3rd Sch: Human Trafficking BACKGROUND: Human Trafficking is most commonly defined as, “the illegal trade in human beings for the purpose of commercial or sexual exploitation. Human trafficking is the world’s most modern form of slavery, and that is why if someone says that right now in the world there are more slaves than ever recorded in history before, this is in fact accurate. Most people argue that human trafficking is originated from when many Africans were part of the slave trade in the 1700s. Since this time; laws about human trafficking have varied in evolution and timing when observing many countries actions towards abolishing slavery. In 1807 the British became the first to make a law against slavery, and this was in time preceded by the U.S who did the same in the year 1820. The difference between these two is, other than timing, that the United States had deemed this practice of slavery punishable by death at this specific time. In addition the League of Nations conducted a study in 1923 that showcased those women who are trafficked as sex slaves are mostly sent to Asia. These minor attempts to abolish human trafficking led to the UN’s protocol in the year 2000 against trafficking; which determined every type of trafficking as illegal. Currently, in today’s world, there are still 600000 to 800000 people being trafficked across borders on a yearly basis, and there is still a solution that needs to resolve this problem once and for all.

UN INVOLVEMENT: Over the course of time the UN has passed many protocols and resolutions in an attempt to get rid of human trafficking for good. The major milestone that was passed by the UN was in 2000 when the General Assembly adopted the protocol to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons especially women and children. The UNODC specifically offers out strategically help to other nations that are having issues with human trafficking. The UNODC’s main approach to human trafficking is the 3 Ps, protection of victims in human trafficking, prevention, and prosecution of trafficking offenders. Also, the UNODC has taken time to plan out the Thematic Programmed Against Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking. Overall, the United Nation’s main involvement in this issue has been planning out strategies, and passing protocols to ensure the hopeful end to human trafficking,

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: There have been many different strategies and solutions that can be proposed to help put human trafficking to an end. A main focus could possibly be different strategies that take into consideration that this issue has been a long- standing issue, and it won’t end abruptly. Also, educating the people could be detrimental in this situation because if everyone is aware of human trafficking they won’t be sold into it as easily. In addition, when observing human trafficking it becomes evident that the main way human trafficking is ever going to end is if we continue to form strategies, and solutions that are formed around the people because the people have the most relevance on whether or not we can get human trafficking to come to an end. I. Bloc Positions

Middle Eastern Bloc- Consists of Middle Eastern nations suffering severely from Human Trafficking, and are also transit nations, where victims move through en route to other destinations. European Bloc- Consists of multiple nations against human trafficking although at the same time major destinations for victims of human trafficking, especially of sexual exploitation.

Arab Bloc- Arab nations proposed the teaching of the dangers and ills of human trafficking African Bloc- Consists of multiple nations involved mostly in the sex slave industry of human trafficking.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: 1. What are some of the most effective protocols and resolutions passed? 2. What is your country’s involvement with human trafficking? 3. What is the history between your country and human trafficking? 4. What is your country’s current position on human trafficking? Sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human- trafficking.html http://www.ice.gov/human-trafficking/5session_factsheet1.pdf