Trafficking in persons
- ©IRIN
Over the last years the need for a human rights approach to trafficking in human beings has been increasingly recognised. Human trafficking is both a cause and a consequence of human rights violations. Victims end up in slavery like situations. They face violence, abuse and exploitation. Gender discrimination, unemployment and domestic violence make especially women, children and other marginalised groups vulnerable for trafficking practices.
Anti-trafficking measures violating human rights
It is a government's obligation to offer protection against human rights violations by traffickers. Unfortunately, anti-trafficking measures often lead to new human rights violations. Victims of trafficking are often send back without receiving compensation for their work and without protection. In other cases, protective measures by governments or NGOs restrict mobility and other freedoms. Examples include women being held captive to prevent them from being trafficked, ex-victims being 'rehabilitated' in work camps and visa requirements that make it impossible for young women to travel.
Measuring the impact of policy
Many persons are worried about the negative consequences of anti-trafficking policies and laws. Therefore, in 2008 Aim for human rights started developing a method to analyse the positive as well as the negative effects. Stakeholders and experts in the field of combating trafficking in persons are involved with this development. The objective is to contribute to policies that stop trafficking in persons while protecting human rights.
International project
The project provides an instrument for NGOs to assess the human rights impact of anti-trafficking laws and measures. The development of the tool is set up as a participatory process, which involves the potential users of the instrument as well as key intermediary organisations from different continents. The latter play a pivotal role in distributing the tool, as well as using its outcomes for lobby and advocacy. The outcomes will provide NGOs with evidence based information to lobby their governments. This will lead to better protection of the human rights of trafficked persons and other affected groups, such as domestic workers, sex workers and migrants.
More information
For more information please contact Saskia Bakker by phone +31 (0)30 233 40 27 or e-mail.
