Don't join any of these group ISIS, Al Qaida, Al Shabab and Boko haram these are human traffickers

Thursday, December 30, 2010

China says anti-pornography campaign shut down 60,000 websites

By the CNN Wire Staff
December 30, 2010 -- Updated 2142 GMT (0542 HKT)
 
Almost 5,000 people were prosecuted for disseminating pornography, China's state news agency said.
Almost 5,000 people were prosecuted for disseminating pornography, China's state news agency said.

(CNN) -- China's anti-pornography campaign shut down more than 60,000 pornographic websites this year, with police investigating almost 2,200 criminal cases, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Thursday.
Wang Chen, director of the Information Office of the State Council, said at a news conference that some 350 million pieces of pornographic and indecent internet content were eliminated, according to the Xinhua report.
The government launched a special campaign a year ago to rid the internet of pornographic and vulgar content, Xinhua reported.
Overall, the campaign included 2,197 criminal cases involving 4,965 people who violated Chinese law by disseminating pornography via the internet or mobile phones, the news agency said. Of those, 58 people received prison sentences exceeding five years, the report said.
Wang said the campaign had helped clean up the internet and would continue.
Xinhua reported that Wang's office has received more than 170,000 tip-offs this year, mostly about online or cellphone-based pornography, with 534 people getting rewards totaling 544,000 yuan (U.S. $81,964) for providing information.
Wang also said that 450 million people in China used the internet, a 20 percent increase over the previous year, according to Xinhua. That means that almost 34 percent of the Chinese population uses the internet, compared to a world average of 30 percent, Wang said at the news conference.
CNN's Eve Bower contributed to this story.
 
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • The campaign launched last year led to more than 2,000 criminal cases
  • A Chinese official says the goal is to clean up the internet
  • China has 450 million internet users, the government says

Video captures serial killer's chilling defiance

By the CNN Wire Staff
December 31, 2010 -- Updated 0058 GMT (0858 HKT)

London, England (CNN) -- Closed-circuit television footage that led British police to identify Stephen Griffiths as a serial killer shows the self-proclaimed "Crossbow Cannibal" carrying the weapon in the hallway outside his apartment shortly after he killed one of his victims, then raising his middle finger to the camera.
Griffiths, 40, was arrested May 25 after his building's caretaker saw the video showing Griffiths assaulting a woman, then alerted authorities, according to the West Yorkshire Police in northern England.
London's Daily Mirror has posted on its website the video of Griffiths in his apartment building on its website. The video was recorded minutes after he killed Suzanne Blamires, one of three prostitutes Griffiths confessed to killing, police said.
The video, some of which was obtained by CNN from the Daily Mirror, then shows the Bradford man carrying a sack down the stairs of his apartment building. The newspaper said it chose not to publish video showing Griffiths dragging Blamires' apparently dead body by the shoulders down the corridor to his apartment.
Police said they found human remains linked to his victims in the nearby River Aire.
Griffiths was sentenced December 21 to three terms of life in prison after pleading guilty to the murders of Blamires, 36; Susan Rushworth, 43; and Shelley Armitage, 31.
"What he did can never be forgotten by the families of his victims. Suzanne, Susan and Shelley all came from families who cared for and supported their daughters," Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Sukhbir Singh said after the sentencing.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Human Rights Examiner

Global human trafficking roundup (December 21, 2010)

  • December 21st, 2010 11:12 am ET
NORTH AMERICA
Ohio: The new anti-human trafficking bill received House approval and was forwarded to the governor for his signature. The bill , if implemented, will make the offense a second degree felony carrying prison sentence up to eight years.
Illinois: A 39 year old Chicago man was arrested for forcing his girlfriend into prostitution. According to the report, he physically assaulted her until she agreed to prostitute herself. He also kept all the profits from her prostitution and threatened to call the Department of Children and Family Services to take way her child. The 30 year old woman said that she began dating him in the beginning of 2010. The man also had a criminal record of domestic violence, theft, and drug possession.
EUROPE
Bulgaria: European Commission launched an anti-human trafficking website on December 21, 2010. According to EC representative, the website is aimed to support human trafficking victims, help practitioners, and inform public. The website will also provide factual information on legislation, action plans, coordination, prevention, etc. regarding human trafficking to EU member nations.
Germany: Police is investigating embassies for visa process. According to the authority, many country embassies from Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia, distribute visa in exchange of bribe. Last Monday, the police suspects that it found a human trafficking ring to bring young women from abroad for prostitution.
ASIA
India: A 27 year old man is facing several charges for trafficking more than 60 women from rural India. He allegedly posed as a military personnel to lure young women to marry him and eventually sold them to brothels in the cities. According to the report, each woman was sold for approximately $1500 -$2000
AFRICA
Gabon: Police rescued more than 140 children who were trafficked from different countries for forced labor. Police checked local market to rescue children who were working on variety tasks from carrying heavy food to selling products. According to Interpol, some of the children are as young as six years old.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Docters at War Against Human Trafficking WorldWide

Human Trafficking Facts

Learn more

Tragic truths about the realities of human trafficking.

