking is a vicious chain that binds victims to criminals.  We must break this chain with force of human solidarity.  We must listen to victims.”

·       Number of countries that have proper legislation to combat human trafficking increased to 83 per cent from 60 percent.  Number of countries in Africa and Middle East with anti-human trafficking legislation has doubled in last three years.

·       Between 2006-2009 the number of detectable cases for human trafficking for forced labor doubled from 18 to 36 per cent.  Joint operations are needed across borders and national strategies must be linked to regional and international approaches

·       27 percent of all trafficking incidents involved children with the majority in Africa, forced into slave labor, exploited in sweatshops, bought and sold for sex or organ harvesting.

·       Need to enhance cooperation between origin and destination.  Urgent need to complement supply side prevention with greater efforts to curb demand.

·       Immigration policies and lack of adequate capacity to deal effectively with immigration could compound the effects of human trafficking.  Public policies should focus not only on enforcement actions but also on prevention and providing aid to victims.

·       Implementation gaps remain in domestic, regional and international cooperation.  As long as economic disparities and poverty persist, people would continue to travel in search of a better life.

·       Criminalizing human trafficking is a priority as well as protecting victims.  All those along the trafficking chain must be held accountable.

·       Victims must be included in development of methods and actions addressing their situations, otherwise advocacy action not sustainable.  Funding is needed for groups to work at grass roots level.

·       Will governments work to fully implement the Global Plan of Action and “break the cycle” by truly focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership?

·       Will member States, philanthropic organizations and the private sector increase their support for the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons?

·       “We cannot let this period be remembered as one in which the global community knew but did not act.”  (Ali Treki past president of the General Assembly)

We  must continue to advocate for concrete implementation of the Global Plan locally, nationally and internationally. To date much work has been done on the “supply” side of trafficking and addressing root causes such as poverty.  There is a growing recognition that the real “root cause” lies in demand.  What can we do to curtail demand here in our own country?