Experts on Friday lamented the non-implementation of relevant laws, lack of social support, harmful traditional practices and lack of awareness among public as leading factors contributing towards growing menace of women trafficking in NWFP.
The two-day long workshop for lawyers on 'Countering Women Trafficking' was organised by Community for Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP) with the financial support from the DFID (UK Department for International Development) and UNDP under the Gender Justice and Protection Project (GJP).
The workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity and knowledge of lawyers on countering women trafficking techniques. It covered both legal and humanitarian aspects.
The participants were briefed and educated by a panel of experts on the nature, trends, forms, and laws regulating women trafficking in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Mashood Mirza, Director Federal Ombudsman said that the only law dealing with women trafficking is P&CHTO (Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance), which does not address internal trafficking, one of the major source of trafficking occurring inside the country. Renowned rights activist, Rakhshanda Naz, highlighted the regional aspects of trafficking particularly Pakistani perspective and national plan of action.
She said that Pakistan did not comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and place it on tier 2 watch list in 2009 TIP (Trafficking in Person) report, the only international report generating annually regarding human trafficking by the US State Department.
Project Co-ordinator for Human Rights CAMP, Siad Afzal Shinwari said that the human trafficking is third largest lucrative illegal business after drug and weapons smuggling generating 8 to 10 billion US dollars annually, terming it a major threat to all developmental initiatives around the world.
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