Human trafficking is ‘joint responsibility’ of all UN countries: PHL

Preventing human trafficking is the “joint responsibility of all member-states” of the United Nations whether these are countries of origin, transit or destination.

This bold statement was made by Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Policy Evan P. Garcia during a meeting of the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking held September 26 as part of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 26.

Human trafficking is a “global phenomenon which must be addressed in a comprehensive manner,” urged Garcia, according to a press statement. “It is vital to engage all global stakeholders to prevent the human trafficking and its deleterious effects on human beings and society.”

“We need to work together to combat human trafficking. The Philippines continues to work with all our partners from different governments and various sectors in order to protect to ensure that all efforts are sustained and coordinated,” he added.

The Philippines and Belarus, together with 18 countries across all regions, founded the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking as an informal, voluntary, and open-ended association which seeks to help “reinvigorate and consolidate” the global fight against trafficking in persons.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines human trafficking as a form of “forced or compulsory labour” where “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.” Many victims, especially women and minors, experience sexual exploitation.

Victims, said the ILO, can be of all ages, such as children forced to work in exchange for a loan provided to their parents, young migrant adults or older men or women bound to a landowner. Employers can be individuals, small or large companies, or state-associated institutions such as armies or prisons. The ILO’s 2012 estimate put the number of forced labour victims at 20.9 million worldwide.

Filipinos have been among the victims of human trafficking denounced as ‘modern-day slavery.’

Just last month, the Philippine government intercepted 10 Filipinos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who were bound for Russia to illegally work there, according to GMA News Online.

The 10, who were stopped at the NAIA departure area. “They claimed they were going to Russia to study the Russian language but would seek employment after finishing the course,” says the report.

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One Comment

  1. Liz wrote:

    Hi!

    I just wanted to ask about the painting at the top of the article. Who painted it and if it has a name. The article is of course of a issue that is very important to write about. Human trafficking is a very pressing matter that not enough people are understand the grandure of it. Many believe that it is only in the sex industry where people are trafficked, but there are many other reason, like unpaid labor… But I just wanted to know who painted the picture.

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