  • Human Trafficking Is The Fastest Growing Criminal Enterprise In The World

  • Human Trafficking Is The Second Largest Criminal Enterprise In The World

  • There Are An Estimated 27 Million People Trapped In Slavery At This Moment

  • There Are An Estimated 13 Million Children Trapped In Slavery At This Moment

  • Human Trafficking Is Often Run By Organized Crime

  • As Many As 30% Of Human Trafficking Victims Will Have An Encounter With A Healthcare Professional DURING The Time That They Are Being Held In Slavery, And Virtually None Of These Individuals Will Be Recognized As Victims By Their Healthcare Provider

  • A Relatively Large Percentage Of Young Women And Children That Are Trafficked For Sexual Exploitation Will Become HIV Positive

  • Approximately 20,000 Individuals Are Trafficked INTO The United States From Other Countries Every Year

  • Over 100,000 Of Our Own Young Women And Children Are Subject To Commercial Sexual Exploitation In The United States Every Year

  • There Are An Estimated 200,000 Young Women And Children From Nepal Being Held Prisoners In Brothels In India At This Moment

  • According To Interpol, Over 30,000 Young Women Are Missing In Romania

  • Conservative Estimates Are That over 500,000 Young Women Have
    Been Trafficked Out Of The Old U.S.S.R. Countries

  • The Average Age Of A Young Woman First Being Trafficked Is 12-14 Years Old

  • 75% Of Human Trafficking Is For Sexual Exploitation

  • 75% Of All Victims Of Human Trafficking Are Female

  • Over 50% Of All Human Trafficking Victims Are Children

  • The Average Cost Of Medicine For An HIV Positive Individual In Nepal Is $3.00 Daily, Yet Most Of These Individuals Will Not Be Able To Afford To Buy Their Medicine

  • Most Victims Of Human Trafficking Suffer From Malnutrition And Therefore Are Subject To Severe Dental Decay And Pain

DOCTORS NEEDED

Doctors at War is currently assembling a team of physicians to help us provide care for victims of human trafficking.
GET STARTED NOW!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Doctors At War is currently looking for nonmedical volunteers who are willing to offer their time and talents to help.


YES I WANT TO HELP!

news24


Gauteng teen raped by 7 men

2010-12-20 13:02


Johannesburg - A 16-year-old girl was raped in two separate incidents by seven men in Ivory Park on Friday night, Gauteng police said.
Constable Neldah Hlase said the girl was heading home from a party in Extension 7 in the early hours of the morning when two men approached her, covered her face with a t-shirt, and took her to a bridge in the area.
"On arrival there they threatened her with a knife and both of them allegedly raped her without any protection and fled the scene."
Hlase said the girl decided to walk home after the incident, but on her way she came across four men assaulting another man.
He said they tied her up with the man they were assaulting.
They raped her and ran away, leaving her tied to the man.
After a few minutes one of the rapists returned and untied the pair.
"He came back, untied them and informed them that his friends are planning to kill them."
Hlase said Ivory Park police appealed to the youth, especially girls, to take care during the festive season.
He said about six rape cases were opened over the past weekend and all the victims were aged between 16 and 20 years and were returning from shebeens and parties.
- SAPA
Read more on:    crime  |  johannesburg

.news24

2010 to draw human trafficking

2009-07-09 22:05
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Pretoria - The 2010 World Cup will see an increase in human trafficking and prostitution in South Africa, US ambassador Luis CdeBaca, warned on Thursday.

"With the 2010 we might see an uptake of prostitution and brothels moving closer to the sites... pimping of children is also on the cards," he said at a Pretoria briefing on human trafficking.

He said 12.3 million people across the world had been victims of trafficking, according to a 2008 report released in June this year.

"Most of the victims were lured by traffickers offering jobs, once in a foreign country they were abused and left with no protection."

He said destitute men, women and children were kept as slaves, or worked as domestic workers or farm labourers, and at times were forced into prostitution to earn money for their traffickers. He said law enforcement agencies need to work with civil society to combat human trafficking.

"Police concentrate on prostitution and not trafficking... these women were first victims of trafficking and forced into prostitution."

SA govt 'must do more'

CdeBaca said South Africa had to do more to combat trafficking.

"Labour trafficking does not receive as much government attention as does sex trafficking."

CdeBaca mentioned another form of slavery - when governments enlist people for national service for a long period.

"We are not talking teachers or doctors... you have a case where governments enlist people to work as waiters in restaurants as national service," he said citing Eritrea as an example.

According to the US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report June 2008, South Africa is a source, transit and destination country for trafficked men, women and children.

SA girls, boys trafficked in country

The report noted that South African girls were trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, while boys were trafficked internally for use in street vending, food service and agriculture.

"Anecdotal evidence suggests that South African children are forced to provide unpaid labour for land owners in return for their family occupying land or accommodation, or maintaining labour tenancy rights," read the report.

According to the report, women and girls from other African countries were trafficked to South Africa for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and other jobs in the service sector.

Occasionally, these women were trafficked onward to Europe for sexual exploitation.

