WORLD
UN Secretary General: Some 72 per cent of detected victims of trafficking in persons are women and girls
Baku, July, 30, AZERTAC
Some 72 per cent of detected victims are women and girls, and the percentage of child victims has more than doubled from 2004 to 2016, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
According to him, migrants are particularly vulnerable, and countries need to urgently adopt holistic, human rights-based approaches to counter-trafficking which place migrants and their protection at the centre. “Armed conflict, displacement, climate change, natural disasters and poverty exacerbate the vulnerabilities and desperation that enable trafficking to flourish. Migrants are being targeted. Thousands of people have died at sea, in deserts and in detention centres, at the hands of traffickers and migrant smugglers plying their monstrous, merciless trades,” the UN chief said.
“Everyday indifference to abuse and exploitation around us also takes a heavy toll. Multilateral action has generated progress, including through the Palermo Convention and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Most countries have the necessary laws in place, and some countries recently recorded their first trafficking convictions. But more needs to be done to bring transnational trafficking networks to justice and, most of all, to ensure that victims are identified and can access the protection and services they need,” Guterres stressed.
“The Sustainable Development Goals include clear targets to prevent abuse and exploitation, to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls, and to eradicate forced labour and child labour. On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives,” he concluded.