Family and Child Welfare

Family and Child Welfare 3 (3+0)

Lesson 38 : Women Trafficking- Effects

Regional Efforts

1. The Asian Regional Initiative against the Trafficking of Women and Children (ARIAT):
   ARIAT in Manila in March 2000 was co-hosted by Governments of Philippines and U.S. The meeting gathered representatives from some twenty countries resulted in a plan of action that focused on Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Reintegration.


2. The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC):
   The government of SAARC has presented a draft convention on Trafficking of Women and Children in South Asia to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children.


3. Foundation of Women's Forum:
   In 1998, the Swedish organization Kvinnoforum (The foundation of women's ForuIl1) initiated research and formulated a strategy to combat trafficking in women and girls in Nordic countries and around Baltic Sea.


4. Government Agencies and NGOs together with International community have adopted a variety of Strategies to combat Trafficking in Women:
   1. Prevention of women trafficking through legal and criminal system, training of law enforcement officers.
   2. Control and suppression of prostitution through legal system.
   3. Rescue and rehabilitation for women and girl victims.
   4. Protection for and awareness-raising among women and girls to prevent trafficking.
   5. Demand reduction through advocacy and to raise public awareness, particularly in relation to forced prostitution and other measures.
   6. Supply reduction through.
   1. Advocacy and awareness rising among parents and guardians.
   2. Provision of alternative employment and income earning opportunities for women and girls.
   3. Campaigns targeting parents on long term advantages of girl’s education

There is a need to support the work of both national and international non-governmental organizations that are working to provide shelters and rehabilitation services for victims of trafficking. Governmental agencies alone cannot fill protection needs of all trafficked persons. The NGOs are especially important to support the rescued victim who is transported back to her home country for rehabilitation and reintegration. In order to combat globalization of this criminal behavior, international policies and practices that encourage civil participation and co-operation with trafficking victims in the prosecution of traffickers have to be established. Human trafficking laws must provide serious penalties against the traffickers, including provisions for confiscation of property and compensation for victims. At the same time, training is needed to ensure that an insensitive investigation and prosecution process does not further traumatize trafficking victims.

Conclusion

• Trafficking in women is a criminal phenomenon that violates basic human rights, and totally destroying Victims' lives.
• Women often suffer from a multitude of physical and psychological health problems and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.
• Poverty, attitude towards women, unemployment, weak law enforcement are critical factors relating to trafficking of women.
• To overcome this social evil, awareness campaigns and serious law enforcements from the government are necessary.