La Strada Documentation Center

Towards a Human Rights-Based Approach to Fighting Human Trafficking

Document number
1704
Date
2008
Title
Towards a Human Rights-Based Approach to Fighting Human Trafficking
Author/publisher
Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations (UN)
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Meeting Documentation/Conference Reports,
Keywords
“Countering Human Trafficking - Partnerships for protection and capacity-building”, UNITAR, UNODC, IOM, ILO, OHCHR, UNFPA, MacArthur Foundation, Organized crime, Prosecution, Law Enforcement, Criminal justice, Judicial cooperation; Victim-centred approach, National anti-trafficking measures; Criminalisation, Punishment, Crime prevention; Human Rights approach, Integrated approach; International Human Rights Law, International cooperation; Inter-organisational co-operation, Multi-agency approach, International law; Holistic approach, National Rapporteurs;
Summary
"...UN.GIFT, of which OHCHR is a part, has endeavoured to raise alarm bells andmobilize actions to counter trafficking of human beings, and there have beenencouraging developments at the national, regional and international levels. However,little has changed for those caught up in this sordid trade. Attempts to deal with thehuman consequences of trafficking have been largely ineffective. Some antitraffickingefforts have even been harmful to the very ones they aimed to protect, asvictims of trafficking become “collateral damage” in law enforcement.I say all of this not to discourage but to point the way forward. (...) To this end, OHCHR issued in 2002 the Recommended Principles and Guidelines onHuman Rights and Human Trafficking, aimed at bolstering the rights of victims, aswell as protecting the vulnerable and giving guidance to law enforcement authorities tohelp prevent trafficking..."
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