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SAARC experts for common agenda against human trafficking
KATHMANDU, DEC 22 - People from the SAARC region congregated in the valley to come up with a common agenda for the future to combat human trafficking in the South Asian region today.
The common agenda that the gathering will come up with will be presented in the forthcoming 12th SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad.
In the two-day dialogue assembly organised by Himalayan Human Rights Monitors (HimRights) and Plan Nepal, Shahidul Haque, Regional Representative for South Asia, International Organisation for Migration Human said human trafficking has been increasing in the South Asian Region as it has higher migration rate than other Asian countries.
Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Nayan Bahadur Khatri, said an effective mechanism, both national and international, was lacking to stop crime and provide redress for the victims. A recent study by the International Labour Organisation mentions the number of girls and women trafficked in Nepal to be 12000.
He further said the SAARC regional convention was limited and lacking in addressing the functional regional mechanism to combat the crisis.
The 11th SAARC summit had passed a regional convention against women and children trafficking.
Khatri also apprised on the efforts of the government to translate the commitments made in the past.
"HMG/N has formulated a National Strategy and developed a National Plan of action on Combating Trafficking, which is the first such initiative in Asia," Khatri said further stating that NHRC in co-operation with the government has established the Office of National Rapporteur.
Jyoti Tuladhar, Senior Specialist, Gender and Women Workers’ Justice, emphasised on the need of a joint effort to combat the ever- inflating problem of human trafficking. "The South Asian countries should come together to solve this problem," Tuladhar said. "It will pave a way for serious implementation of the SAARC Convention."
Likewise, Gopal Krishna Shivakoti, Secretary General of HimRights, said SAARC should ratify the International Convention on Migrant Workers to ensure the right to work.Posted on: 2003-12-23 04:37
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