Thai, Chinese and Eastern European women were trafficked to South Africa for debt-bonded commercial sexual exploitation.

Young men and boys from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi were trafficked to South Africa for farm work, often labouring for months in South Africa without pay before employers had them arrested and deported as illegal immigrants.

Organised criminal groups, including Nigerian, Chinese and Eastern European syndicates, and local gangs facilitated trafficking into and within South Africa, particularly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation.

- SAPA

humantraffickung,org

News & Updates

Morocco Center of Trafficking of Filipinos to Europe

December 17, 2007
The promise of employment and a better future has forced many Filipinos to resort to illegal means just to get to Europe.
Human trafficking syndicates are now using Morocco as the center of illegal recruitment for most Filipinos trying to cross the border of Europe. The North African country has become a favorite jumping point of illegal recruiters because it does not require a visa and is just near the border of Spain.
The tourist visa is valid up to three months. Many Filipinos have already overstayed from six months to one year, hoping to get their travel documents and make it to Europe. Madel de Silva is one of them and she is hopeful she will be able to join her sister in Milan, Italy.
De Silva said that incidentally, she replaced, her other sister who initially paid P350,000, but could not wait any longer in Casablanca, Morocco. She said her sister stayed in Casablanca for two months. De Silva is with 12 other Filipinos who are living in a crowded old apartment building in Mohammedia.
They have their own stories to tell, the ultimate goal of which is to get a job in Europe. JR Negoy said his family, now in Monaco, had already spent P2 million trying to get him. His first recruiter was able to take him only up to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France, but was deported for illegal documents. Sensinio Villar Jr., meanwhile, is worried of crossing the border again after he discovered that his Schengen visa is fake.
His was a tampered visa with glaring discrepancies from the original document. Sam Siatrez, meanwhile, is no longer interested to pursue his European dream after almost seven months in Morocco. He believes that part of his P400,0000-placement fee would still be refunded.
Negoy, Villar, Siatrez and seven others earlier tried but failed to cross the Tangier port via the ferryboat which is just about an hour away from Marbella, Spain. Their Moroccan guide left them after the group paid 32,000 euros (P1.99 million) to a certain Arwin Montoya. Montoya is now wanted by the Moroccan police.
Another exit point from Morocco is Tetouan, which is almost an hour away from Spain. Except for Siatrez, most Filipinos are willing to wait and even take the risks of being arrested, justifying there is no better alternative in the Philippines.

Risk-takers
Stranded Filipinos in Morocco are willing to face deportation and arrest in their desperate attempt to cross europe despite having spurious travel documents. But a handful are just lucky to make it and join their loved ones in Europe. ake the case of "Cristy" (not her real name) who was able to enter Milan after a group of Filipinos took her in shortly after arriving at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris recently.
Cristy has rejoined her mom, who is domestic helper for many years in Italy. Cristy left Manila July 15 after her mother paid an initial amount of P250,000 to a recruiter whom she identified as Bobby Flores. She stayed for a month in Bangkok, Thailand and another two months in Morocco. Cristy revealed the modus operandi of the illegal recruitment syndicate. In traveling, they use two bags, one for check-in and the other, the handcarry bag. The check-in bag, she explained, is only for show to make it appear that she has a final destination. This bag only contains old clothes and sleepwear. The handcarry bag is where they hide the fake travel papers, and show it to immigration authorities when exiting the transit point in Europe.
The specially-designed bag has a secret opening at the bottom portion for documents which could not be detected by x-ray machines. At least one Filipino in Morocco, meanwhile, said the legal way is still the best way for Filipinos to gain entry to Europe. Lito Porto has been helping Filipino victims of illegal recruitment for the past 12 years in Morocco.
For him, the best way is still to do it legally because its not only deportation but the harsh penalty of arrest that Filipinos will have to pay.
Adapted from: Danny Buenafe, "Morocco center of trafficking of Pinoys to Europe."  ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
6 December 2007.

Mexico takes lead in launching national campaign against human trafficking

United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime

Migrant Smuggling

Smuggling of Migrants is a crime involving the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident. Migrant smuggling affects almost every country in the world. It undermines the integrity of countries and communities, and costs thousands of people their lives every year. UNODC, as the guardian the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols thereto, assists States in their efforts to implement the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (Migrants Protocol).

What is Migrant Smuggling?

The Migrant Smuggling Protocol supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime defines the smuggling of migrants as the
"procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal  entry of a person into a State Party of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident." (Article 3, Migrant Smuggling Protocol).
In order to comply with the Migrant Smuggling Protocol, Article 6 requires states to criminalize both smuggling of migrants and enabling of a person to remain in a country illegally, as well as aggravating circumstances that endanger lives or safety, or entail inhuman or degrading treatment of migrants.
Virtually every country in the world is affected by this crime, whether as an origin, transit or destination country for smuggled migrants by profit-seeking criminals. Smuggled migrants are vulnerable to life-threatening risks and exploitation; thousands of people have suffocated in containers, perished in deserts or dehydrated at sea. Generating huge profits for the criminals involved, migrant smuggling fuels corruption and empowers organized crime. Learn more about the crime of migrant smuggling here .

