232522 Trafficking in women: A cry for social justice

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 8:42 AM - 8:54 AM

Gopal Sankaran, MD, DrPH, CHES , Department of Health, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA
     
Human trafficking refers to victimization of individuals due to either sexual exploitation or forced labor. The passage of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children by the United Nations (adopted in 2000 and enforced since 2003) was expected to bring about a decline in victimization of women due to human trafficking. However, according to the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) Progress Update 2009, women still represented four out of five of all victims detected. This paper, with appropriate supportive evidence, focuses on trafficking in women and addresses: i) the underlying causes; ii) its economic implications; iii) the current status of legal and policy initiatives; and iv) the need to adopt a human rights framework in anti-trafficking efforts.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the demand and supply forces that are driving global trafficking in women. 2. Discuss the legal and policy initiatives that are currently in place to address trafficking. 3. Specify at least three principles central to the future success of anti-trafficking efforts globally.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I researched the topic, gathered the necessary data, and developed the abstract and the paper. Have over 25 years experience in global health as a teacher, trainer and researcher. Experience and expertise as a public health physician with work experience in both resource poor and resource rich settings
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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