Youths and the movement to combat human trafficking
WVR - The 'Dialogue with Leaders: Women and Youth actively leading communication efforts to prevent human trafficking' was held in Hanoi on August 2 to call for comprehensive actions to empower youths to act to tackle human trafficking.
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| Overview 'Dialogue with Leaders: Women and Youth actively leading communication efforts to prevent human trafficking' on August 2. (Photo: Thu Trang) |
More than 200 young students from several universities and colleges in Ha Noi and young changemakers, as part of IOM’s Youth-led initiatives for safe migration and human trafficking prevention programme, joined the “Dialogue with Leaders: Women and Youth actively leading communication efforts to prevent human trafficking” to exchange ideas with leaders from Government agencies, international organizations, and private sector to call for comprehensive actions to empower youths to act to tackle human trafficking.
This is the first time such a dialogue has been organized by the Vietnam Central Women Union and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the UK Government.
The dialogue is part of Vietnam’s National Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which runs from 1 July to 30 September 2024. Together with other UN agencies in Vietnam, IOM Vietnam aims to underscore the importance of inclusive and focused efforts to protect children and young people, including addressing risk and vulnerability, enhancing resilience, and strengthening the protection of children in the context of trafficking in persons.
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| UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Pauline Tamesis at the event. (Photo: Thu Trang) |
Globally, an average of one in three victims of human trafficking globally is a child – although in some regions, the proportion is much higher – and children are twice as likely as adults to face violence while being trafficked. IOM’s research pointed out that no age group, gender, or nationality is immune from trafficking in persons. Family members or friends are involved in more than 50% of cases. And ever-evolving online platforms are making it easier for traffickers to exploit children while avoiding detection.
In the opening remark of the event, UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Pauline Tamesis, stated: “While we are working closely with each other to tackle the challenges posed by human trafficking effectively, we need to engage youth in crafting their key advocacy messages for human trafficking prevention campaigns. We need to act now to create an even more supportive environment for youth-led advocacy, driving social and behavioral change, and assist them in realizing their full potential by delivering on the promise of migration.”
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| Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Union Nguyen Thi Minh Huong. (Photo: Thu Trang) |
According to IOM Chief of Mission Ms. Park Mi-Hyung, Vietnam’s steering efforts to effectively promote safe migration and human trafficking prevention, especially the nation’s effort to finalize the revised 2011 Law on Human Trafficking Prevention and Combat, are remarkable milestones for Vietnam and show the nation’s commitment to tackle this crime. This law revision will establish a stronger foundation for addressing the increasingly complex trends in trafficking in persons, which are exacerbated by socio-economic challenges.
However, the IOM’s Chief of Mission also noted that today’s youth face a dual-edged reality in the fight against trafficking in persons. With nearly 2.4 billion youth worldwide, this is the largest generation in history. Of the 281 million international migrants, approximately 11.3% were below 24 years of age. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, there are over 22 million young people between the ages of 16 and 30, and many have considered moving out of their hometowns for better work and study opportunities.
As digital natives, the youth are increasingly vulnerable to traffickers who exploit online platforms to prey on young individuals. However, this same generation holds the power to drive significant changes. Their dynamism, creativity, and tech-savviness uniquely position them to develop innovative solutions to combat trafficking in the digital age. Therefore, investing in this generation empowers them to safeguard their peers and harnesses their potential to build a safer, more resilient world.
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| The dialogue is part of Vietnam’s National Day Against Trafficking in Persons. (Source: IOM) |
In his part, British Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Iain Frew emphasized: “Taking action against illegal migration and human trafficking continues to be a top priority for the UK Government. We are committed to working more closely with Vietnam to combat human trafficking, particularly by boosting capacity building, raising awareness, information-sharing, prosecuting the criminals involved, and protecting vulnerable people. We hope to spread the message to raise people's awareness about the risks involved in illegal migration and careful consideration of their options when contemplating a migration path to protect themselves and the future welfare of their families".
The dialogue was also the venue of a side event, the “Changemakers United: Take action to end human trafficking” exhibition and interactive space, where children, young people, and their parents could proactively learn to spot the signs of human trafficking and equip themselves with essential knowledge and skills to an informed decision and prevent human trafficking.
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| The “Changemakers United: Take action to end human trafficking” exhibition and interactive space. (Source: IOM) |