Migrant Smuggling - a deadly business

Currently, data is too scattered and incomplete to paint an accurate picture of numbers of people who are smuggled each year and the routes and methods used by those who smuggle them. Still, available evidence reveals the following trends and patterns:
  • Criminals are increasingly providing smuggling services to irregular migrants to evade national border controls, migration regulations and visa requirements. Most irregular migrants resort to the assistance of profit-seeking smugglers. As border controls have improved, migrants are deterred from attempting to illegally cross them themselves and are diverted into the hands of smugglers.
  • Migrant smuggling is a highly profitable business in which criminals enjoy low risk of detection and punishment. As a result, the crime is becoming increasingly attractive to criminals. Migrant smugglers are becoming more and more organized, establishing professional networks that transcend borders and regions.
  • The modus operandi of migrant smugglers is diverse. Highly sophisticated and expensive services rely on document fraud or 'visa-smuggling'. Contrasted with these are low cost methods which often pose high risks for migrants, and have lead to a dramatic increase in loss of life in recent years.
  • Migrant smugglers constantly change routes and modus operandi in response to changed circumstances often at the expense of the safety of the smuggled migrants.
  • Thousands of people have lost their lives as a result of the indifferent or even deliberate actions of migrant smugglers.
These factors highlight the need for responses to combat the crime of migrant smuggling to be coordinated across and between regions, and adaptable to new methods. In this regard, UNODC seeks to assist countries in implementing the Migrant Smuggling Protocol while promoting  a comprehesensive response to the issue of migrant smuggling.

UNODC's Response to Migrant Smuggling

As the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementary protocols, UNODC's primary goal with respect to combating migrant smuggling, is to promote global adherence to the  Migrant Smuggling Protocol and assist States in their efforts to effectively implement it. The Migrant Smuggling Protocol aims to:
  • Prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants
  • Protect the rights of smuggled migrants
  • Promote cooperation between states
In providing technical assistance towards achieving these goals globally, UNODC's response is focused on two working areas:
  • Assisting states in bringing their legislation in line with the Protocol, and
  • Assisting states in developing an effective criminal justice response to migrant smuggling
Gaps in knowledge about migrant smuggling highlight the need for research and  analysis to be carried out.
In 2006, UNODC released findings of a rapid assessment in a report, titled Organized Crime and Irregular Migration from Africa to Europe . The report explores the extent to which irregular migration from Africa to Europe is mediated by organized crime, and assesses the market for smuggling services, migratory routes, modus operandi of migrant smugglers and the role that organized crime plays in smuggling migrants from Africa to Europe.
In cooperation with partners, UNODC is actively involved in the I-Map . The I-Map is designed to facilitate information exchange and analyse migratory flows and routes, for the purpose of supporting counter-smuggling efforts undertaken at the international, regional and sub-regional level in Africa, the Near East and Europe.
UNODC is also supporting States in West and North Africa in implementing the  Migrant Smuggling Protocol and strengthening their criminal justice systems, through its Impact Programme.
UNODC in cooperation with Interpol and Europol and with funding received from the European Union, is elaborating basic training modules on preventing and combating migrant smuggling. It has done this through a series of expert group meetings (EGMs) of law enforcers and prosecutors from around the world. The first EGM was held in 30th November to 2nd December 2008 in Saly, Senegal, the second EGM from 23rd to 25th March in Cairo, Egypt and the third EGM was held from 22nd to 24th June in Abuja, Nigeria.

Further information

To learn more about UNODC's Impact Programme against Migrant Smuggling in West and North Africa, click here.
For more, visit our News and Events page
For a full listing of latest tools and publications, visit our Publications page
To learn about Human Trafficking, click here
For further information please contact the Anti Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Unit .
For more information about the Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons and the Global Programme against Smuggling of Migrants, contact us.

United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime

UNODC on human trafficking and migrant smuggling

Human trafficking is the acquisition of people by improper means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.
Smuggling migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident.
Virtually every country in the world is affected by these crimes. The challenge for all countries, rich and poor, is to target the criminals who exploit desperate people and to protect and assist victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life.
Blue Heart The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children As the only United Nations entity focusing on the criminal justice element of these crimes, the work that UNODC does to combat human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols on trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling.

