The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Thursday hosted the screening of the documentary "Not My Life" here at Islamabad Club. UNODC Country Representative Cesar Guedes and Australian High Commissioner Peter Heyward provided introductory remarks at the event, which also included a question and answer session with Robert Bilheimer, the film's director and Academy Award nominee, said a press release issued.
The documentary was filmed across continents and includes stories from victims, including fishing boys in Africa, and child soldiers in South America. "Not My Life" depicts the cruel and dehumanising practices of trafficking in persons and modern slavery on a global scale.
Filmed on five continents, in a dozen countries, "Not My Life" takes viewers into a world where millions of men, women and children are exploited, every day, through an astonishing array of practices including forced labour, begging and child soldiering.
Challenging though it may be, "Not My Life" gives out a message of hope ultimately. Victims of slavery can be set free and go on to live extraordinary lives.
Those who advocate for them are growing in numbers, and increasingly effective. UNODC Pakistan through its Country Programme, is one of the donors assisting the Government of Pakistan in its efforts against human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
The Governments of Austria, Norway and Sweden along with numerous organisations from the United States of America contributed to this documentary through UNODC Office in Vienna.
At the screening of this documentary in Pakistan, Cesar Guedes said "the ongoing conflicts in the regions (Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq) combined with struggling economies and limited job opportunities provide a conducive environment for traffickers. Criminal groups usually operate with impunity in absence of a strong and fair criminal justice system.
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