A five-year regional project to fight human trafficking across SoutheastAsia was launched in Hanoi yesterday by the United Nations Action forCooperation against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT).
TheAsia-Pacific region records by far the highest rates of humantrafficking in the world. The International Labour Organisationestimates that some 20.9 million people globally are in conditions offorced labour at any given point in time, and more than 50 percent -11.7 million people - are in the region.
Trafficking in theregion takes place for labour and sexual exploitation, begging, forcedmarriage, illegal adoption, and other purposes.
As in many partsof the world, human trafficking is a serious problem in Vietnam, whichis both a source and destination country for victims.
Males and females of all ages are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour and marriage, and begging.
Inrecent years the Government has shown commitment to fighting humantrafficking through policy intervention, prosecution, protection, andprevention – referred to as the "4 Ps" in anti-trafficking work.
Vietnam has implemented a National Plan of Action against trafficking in persons and endorsed a national anti-trafficking law.
It has also ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes and the Protocols.
However, important challenges remain as the scale of human trafficking in the country remains significant.
Since2005 law enforcement efforts have uncovered more than 3,000 traffickingcases with more than 5,000 offenders involved and 6,200 victimsdeceived and exploited.
UN-ACT will work closely withgovernments, civil society, academic and research organisations, as wellas the private sector, to strengthen policy and operational responsesto human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and beyond.
Byliaising with both government and non-governmental organisations, bothcentrally and at the local level, the project will help to translatewhat takes place at the policy level into effective action on the groundand vice versa.
The aim is to ensure that governments are ableto deliver the services that victims are entitled to and effectivelypunish perpetrators.
Speaking at the launch, UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta emphasised the importance of UN-ACT.
"Human trafficking is an issue of great concern," she said.
"Itexploits vulnerable people, resulting in severe suffering and graveviolations of human rights. Working in a concerted and mutuallysupportive way is key not only to reducing, but also eventually toeradicating this form of modern slavery.
"Let us build on the strong foundation of cooperation established under UN-ACT, as we continue to work together."
LieutenantGeneral Do Kim Tuyen, Deputy Head of Vietnam's COMMIT Task Force, wasquoted as saying in a press release from the UN Communications Office inHanoi: "As UN-ACT is a successor to the United Nations Inter-AgencyProject on Human Trafficking, we look forward to a continuation ofunique, dynamic and creative interventions to effectively supportcountries in this region to counter human trafficking."-VNA
TheAsia-Pacific region records by far the highest rates of humantrafficking in the world. The International Labour Organisationestimates that some 20.9 million people globally are in conditions offorced labour at any given point in time, and more than 50 percent -11.7 million people - are in the region.
Trafficking in theregion takes place for labour and sexual exploitation, begging, forcedmarriage, illegal adoption, and other purposes.
As in many partsof the world, human trafficking is a serious problem in Vietnam, whichis both a source and destination country for victims.
Males and females of all ages are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour and marriage, and begging.
Inrecent years the Government has shown commitment to fighting humantrafficking through policy intervention, prosecution, protection, andprevention – referred to as the "4 Ps" in anti-trafficking work.
Vietnam has implemented a National Plan of Action against trafficking in persons and endorsed a national anti-trafficking law.
It has also ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes and the Protocols.
However, important challenges remain as the scale of human trafficking in the country remains significant.
Since2005 law enforcement efforts have uncovered more than 3,000 traffickingcases with more than 5,000 offenders involved and 6,200 victimsdeceived and exploited.
UN-ACT will work closely withgovernments, civil society, academic and research organisations, as wellas the private sector, to strengthen policy and operational responsesto human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and beyond.
Byliaising with both government and non-governmental organisations, bothcentrally and at the local level, the project will help to translatewhat takes place at the policy level into effective action on the groundand vice versa.
The aim is to ensure that governments are ableto deliver the services that victims are entitled to and effectivelypunish perpetrators.
Speaking at the launch, UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta emphasised the importance of UN-ACT.
"Human trafficking is an issue of great concern," she said.
"Itexploits vulnerable people, resulting in severe suffering and graveviolations of human rights. Working in a concerted and mutuallysupportive way is key not only to reducing, but also eventually toeradicating this form of modern slavery.
"Let us build on the strong foundation of cooperation established under UN-ACT, as we continue to work together."
LieutenantGeneral Do Kim Tuyen, Deputy Head of Vietnam's COMMIT Task Force, wasquoted as saying in a press release from the UN Communications Office inHanoi: "As UN-ACT is a successor to the United Nations Inter-AgencyProject on Human Trafficking, we look forward to a continuation ofunique, dynamic and creative interventions to effectively supportcountries in this region to counter human trafficking."-VNA