Learn more

Download UNODC's anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling Tools and Publications
Watch Public Service Announcements and listen to expert interviews here
To learn about the Global Initiative to fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) visit the UN.GIFT website

Latest news

For more, visit our news and events page
17 December 2010 On Migrants Day, UNODC unveils tools to help States address plight of smuggled and trafficked victims
13 December 2010 International Organizations United against Trafficking in Persons
11 December 2010 Private sector crucial in fight against human trafficking

09 November 2010 Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants now available online in Spanish
08 December 2010 A Compendium of Best Practices: UNODC launches Toolkit to Combat Smuggling of Migrants
02 December 2010 Addressing Trafficking in Persons since 1949
01 December 2010 Developing & Strengthening National Legislation: UNODC launches the Model Law against the Smuggling of Migrants
18 November 2010 UNODC Head highlights increasing progress and support for UN Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking
17 November 2010 An Exploration of Promising Practices in Response to Human Trafficking
11 November 2010 A United Voice to the Protection of Migrants
05 November 2010 Experts discuss interventions and recommendations to improve access to compensation for trafficked persons
04 November 2010 Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher join Secretary-General to launch Trust Fund for victims of human trafficking
04 November 2010 Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants now available online in Russian
28 October 2010 Side Event on the Arab Initiative to combat human trafficking
11 October 2010 Narrowing the knowledge gap on migrant smuggling in Cambodia
06 October 2010 Strengthening law enforcement capacity in investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of migrant smuggling
04 October 2010 Bangkok Statement on Migration and Development calls for reducing impunity of migrant smugglers and human traffickers
27 September 2010 India: A pledge and a commitment for safe and honorable tourism
23 September 2010 International community broadens efforts to help victims of human trafficking
08 September 2010 In Colombia, beauty pageant contestants get involved in fighting human trafficking
01 September 2010 United Nations launches global plan of action against human trafficking
27 August 2010 The Body Shop and ECPAT in association with UNODC organize mega event on Prevention of Human Trafficking called "BIG STOP  - Petition Launch"
19 August 2010 UNODC South Asia - India: Freedom Express - a girl rescued from the brothels boards train to return home
13 August 2010 UNODC boosts Cambodian border control capacity
10 August 2010 Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants now available online in Arabic

09 August 2010 Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking now available online in Chinese and Russian
04 August 2010 Indonesia to participate in reviewing implementation of the Organized Crime Convention
30 July 2010 General Assembly Adopts Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Reaffirming Commitment on Protecting Victims, Prosecuting Perpetrators
12-13 July 2010 Senior Experts meet in Vienna to discuss first draft of the International Framework for Action to Implement the Migrant Smuggling Protocol
06 July 2010 UNODC launches Literature Review to discuss the Smuggling of Migrants into, through and from North Africa

01 July 2010 UNODC launches Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants
28- 30 June 2010 UNODC hosts an expert group meeting (EGM) to address trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal
29 June 2010 Spain becomes first EU country to join the Blue Heart Campaign against human trafficking
28 June 2010 UNODC announces the launch of the Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking
21-25 June 2010 High level experts from origin, transit and destination countries gather in Vienna to enhance the capacity to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants
10 June 2010 UNODC Launches Global Review on Migrant Smuggling


