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Issue 4: Trafficking in Women and Children
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Para 122.
The effective suppression of trafficking in women and girls for
the sex trade is a matter of pressing international concern.
Implementation of the 1949 Convention for the Suppression of the
Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution
of Others, 20/ as well as other relevant instruments, needs to
be reviewed and strengthened. The use of women in international
prostitution and trafficking networks has become a major focus
of international organized crime. The Special Rapporteur of the
Commission on Human Rights on violence against women, who has
explored these acts as an additional cause of the violation of
the human rights and fundamental freedom of women and girls, is
invited to address, within her mandate and as a matter of
urgency, the issue of international trafficking for the purposes
of the sex trade, as well as the issues of forced prostitution,
rape, sexual abuse and sex tourism. Women and girls who are
victims of this international trade are at an increased risk of
further violence, as well as unwanted pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infection, including infection with HIV/AIDS.
FWCW, Beijing,
1995
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130. By
Governments of countries of origin, transit and destination,
regional and international organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Consider the ratification and enforcement of international
conventions on trafficking in persons and on slavery;
(b) Take appropriate measures to address the root factors,
including external factors, that encourage trafficking in women
and girls for prostitution and other forms of commercialized
sex, forced marriages and forced labour in order to eliminate
trafficking in women, including by strengthening existing
legislation with a view to providing better protection of the
rights of women and girls and to punishing the perpetrators,
through both criminal and civil measures;
(c) Step up cooperation and concerted action by all relevant law
enforcement authorities and institutions with a view to
dismantling national, regional and international networks in
trafficking;
(d) Allocate resources to provide comprehensive programmes
designed to heal and rehabilitate into society victims of
trafficking, including through job training, legal assistance
and confidential health care and take measures to cooperate with
non-governmental organizations to provide for the social,
medical and psychological care of the victims of trafficking;
e) Develop educational and training programmes and policies and
consider enacting legislation aimed at preventing sex tourism
and trafficking, giving special emphasis to the protection of
young women and children.
Beijing +5
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14. …It is
also noted that, in some countries, problems have arisen from
the use of new information and communication technologies for
trafficking in women and children and for purposes of all forms
of economic and sexual exploitation.
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41. The
patterns of migratory flows of labour are changing. Women and
girls are increasingly involved in internal, regional and
international labour migration to pursue many occupations,
mainly in farm labour, domestic work and some forms of
entertainment work. While this situation increases their earning
opportunities and self-reliance, it also exposes them,
particularly the poor, uneducated, unskilled and/or undocumented
migrants, to inadequate working conditions, increased health
risk, the risk of trafficking, economic and sexual exploitation,
racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, and other forms of
abuse, which impair their enjoyment of their human rights and,
in some cases, constitute violations of human rights.
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70. (a)
Take appropriate measures to address the root factors, including
external factors, that encourage trafficking in women and girls
for prostitution and other forms of commercialized sex, forced
marriages and forced labour in order to eliminate trafficking in
women, including by strengthening existing legislations with a
view to providing better protection of the rights of women and
girls and to punishing the perpetrators, through both criminal
and civil measures; (b) Devise,
enforce and strengthen effective measures to combat and
eliminate all forms of trafficking in women and girls through a
comprehensive anti- trafficking strategy consisting of, inter
alia, legislative measures, prevention campaigns, information
exchange, assistance and protection for and reintegration of the
victims and prosecution of all the offenders involved, including
intermediaries;
ICPD POA, Cairo,
1994
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4.9.
…Countries should prohibit degrading practices, such as
trafficking in women, adolescents and children and exploitation
through prostitution, and pay special attention to protecting
the rights and safety of those who suffer from these crimes and
those in potentially exploitable situations, such as migrant
women, women in domestic service and schoolgirls. In this
regard, international safeguards and mechanisms for cooperation
should be put in place to ensure that these measures are
implemented.
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10.16 (c)
To prevent all international trafficking in migrants, especially
for the purposes of prostitution;
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10.18.
Governments of both receiving countries and countries of origin
should adopt effective sanctions against those who organize
undocumented migration, exploit undocumented migrants or engage
in trafficking in undocumented migrants, especially those who
engage in any form of international traffic in women, youth and
children…
ICPD +5
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24 (b). To
prevent trafficking in migrants, in particular women and
children subjected to forced labour or sexual or commercial
exploitation; to develop clear penalties for such trafficking
and migrant smuggling, backed by effective administrative
procedures and laws, ensuring punishment of those who commit
such crimes; and to finalize as soon as possible trafficking and
smuggling protocols which are currently being negotiated by the
United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice;
World Summit for
Social Development, Copenhagen, 1995
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Commitment 6 (y).
Intensify and coordinate international support for education and
health programmes based on respect for human dignity and focused
on the protection of all women and children, especially against
exploitation, trafficking…
World Conference
on Human Rights, Vienna, 1993
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38. In particular,
the World Conference on Human Rights stresses the importance of
working towards the elimination of violence against women in
public and private life, the elimination of all forms of sexual
harassment, exploitation and trafficking in women…
Vienna +5
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I.
Strengthen the human rights protection of trafficked women and
girls in order to eliminate organized and other forms of
trafficking, including trafficking for the purposes of sexual
and economic exploitation.
Take steps to enable women who are victims of trafficking to:
(1) make complaints to the police; (2) be available when
required by the criminal justice system; and (3) ensure that
during this time they have access to social, medical, financial
and legal assistance, and protection, as appropriate.
Millennium
Declaration, 2000
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