Agreement to bolster fight against human trafficking

Vientiane Times, 12.10.06

A new agreement between the Lao government and the United Nations signed in Vientiane on Tuesday will strengthen the country's legal and law enforcement institutions in an effort to combat human trafficking.

Girls aged between 12 and 18 are most likely to be the victims of trafficking in Laos, making up 60 percent of all cases. Of all victims, 35 percent end up in forced prostitution.

Deputy Minister of Justice Mr Ket Kettisack and the representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr Leik Boonwaat, jointly signed the agreement.

" Laos is a source and a transit country for human trafficking. This is not only a cross-border activity, it also occurs within the borders of the country," Mr Boonwaat said.

A UNICEF study, "Broken Promises, Shattered Dreams 2004", found forced prostitution was the main reason for human trafficking in Laos, at 35 percent, followed by domestic labour, at 32 percent, factory work, at 17 percent, and work on fishing boats, 4 percent.

Children who disappear from their villages and are never heard of again make up 17 percent of cases. Of the victims that returned, most escaped on their own. There were hardly any cases of victims being voluntarily released by their employers except when the victims had contracted HIV/AIDS and were too sick to continue working.

Human trafficking has become one of the most profitable activities of crime groups and transnational criminal syndicates worldwide, Mr Boonwaat said.

He also said that the United Nations convention against transnational organised crime was supplemented by the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, to address this serious problem. This protocol brings a three-pronged approach - protection, prevention and prosecution - to the global challenge of human trafficking, which can also be called modern-day slavery.

"Our project's aim is to strengthen the capacity of the criminal justice institutions including the judiciary and law enforcement bodies to prevent, investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking in human beings and related forms of organised crime," Mr Boonwaat explained. It would also work towards enhancing international cooperation.

He said that the project would assess what is needed to implement the protocols to prevent, suppress and punish the trafficking of women and children, supplementing the United Nations convention against transnational organised crime.

He said that the project would provide effective and efficient training for criminal justice practitioners and law enforcement officers in order to strengthen the country's capacity to investigate, prosecute and convict traffickers.

"I look forward to strengthening partnerships and cooperation in the efforts to end the exploitation of human beings through modern day slavery, not only in Laos but also throughout the region," he stressed.

At the signing ceremony he expressed his appreciation to the governments of Canada, Sweden and Norway for their contributions to UNODC that made this project possible.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa
(Latest Update October 12, 2006)