31 May 2010 UNODC and the Council of the Baltic Sea States Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings launch joint assessment report
26 to 27 May 2010 Capacity building workshop on investigating and prosecuting migrant smuggling held in Burkina Faso
19 May 2010 What do we know about the involvement of organized crime in the trafficking of persons and smuggling of migrants? An update: Panel discussion held during a side event to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
14 May 2010 What do we know about the involvement of transnational organized crime in the trafficking of persons and smuggling of migrants?
12 May 2010 Tamil Nadu, India: The female face of migration Read the story of Raziya and Suneetha, whose husbands migrated without them
5 May 2010 Tamil Nadu, India: Different faces of migration Read the story of 26 year old Murugesh, whose dreams of a better life far from home were shattered.
20 April 2010 Bangladesh: From the streets to the school UNODC learns about community initiatives to address trafficking of children.
15 - 16 April 2010 12th United Nations Crime Congress addresses migrant smuggling and human trafficking
14 April 2010 Mexico takes lead in launching national campaign against human trafficking
11 - 19 April 2010 Substantive items related to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants at upcoming Crime Congress in Brasil
8 April 2010 Cambodia Participates in Regional Data Collection and Analysis on Migrant Smuggling
1 April 2010 UNODC Migrant Smuggling Issue Papers launched online
1 April 2010 Parliamentarians unite against organized crime, Bangkok, Thailand
26 March 2010 Read Munni's story in My life in the red lights of Sonagachi, India
22 - 23 March 2010 The Arab Initiative to combat human trafficking launched in Doha
6 - 8 March 2010 Six countries meet to increase international cooperation against human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Kolkata, India
22 - 25 February 2010 Training Workshop on investigating and prosecuting migrant smuggling held in Abuja, Nigeria
19 February 2010 Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in persons now available in Arabic.
11 February 2010 Trafficking survivors in India earn their livelihood as security guards
27 - 29 January 2010 Expert panelists address Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
28 January 2010 UNODC Technical Assistance briefing, in the sidelines of the Second Meeting of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
27 January 2010 Vienna launch of the International Framework for Action to Implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, in the sidelines of the Second Meeting of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
27 - 29 January 2010 Second Meeting of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons to be held in Vienna Information for Participants can be found here
26 - 29 January 2010 UNODC jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, hosts a regional conference on transnational organized crime, particularly migrant smugging by sea in the Mediterranean.
26 - 27 January 2010 Capacity building workshop for magistrates and law enforcers under Impact Project
14 January 2010 Community and police come together in India against trafficking of women and children
7 - 11 December 2009 Regional Training Workshop on Investigating and Prosecuting Migrant Smuggling held in Abuja, Nigeria
7-9 December 2009 International Expert Group Meeting on Migrant Smuggling by Air in Vienna, Austria
25 November 2009 In commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia contributes stories on the life of women suffering different forms of violence
24 - 26 November 2009 Regional Workshop to Finalize Guidelines on International Legal Cooperation Instruments in the Area of Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants held in Belgrade, Serbia
23 - 25 November 2009 ASEAN Workshop on International Legal Cooperation on Trafficking in Persons Cases
11 November 2009 The Role of Corruption in Trafficking in Persons, Side Event to the third session of the Conference of the State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Doha 9-13 November 2009
4 November 2009 United Nations Secretary-General addresses Global Forum on Migration and Development
3 November 2009 UNODC promotes international cooperation to prevent and combat trafficking in persons in Mexico and Central America
27 - 30 October 2009 Training based on finalised anti-migrant smuggling manual piloted under the Impact Project
19 October 2009 UNODC launches 'Affected for Life' training film
9 October 2009 Launch of the International Framework for Action to Implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol in New York.
30 September - 2 October 2009 Workshop to Develop Guidelines on International Legal cooperation Instruments in the area of anti-human trafficking and migrant smuggling held in Budva, Montenegro.
18 September 2009 Today, ILO, UNICEF and Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) launched the 'Training manual to fight trafficking in children for labour, sexual and other forms of exploitation
28 August 2009 Launch of UN anti-trafficking training manual in Bangkok
7 August 2009 Unprecendented Court of Women hears testimonies from the trafficked and sexually exploited
3 - 4 August Regional Workshop on the Role of NGOs in Preventing the Smuggling of Migrants
29 July 2009 UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons now available in French
16 June 2009 African Union launches AU.COMMIT, an initiative to fight human trafficking in Africa.
12 June 2009 Council of the Baltic Sea States launches new website with information about Joint Project between the Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB) and UNODC
4 June 2009 UNODC Regional Office for South Asia in conversation with Professor Zakir Hossain on human trafficking in Bangladesh
22 May 2009 UNODC and European Commission Partnership to Promote implementation of Trafficking in Persons Protocol and Migrant Smuggling Protocol
5-7 May 2009 UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan holds workshop on International and national mechanisms of combating human trafficking and protection of victims of human trafficking
20 April 2009 New Publication on Migrants Smuggling
8 April 2009 The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), launched the publication Combating Trafficking in Persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians
5 March 2009, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa launches the Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking.
To read about the launch of the Blue Heart Campaign, click here.
To join the Blue Heart Campaign, visit the Blue Heart website.
26 February 2009, UNODC launches regional assessment on penal prosecution capacities to investigate trafficking in persons in Central America
23 to 25 February 2009 , UNODC hosts fourth meeting on Enhancing Operational Capacity to Invest and Disrupt Human Trafficking Activities in the Western Balkans
12 February 2009, UNODC launches Global Report on Trafficking in Persons.
12 February 2009, Academy Award-winning actress Mira Sorvino appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador to Combat Human Trafficking
29 January 2009, UNODC anti-trafficking public service announcements available online.
18 December 2008, UNODC launches Online Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
30 November - 3 December 2008, UNODC holds Expert Group Meeting to Elaborate Basic Training Modules on Preventing and Combating the Smuggling of Migrants
15 November 2008, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia holds Colloquium on Justice Delivery in India
20 October 2008, UNODC released report on trafficking in Lebanon
15 October 2008, UNODC hosts event to discuss challenges in the delivery of technical assistance
9 October 2008, UNODC releases new Toolkit to combat Trafficking in Persons

