Trafficking in persons, public health and development

From 4 to 27 million people are in forced labor, child labor, prostitution and abuse, the majority are women and about half are minors. Millions of other people organize to keep and benefit from them. Prey and predators represent a public health and legal problem that prevents development of life on our planet. In the year 2000, mankind took two important steps; in the US, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was passed with the purpose of preventing trafficking, punishing traffickers, and protecting victims; and the UN assembly approved the Millennium Declaration (MD). In the MD, 189 nations set goals and targets to be achieved by 2015 that address poverty, hunger, gender inequity, preventable and treatable diseases and death, and weak environmental conservation and global partnerships, including “To intensify our efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions, including trafficking as well as smuggling in human beings and money laundering.” The MD is based on six values: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility; and calls countries to implement seven actions: 1. Peace, security and disarmament; 2. Development and poverty eradication; 3. Protect the common environment; 4. Human rights, democracy and good governance; 5. Protect the vulnerable; 6. Meet the special needs of Africa; and 7. Strengthen the UN. It is 10 years since the TVPA and the MD. This presentation will discuss three public health programs developed to “intensify our efforts” as public health professionals.