Subject: [fem-women2000 79] NGO Statement on TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1999 23:42:42 +0900
Seq: 79

STATEMENT ON TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

BY THE WORKING GROUP OF PARALLEL SEMINAR "TRAFFICKING IN 
WOMEN: TOWARDS AN EMPOWERING APPROACH" 
HELD ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 28TH 1999 1.30 - 3.00 PM

AT THE HIGH LEVEL INTERGOVERNMENTAL MEETING CONCERNING THE 
BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION CONVENED BY UN ESCAP
26-29 OCTOBER 1999, BANGKOK


This Working Group wishes to highlight elements concerning trafficking
in women and children for inclusion in the ESCAP Declaration and Report
to be drafted on 28 October 1999 from 7pm: 

Any strategies to address the problem of trafficking should not
jeopardise the already vulnerable situation of women concerned. 

Trafficked persons should be treated as holders of rights rather than as
objects of government actions. 

We call for governments:

*  to adopt a rights-based approach to policies and programs in regard
to trafficking in women, to protect and promote the human rights of
trafficked persons and provide redress for trafficked persons. 

*  To adopt a comprehensive definition of 'trafficking' that 

  a) includes deceit, abuse of authority or coercion as a core element 
  b) makes a distinction between trafficking and prostitution as such,
  c) concerns trafficking for purposes other than within the context of
     the sex industry eg trafficking for domestic work, marriage,
     sweatshop labour. 

*  To develop and implement comprehensive strategies to tackle
trafficking in women and children. These must address the areas of
prevention, protection and redress for trafficked persons. 

*  To undertake studies of relevant existing laws on trafficking and the
impact of those  laws on the women concerned. Most existing policies and
measures regarding trafficking in women have employed a largely
repressive approach that has had a negative impact on the women
concerned. 

Strategies to combat trafficking must include remedies and redress for
trafficked women and protection and promotion of human rights.

Endorsed by:
*  the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), Secretariat inThailand
*  Asian Women Human Rights Council (AWHRC), Philippines
*  Women's Federation for World Peace
*  Joint Women's Programme, India 
*  International Women's Development Agency (IWDA), Australia
*  Asian Women's Conference Network, Japan
*  Mitra Perempuan, Indonesia
*  Women for Prosperity, Cambodia