Campaign Launched To Increase Awareness On Challenges Associated With Human Trafficking

A campaign has been launched to increase awareness on risks, issues and challenges associated with human trafficking and migrant smuggling and create community-led efforts as well as a national discourse on the topic which will ultimately lead to engagement of policy makers.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2018 ) :A campaign has been launched to increase awareness on risks, issues and challenges associated with human trafficking and migrant smuggling and create community-led efforts as well as a national discourse on the topic which will ultimately lead to engagement of policy makers.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) have commenced this nationwide public awareness campaign against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) from Monday (September 24) which will run until December 2018.

The campaign is supported by Australian Department of Home Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and the European Union under framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.

The awareness campaign is being implemented at national level with a focus on high risk areas and will utilize several institutionalized tools to engage stakeholders.

According to UNODC here on Monday, this includes distribution of brochures and display of banners in key districts, a social media page focused on TIP and SOM, and the dissemination of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) through local and terrestrial radio as well as through Short Messaging Services (SMS).

TIP within Pakistan accounts for thousands of people being forced into bonded labor at brick kilns, in agriculture, the carpet industry and majority of the victims are women and children.

Criminal networks have become increasingly good at luring vulnerable people into being exploited.

More and more efforts are needed to help prevent TIP and SOM.

The UNODC urges civil society to play its vital role in helping to raise awareness and to prevent TIP and SOM.

When contacted, Cesar Guedes, UNODC Country Representative for Pakistan, reaffirmed his commitment and said, "We need to mobilize all relevant stakeholders to empower institutions and promote innovation in conventional approaches. When it comes to awareness raising we must target community at the grassroots level to have a deeper impact." "Much more needs to be done in terms of raising awareness amongst a broader section of society including local communities, policy makers, local government representatives and the media," he said.

Mr. Cesar Guedes said UNODC understands that it is crucial for the government and civil society to work in close partnership to fight human trafficking and migrant smuggling and added the fight will only succeed in a joint effort by raising the level of awareness among a much broader mass and relevant stakeholders.

This campaign is important as it combines both, prevention with protection strategies, which will in turn benefitcivil society organizations as well as victims of traffickingand smuggled migrants directly.