humantraffickung,org

News & Updates

Russia and Israel Asked to Stop Human Trafficking

November 06, 2006
Israel and Russia are urged to work more closely together to prevent trafficking.
Israel and Russia must work more closely together to shut down all trafficking routes used to transport humans around the world, especially those that bring thousands of individuals into Israel each year, said Rita Chaikin, coordinator of Isha L'Isha's Anti-Trafficking project and its hotline for trafficking victims.
Chaikin's comments came as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, one day after the Knesset passed a bill aimed at cracking down on traffickers who trade in humans. The new law will also award compensation to victims of forced labor, slavery, sexual exploitation and black-market organ sales and hand out stiffer prison sentences to the perpetrators.
"Routes into Israel need to be stopped at the source," said Chaikin, who received an award in April from Vital Voices, a Washington-based non-profit organization, for the work she has done in combating trafficking in Israel. "Putin must put more of an emphasis on tackling the problem of trafficking and follow the lead of Israel."
According to Shevy Korzen, executive director of the Hotline for Migrant Workers, while most trafficking victims in Israel are not from Russia, it is a transit country. She said many of the victims were first brought to Moscow and from there to Egypt, where they were then smuggled across the border into Israel.  Attorney Rachel Gershoni, Israel's national coordinator in the battle against trafficking, also said Wednesday that there needed to be more cooperation between the two countries.
"We need to work together on law enforcement to see where these networks are forming. We need to have cooperation on the level of non-governmental organizations and the welfare system," said Gershoni, who helped draft the new law - a consolidation of a bill proposed by MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) and a government bill.  Gershoni, whose job is to connect the Israel Police, government ministries and human rights groups with foreign governments and international bodies, said the new law was a big step forward in the battle to stop human trafficking and protect migrant workers.
"It does not just deal with prostitution but also with slavery, forced labor, pornography and organ donations," said Gershoni, adding, "this will also allow Israel to ratify two important international treaties on trafficking."  Gershoni also said the new law would provide the legal system with an entire array of crimes and criminal behavior that could be prosecuted.
The new law was well received by the various NGOs, many of whom shared their knowledge of the subject with legislators. However, they all said Israel still had a long way to go in solving the problem.  "Now the discipline is definitely more comprehensive and in line with the rest of the world," said Korzen. "However, while it is an important step, we still feel the Knesset did not go all the way with this law."
Roni Aloni-Sadovnik, spokeswoman for the Task Force on Human Trafficking (TFHT), a project of the non-profit organization ATZUM, added, "the law is fine, but what is missing is the question of citizen responsibility. With child abuse cases, there is a law that demands those who know about it tell the authorities; there is also a 'Good Samaritan' law whereby citizens must help others they know are in trouble. But with this situation, how will the authorities know about abuses and slavery unless individuals raise awareness to this practice?"
"It is an excellent law compared to the old one," said Ayelet Lahmi, Anti-Trafficking in Women coordinator at Amnesty International's Israel branch. However, she said many of the victims were returned to their former countries where they were killed or drawn back into the trafficking cycle. All of the NGOs highlighted the concern that the system of issuing visas to victims of trafficking crimes needs to be improved.
Adapted from: RUTH EGLASH. "Russia, Israel asked to stop trafficking." Israel.jpost.com. 19 October 2006.

United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime

African Union starts campaign against human trafficking


"Photo for illustration purpose only. Depicted person had not been trafficked. UNICEF/ HQ06-2161/Georgina Cranston"
16 June 2009 - Nearly 130,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa and 230,000 in the Middle East and North Africa have been recruited into forced labour, including sexual exploitation, as a result of human trafficking. These estimates by the International Labour Organization paint a grim picture of human trafficking in Africa. Although a large number of victims of human trafficking of African origin are found within the continent, many are also transported to Western Europe and other parts of the world, according to a recent UNODC report on trafficking in persons wordwide.

The African Union has chosen the Day of the African Child, celebrated today, to launch AU.COMMIT, an initiative to fight human trafficking in Africa. This campaign seeks to make the fight against trafficking in persons a priority on the development agenda of the continent. It also calls on African States to build on the Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which guides African Union member States in developing and reforming their policies and laws on trafficking in persons.

Many African States still do not have legislation on human trafficking, or only have laws that criminalize some aspects of human trafficking (such as child trafficking).

"Such a campaign is badly needed," says UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. "The evidence available tells a woeful tale of how many regions of Africa are highly vulnerable to trafficking. Shockingly, in West and Central Africa, most of the perpetrators are women. Across the continent, many of the victims are children," he adds.

As the guardian of an international anti-human trafficking instrument and as the provider of technical assistance, UNODC supports the African Union initiative. UNODC also collaborates with the African Union under the framework of the implementation of the Union's Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

Related information:

Interview with crime prevention expert

Statement by the Executive Director of UNODC
Blue Heart Campaign
UN.Gift
African Union
 

