Backgrounder

World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance Durban, South Africa 31 August Ð 7 September 2001

The Race Dimensions of Trafficking in Persons— Especially Women and Children

In a slowing global economy, one sector is destination as well as an important transit and bucking the trend. Each year, millions of indi- processing centre for women from central and viduals, the majority women and children, are Eastern Europe. There is evidence to suggest tricked, sold, coerced or otherwise forced into that during the Kosovo crisis, women and girls situations of exploitation from which they were kidnapped by armed gangs or otherwise cannot escape. They are the commodities in a lured from the refugee camps of Northern multi-billion dollar global industry dominated Albania. Several international organisations by highly organized criminal groups operat- have reported that trafficking to and from ing with impunity. Kosovo and other parts of the Former The “new slave trade”, as Nigerian Yugloslavia is now on the rise in response to a President Olusegun Obasanjo called it at a perceived demand for prostitution on the part conference in Lagos last February, has grown of wealthy foreign workers, including United recently in severity and in magnitude. Nations peacekeepers. Reliable figures are hard to come by, but it is estimated that 45,000 to 50,000 women and How Trafficking Happens children are trafficked annually to the United Traffickers use a variety of recruitment methods States alone. Increasing economic hardship, including outright abduction and purchase particularly in developing and transitional from family members. However, in most cases, countries, onerous obstacles to legal migra- the potential trafficking victim is already seek- tion and serious armed conflict have coincid- ing a chance to migrate when she is approached ed with a rise in the number of trafficking by an acquaintance or lured through an adver- cases as well as a spreading of the problem to tisement. Some are tricked into believing they areas which were previously less affected. are being recruited for legitimate employment Trafficking is a phenomenon that affects or marriage abroad. Others know they are and implicates all regions and most countries being recruited into the sex industry and even of the world. While trafficking routes are con- that they will be obliged to work in order to pay stantly changing, one constant factor is the back large recruitment and transportation fees economic distinction between countries of but are deceived about their conditions of origin and countries of destination. As with all work. The web of dependence is a complex one. other forms of irregular migration, trafficking Traffickers generally seek to exercise control invariably involves movement from a poorer over a victim’s legal identity by confiscating her country to a wealthier one. Southeast Asian passport or official papers. Her entry or stay in women women are trafficked to North the destination country is usually illegal – serv- America and other Southeast Asian countries. ing to increase her reliance on the traffickers. African women are trafficked to Western Debt bondage is widely used to control traf- Europe. The breakup of the former Soviet ficked persons and to ensure their continued Union and the resulting economic and politi- profitability. Physical restraint, violence, and cal dislocation has led to a dramatic increase intimidation are frequently reported. in the number of women trafficked from Traffickers are rarely apprehended and asdf Central and Eastern Europe. even more rarely prosecuted. Penalties for Trafficking will also flourish during and trafficking are relatively light when compared United Nations after protracted social conflict. The former to the smuggling of drugs or weapons. Once Yugoslavia has become a primary trafficking reason for the poor law enforcement response to trafficking is the low incidence of reporting. The connections between trafficking and This is not difficult to understand. Victims of traf- racial discrimination has been the focus of much of ficking are rarely treated as anything other than the preparation for the World Conference against criminals by the authorities of the receiving state Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and and are often detained, prosecuted, and deport- Related Intolerance, to take place in Durban, ed. This reality, combined with a fear of reprisals South Africa, in the autumn. During last Sep- from traffickers, means that trafficked persons tember’s Asia-Pacific Seminar of Experts in have little incentive to cooperate with law Preparation for the World Conference, Thailand enforcement authorities in the destination coun- emphasized the interaction of gender and racial tries. A lack of knowledge of legal rights and enti- discrimination. According to the country’s delega- tlements, cultural and linguistic obstacles and the tion, some women of certain racial or ethnic absence of support mechanisms combine to fur- groups were subjected to abuses in larger measure ther isolate trafficked women and to prevent than other women, while particular forms of vio- them from seeking or receiving justice. lations, such as trafficking in women and girls fre- quently involved racist attitudes and perceptions, The Critical Link Between Trafficking and were often directed at certain racial and eth- and Racial Discrimination nic groups, indigenous women and migrants. Although the links between trafficking and racial Participants at the Bangkok meeting also bias are not immediately clear they are nonethe- agreed that racist ideology fuels trafficking and less undeniable. As UN High Commissioner for that the “commodification” of women’s sexuality Human Rights Mary Robinson put it, “Trafficking is results in abuse of women and girls. The experts … inherently discriminatory. In the case of traffick- called for widespread awareness raising regarding ing into the global sex industry, we are talking the reality and scope of trafficking, including the about men from relatively prosperous countries use of deceit and force to imprison and coerce vic- paying for the sexual services of women and girls tims. Governments were urged to combat racism – and sometimes man and boys – from less wealthy and trafficking and political leaders called on to countries. This is more than a labour rights issue or refrain from utterances that could encourage an issue of unequal development. It is a basic racism. An expert group meeting on gender and human rights issue because it involves such a mas- racial discrimination (Zagreb, Croatia, 21-24 sive and harmful form of discrimination”. November, 2000) recommended that the World Because the overwhelming majority of traf- Conference pay specific attention to the issue of ficked persons are women, trafficking is usually gender in considering its themes and to take into considered to be a gender issue and the result of account the intersection between gender discrimi- discrimination on the basis of sex. It is rarely ana- nation and racial discrimination. lyzed from the perspective of race discrimina- tion. There has been little discussion of whether Conclusion race, or other forms of discrimination, contribute There are no easy solutions to the plague of traf- to the likelihood of women and girls becoming ficking, but its magnitude requires quick action. victims of trafficking. However, when attention As High Commissioner Mary Robinson has stated, is paid to which women are most at risk of being combating the phenomenon will require holistic, trafficked, the link of this risk to their racial and interdisciplinary and long-term approaches which social marginalization becomes clear. Moreover, address each aspect of the trafficking cycle and race and racial discrimination may not only con- which recognize explicitly the connections stitute a risk factor for trafficking, it may also between trafficking, migration, racism and racial determine the treatment that women experi- discrimination. This job has only recently begun, ence in countries of destination. In addition, and taking it forward will be one of the chal- racist ideology and racial, ethnic and gender dis- lenges before the delegates at the Durban con- crimination may create a demand in the region ference. They will have little room for failure – or country of destination which could contribute the fate of millions of women and children to trafficking in women and girls. around the world is the balance.

To know more about the World Conference check its website at www.unhchr.ch/html/racism/index.htm. For further information call (212) 963-3771 or e-mail [email protected].

Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information—March 2001