Vietnam co-chairs int’l seminar on fighting human trafficking

Education and training play an important role in raising public awareness of human trafficking, heard a seminar on educating women and girls about human trafficking in Geneva on September 27.

The seminar was co-hosted by Vietnam in conjunction with the Philippines, Indonesia, China, the US, Costa Rica and Australia, Germany and the World Migration Organization (WMO) on the sideline of the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The event saw the participation of over 80 delegates from 29 countries, international and nongovernmental organizations worldwide.

Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Duong Chi Dung (2nd from L) at the seminar

As the keynote speaker at the event, Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Duong Chi Dung acknowledged the significance of the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, which encourage nations to build and refine their legal system.

He affirmed that education will help equip women and girls with knowledge and measures to protect themselves, including skills enabling them to be independent financially.

Talking about Vietnam’s efforts in combating human trafficking, Dung noted that the country has joined international conventions; regional, sub-regional and bilateral initiatives such as the UNTOC, the ASEAN Declaration against Trafficking in Persons Particularly Women and Children, the Bali Process, and the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT).

The country also issued laws and national programs on preventing human trafficking.

He highlighted the efficiency of models and initiatives taken by the Vietnam Women’s Union to combat human trafficking, including the House of Peace model which provides shelter, care and support to rescued victims.

Participants to the event stressed the need for improving legal systems in countries and promoting regional and international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking, especially in the context of increasing cross-border migrant labour flows at present.

The seminar is part of initiatives and contributions of Vietnam as a member of the Human Right Council in the 2014-2016 tenure.