| 1. UN launched Global Initiative to Fight
Human Trafficking
On 26 March, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
launched the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking.
The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness about trafficking
among those who are at risk as well as the general
public that purchases products or services that rely on slave
labour. The UNODC further proposed creation of a new global
fund to fight trafficking in human beings.
2. Council of Europe Convention on Action
Against Trafficking in Human Beings signature and ratification
update
On 23 March, the United Kingdom signed to the Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and
Slovakia ratified the Convention on 27 March bring the total
number of ratifications is six. Four more countries need to
ratify to put the Convention into force.
3. UK launches human
trafficking action plan
On 23 March, the UK launched its Action
Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. The Plan focuses
on combating all forms of trafficking in the UK, including trafficking
for forced labour, child trafficking and internal trafficking.
4. Japanese Prime Minister apologises for the enslavement
of women for sex during World War II
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed an apology
and sympathy for those who were forced to be "comfort women"
and made to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers
during the Second World War. The move came after pressure from abroad, especially from the United States.
In the statement, he
also referred to the so-called 'Koho Statement' from 1993 that
acknowledged official involvement in brothels.The Prime Minister
earlier denied government involvement in forcing
women to serve as sex slaves during the Second World War.
5. US Federal appeals count upholds terms
for nonprofit AIDS funding
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
on 27 February held that the Bush administration is permitted
to deny funding to non-profit AIDS awareness and advocacy groups
that fail to advocate publicly against sex trafficking and prostitution.
The full judgments is available at: http://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/internet.nsf
6. Events
On 25 May, the Human Rights Centre at the Queen's University Belfast
is hosting a one-day high level
conference on human rights and human trafficking. Funded by the government
of Ireland, the conference will bring together representatives
of the Irish and British governments, members of the civil society
and various experts working in the field.
Confirmed speakers include UN
Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, Jorge A Bustamante; European
Commission Experts Group on Trafficking President, Marco
Gramegna; OSCE Special Representative on Trafficking Eva Biaudet; University of Wales' Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz, and Anti-Slavery International Trafficking Programme
Co-ordinator, Klara Skrivankova.
Conference fee £30 (£10 concession).
All inquires should be directed to Dr Tom Obokata, Assistant
Director, Human Rights Centre at t.obokata@qub.ac.uk
7. New publications
IOM published a handbook Direct
Assistance for Victims of Trafficking.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's report Stolen
Smiles, The Physical and Psychological Consequences of Women
and Adolescents Trafficked in Europe is now available in full (this is a PDF document see bottom of page
about viewing it).
The Canadian Government's Standing Committee on the Status of
Women published Turning Outrage into Action to Address Trafficking for the Purpose
of Sexual Exploitation in Canada (this is a PDF document
see bottom of page about viewing it).
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