humantraffickin.org

East Timor

The Situation
East Timor is a source and destination country for human trafficking.
Source
There were reports of an attempt to traffic East Timorese women to Syria in October 2006. However, the traffickers were detained after a UN police investigation.1 
Destination
East Timor is a destination country for women who are trafficked from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) for commercial sexual exploitation.2 The majority of trafficking victims in East Timor are coerced into sexual exploitation and there have been no reliable reports of trafficking victims for forced labor.3  There are no recent reliable estimates of the number of trafficking victims, although some estimate that the number of foreign trafficking victims have remained the same. In 2004 a local NGO estimated that 115 foreign sex workers in Dili were possibly trafficked.
Internal Trafficking
East Timor has internal trafficking of women and girls from rural areas to Dili for sexual exploitation. There are unverified reports of internal trafficking of men for forced labor. There are concerns that internal trafficking could increase because of long-term internal displacement and increased presence of international peacekeepers.4  
The East Timorese Government
The East Timorese Government was placed in Tier 2 in the 2007 U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report for not fully complying with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but making significant efforts to do so. The East Timorese government efforts are hindered by its current political crisis. There are reports of police and custom officials who are complicit in the trafficking of foreign women to brothels and massage parlors in Dili.5
The East Timorese Government does not have a penal code that comprehensively criminalizes human trafficking. However, the 2003 Immigration and Asylum Act prohibits trafficking in women and children, for prostitution and forced labor.6
Prosecution
The East Timorese government has not prosecuted any traffickers. East Timor currently relies on international police, prosecutors and judges. The East Timorese police have investigated reports of suspected trafficking victims but not taken any legal action.7   In March 2006, the police conducted a raid against an establishment in Dili in which a Philippine victim was forced into sexual exploitation. Eight additional victims from the P.R.C. and Indonesia were rescued, and suspected traffickers were arrested. However, the Office of the Prosecutor General dismissed the case without any indictments. In January 2007, the UN police arrested two men suspected of attempting to traffic East Timorese women to Syria.8
Protection
The East Timorese Government provides limited victim protection and relies on international organizations. Foreign trafficking victims can request refugee status or repatriated within in 10 days with assistance with travel documents. Several trafficking victims have been repatriated with the help of their embassies or international organizations.9   An East Timorese NGO, the Alola Foundation, provided assistance to female trafficking victims and advised the government on trafficking issues.10 
Prevention
The East Timorese Government does not fund any prevention programs. However, the government has cooperated with NGOs and international organizations to raise awareness. In 2005 UN authorities and the government established a working group headed by the International Organization for Migration to monitor and control trafficking.11 
Recommendations
The U.S. Department of State recommends that as the East Timor legal system develops in the coming years and takes over functions handled by international officials, the government should focus on law enforcement efforts against trafficking, including specialized training of officials in investigating, prosecuting, and obtaining convictions of traffickers. The government should devote considerably more resources to prevention, rescue, treatment and rehabilitation of trafficking victims, as government finance and project management capabilities develop in the coming years and as reliance on international organizations diminishes.12
___________________
1   2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
2  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
3  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
4  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
5  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
6  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
7  Freedom House: Countries at the Crossroads 2006
8  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
9  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
10  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
11  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
12  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report



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humantraffickung,org

East Timor

The Situation
East Timor is a source and destination country for human trafficking.
Source
There were reports of an attempt to traffic East Timorese women to Syria in October 2006. However, the traffickers were detained after a UN police investigation.1 
Destination
East Timor is a destination country for women who are trafficked from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) for commercial sexual exploitation.2 The majority of trafficking victims in East Timor are coerced into sexual exploitation and there have been no reliable reports of trafficking victims for forced labor.3  There are no recent reliable estimates of the number of trafficking victims, although some estimate that the number of foreign trafficking victims have remained the same. In 2004 a local NGO estimated that 115 foreign sex workers in Dili were possibly trafficked.
Internal Trafficking
East Timor has internal trafficking of women and girls from rural areas to Dili for sexual exploitation. There are unverified reports of internal trafficking of men for forced labor. There are concerns that internal trafficking could increase because of long-term internal displacement and increased presence of international peacekeepers.4  
The East Timorese Government
The East Timorese Government was placed in Tier 2 in the 2007 U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report for not fully complying with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but making significant efforts to do so. The East Timorese government efforts are hindered by its current political crisis. There are reports of police and custom officials who are complicit in the trafficking of foreign women to brothels and massage parlors in Dili.5
The East Timorese Government does not have a penal code that comprehensively criminalizes human trafficking. However, the 2003 Immigration and Asylum Act prohibits trafficking in women and children, for prostitution and forced labor.6
Prosecution
The East Timorese government has not prosecuted any traffickers. East Timor currently relies on international police, prosecutors and judges. The East Timorese police have investigated reports of suspected trafficking victims but not taken any legal action.7   In March 2006, the police conducted a raid against an establishment in Dili in which a Philippine victim was forced into sexual exploitation. Eight additional victims from the P.R.C. and Indonesia were rescued, and suspected traffickers were arrested. However, the Office of the Prosecutor General dismissed the case without any indictments. In January 2007, the UN police arrested two men suspected of attempting to traffic East Timorese women to Syria.8
Protection
The East Timorese Government provides limited victim protection and relies on international organizations. Foreign trafficking victims can request refugee status or repatriated within in 10 days with assistance with travel documents. Several trafficking victims have been repatriated with the help of their embassies or international organizations.9   An East Timorese NGO, the Alola Foundation, provided assistance to female trafficking victims and advised the government on trafficking issues.10 
Prevention
The East Timorese Government does not fund any prevention programs. However, the government has cooperated with NGOs and international organizations to raise awareness. In 2005 UN authorities and the government established a working group headed by the International Organization for Migration to monitor and control trafficking.11 
Recommendations
The U.S. Department of State recommends that as the East Timor legal system develops in the coming years and takes over functions handled by international officials, the government should focus on law enforcement efforts against trafficking, including specialized training of officials in investigating, prosecuting, and obtaining convictions of traffickers. The government should devote considerably more resources to prevention, rescue, treatment and rehabilitation of trafficking victims, as government finance and project management capabilities develop in the coming years and as reliance on international organizations diminishes.12
___________________
1   2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
2  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
3  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
4  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
5  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
6  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
7  Freedom House: Countries at the Crossroads 2006
8  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
9  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report
10  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
11  2006 US Department of State Human Rights Report
12  2007 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report



Related pages on this site [view all]


Related external links [view all]