UN preparing to combat trafficking in human beings

The United Nations is pressing ahead with activities to combat trafficking in human beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo following the adoption in December 2001 by members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of an anti-trafficking declaration and action plan. The activities will be carried out in cooperation with ECOWAS, the Vienna-based UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP) said on Tuesday. In a statement launching a global awareness-raising television campaign, ODCCP said trafficking in humans, a multi-billion-dollar business, was the fastest growing organised crime. About 700,000 people are trafficked every year for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour in the world, it said. "More than 200,000 children are enslaved by cross-border smuggling in West and Central Africa. The children are often "sold" by unsuspecting parents who believe their children are going to be looked after, learn a trade or be educated. Besides being a human rights issue, trafficking in human beings is a public health concern due to the widespread infection of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases," ODCCP said. The new television campaign of 30- and 60-second video spots focuses on trafficking in men, women and children for bonded and forced labour, such as factory, plantation or domestic work. "The video aims to provide a stark warning to millions of potential victims about the dangers of trafficking and to raise consciousness among the general public about the epidemic growth of this modern-day slavery," the UN agency said. It is a follow-up to a January 2001 campaign that helped create awareness about human trafficking with a video spot focusing on the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation and forced labour. That video spot has been broadcast in over 35 countries, on regional channels and on global networks such as CNN and MTV. The new video is available in nine languages: English, French, Chinese, German, Hausa, Kiswahili Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. It was released soon after the 1 January UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime which was signed by 140 countries and ratified by six. A total of 101 countries have signed a protocol linked to the convention that seeks to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Four have ratified it.