Trafficking in women and children focus of UN crime commission session

Human trafficking, especially in women and children, will be the focus of the twelfth session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which opened today in Vienna.

The 40-member Commission, which formulates international policies and recommends activities in the field of crime control, is expected to spotlight the phenomenon of trafficking just as the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) has confirmed that the majority of victims of human trafficking are women and children, and sexual exploitation is the most common form of such abuse.

While there is a dearth of reliable statistics worldwide on human trafficking, UNODC's newly established global database focusing on such trends has revealed that victims are typically recruited from moderately poor countries, transported through countries which provide safe routes, and end up in more affluent parts of the world.

In addition, Asia, the former Soviet Republics and Africa are the major regions of origin, while Central Asia and Eastern Europe currently act mainly as a transit area for trafficked persons. Asia, excluding Japan, is now as much a source as a destination, and the main destination regions can be found in the industrialized world.

During its current session - set to run through 22 May - the Commission will discuss trends in trafficking in human beings; investigating and prosecuting such cases, including national and international law enforcement cooperation and assistance; and awareness-raising and social intervention, including victim support and the role of civil society.

A workshop on "Trafficking in Human Beings, Especially in Women and Children: Lessons Learned and Policy Implications" is scheduled for Thursday. The event is being organized by the institutes of the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme (CICP) network and coordinated by the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).