Discussion should focus on the situation, causes and shortcomings remaining in the fight against the trafficking of women and children with the aim of countering this crime, said Deputy PM Truong Vinh Trong at a conference held in Ha Noi on Apr. 6.

While chairing the national conference on women and children trafficking prevention, Deputy PM Trong also urged that the action plan for the 2007-10 period should be developed with feasible solutions.

The senior government official stressed that it's a shame to see women and children traded and sold as a kind of commodity and that nothing is more important than human life.

Viet Nam has detected 33 rings of human trafficking and nearly 140 hot beds so far, reported deputy Defence Minister of Public Security Le The Tiem. In 2005-06, Viet Nam discovered 568 cases with 1,518 women and children. During this period, 1,280 victims were sent back to Viet Nam.

In 2006, the number of cases detected went up more than 72 percent over the 2005 figure, and the number of victims up nearly 140 percent.

Nearly 6,000 women and children have so far been trafficked across Viet Nam's borders and almost 8,000 women and children absent from their families without any information left. They are suspected of being coerced into this situation.

Apart from women and girls, men and boys are also being trafficked for forced labour overseas.

Most of the victims, who were sent across the country's borders for prostitution or child adoption purposes, are from remote, mountainous and underprivileged regions.

Current forms of human trafficking include forced labour, forced marriages with foreigners, child adoption and tourism. Many e-human trafficking rings have also been set up.

Source: VNA