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HANOI
(ILO News)
– Women activists and eminent speakers on the problems of human
trafficking and gender discrimination today called for greater
involvement of women and vulnerable groups in the fight against human
trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
While the organization and execution of anti-trafficking measures tend
to fall upon Governments, participants at the Mekong Women’s Forum,
drawn from five countries of the GMS, suggested other groups –
especially those most vulnerable to trafficking – should play a
greater role in national and sub-regional responses to the problem –
especially since these groups have first-hand experience in combating
trafficking.
“The work against human trafficking and discrimination cannot rest
solely in the hands of government,” said Ms. Sachiko Yamamoto,
Regional Director for the International Labour Organization’s
Asia
and Pacific Office.
“Ordinary men, women and children, [need] to stand up and claim the
rights they own, and to demand that Governments, societies and
citizens also take action. Women and their organizations are playing a
crucial role,” Ms. Yamamoto said at the opening of this two-day
event in the Vietnamese capital. She also noted the importance played
by employer’s and worker’s organizations as well in combating
trafficking for labour exploitation.
Hosted by the Viet Nam Women’s Union, The Mekong Women’s Forum has
attracted speakers and participants from
Cambodia
,
China
, Lao PDR,
Thailand
and
Viet Nam
, all of whom have experience in counter-trafficking efforts in their
countries.
“In
Viet Nam
, most trafficked women and children suffer from poverty, lack of
employment, low education level or unhappy families who often migrate
from rural areas to cities or commercial areas” said Ms. Ha Thi
Khiet, President of the Viet Nam Women’s
Union
.
Ms. Khiet said her organization was “continuously renovating
methodologies in community education” to enhance understanding of
human trafficking at grass-roots level, especially as relates to
ill-prepared migration – a time when people, especially women and
children, are most vulnerable to trafficking, sexual and labour
exploitation.
“As women’s groups and organizations, we could do a lot
to assist in the whole cycle of activities. Many of us have already
undertaken many important projects,” said Dr. Saisuree Chutikul, the
keynote speaker and one of the regions pre-eminent experts on
countering gender discrimination and coordinating cross-border
responses to trafficking.
While poverty and varying levels of gender empowerment are
common themes found in all five countries, the Mekong Women’s Forum
also was shown working ‘good practices’ already underway to
prevent and protect women from trafficking-related abuses.
Dr. Saisuree suggested women’s groups and organizations
across the GMS begin and/or intensify work with Governments in four
key areas: developing and working within national policy and legal
frameworks, in the area of prosecution, in the collective areas of
protection, repatriation, recovery and reintegration of trafficking
victims, and finally in the area of prevention – an area she noted
that women’s organizations had played a particularly active role.
The Forum was expected to draft a series of specific
recommendations to coordinate their efforts in the future.
For more information please contact:
Mr.
Allan Dow
Communications Officer
ILO Mekong Sub-regional Project to Combat
Trafficking in
Children and Women
Tel: (66-2) 288
2057
Mob: (66-8) 9891 5003
Ms. Duong Thi Xuan
Head of IEC Department
Viet Nam Women’s Union
39 Hang Chuoi Street,
Hanoi, Viet Nam
Tel. (84-4) 9719916
Fax: (84-4) 9722313
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