CSW67 Session report from SISEAP
SISEAP Programme Convenor Zone 3 Pauline Glover: Human Trafficking of Women and Girls
Human Trafficking of Women and Girls.
Panel of Speakers chaired by Ms Tatiana Katlyarenko (Anti Trafficking Adviser). Speakers included Lady Theresa May MP; Kevin Hyland OBE Global Strategy Director; Ms Lorna Bauer Chair Woman Eliberare; Laina Bien-Aime Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Jeanne Celestine Lakin, Survivor.
After listening to each of the Speakers I have included a combination of what I believe to be the main points during the session.
Human Trafficking of Women and Girls has increased during the war in Russia and Ukraine. 84% of victims come from a country in conflict and with the displacement of women and girls who have been separated with no family support. The internet is the speediest for this to happen. During the Pandemic human trafficking also increased with the targeting of women and girls on line; on the internet for grooming and the dark web. Climate Change also created an increase in human trafficking because of disasters with 10s of millions been displaced. It is predicted that 200 million will be displaced by 2050 having no access to health care and vulnerable with no family support and lack of resources.
The use of Technology has expanded for trafficking which is a real challenge and each Speaker agreed this has not been adequately addressed. There is need for better use of technology to pursue the perpetrators exploitation as the internet has broadened. There is the need to control the number of websites that can be used by traffickers.
Ms Bauer reported to advocate for clear legislation and to eradicate the loop holes that clearly profit the perpetrators. Technology policing is not working and Kevin Hyland reported perpetrators profit 150 billion each year from Human Trafficking and IT Businesses need to be held accountable.
Lady Therese May believes our Technology can be stronger than the perpetrators and that global action is required to put the Traffickers behind bars with a warning “if you trade on the internet, we are closing in on you, as technology is letting us close in on you, we will not be defeated so let’s get to work”.
The main person I wanted to speak about is Jeanne Celestine Lakin who is both a Genocide and Ciber Trafficking Survivor. Ms Larkin reported we need to be smart enough as a global body to come together in order to fight and for each of us to be the ‘amplify our voice’ by speaking to governments; advocating for resources and making sure the resources are used in the right places. Policies are needed that prevent, protect and punish. Some statistics given were half a million people went missing; 350 thousand were children; 70 thousand of those were black girls which reports documented as ‘ran away’. This means the police are not alerted to look for those persons as it was not documented as ‘disappeared’ so she believes reporting needs to be fair. Women of colour are particularly targeted for trafficking. As a survivor Ms Larkin reported that MENTAL HEALTH needs to be addressed as telling the stories creates further trauma and PTSD. The survivor is in need of mental health counselling. She spoke on how she was homeless, beaten and abused but because of her EDUCATION it gave her the ability to tell her own story in the way it took place. She is advocating to give other survivors the opportunity to be educated.
Sustainable Development Goal 5.2
Pauline Gover
Programme Convenor Zone 3