World Vision congratulates the Australian Government’s renewed commitment to tackling human trafficking in the Asia-Pacific region, but the international aid organisation says even more can be done.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard this morning announced Australia will fund a $50 million Australia-Asia program to combat people trafficking, demonstrating Australia’s continued willingness to tackle this issue regionally.
World Vision Australia Senior Advisor on Trafficking in Persons, Melissa Stewart, will today appear before a parliamentary inquiry to call on the government to implement legislative safeguards against forced and child labour and exploitation.
“This new funding will build on ten years of groundbreaking and reputable work in the ASEAN region to strengthen the criminal justice response to this crime. It is critical that the Australian Government sustains their momentum and political goodwill internationally for tackling this issue,” Ms Stewart said.
“Continued funding for innovative regional programming to prevent and respond to this issue is critical, but I would also encourage the government to appoint a suitably-qualified Ambassador for Trafficking in Persons to engage with the international community on this important issue. New laws and policies are being developed at the international level as we speak; we must ensure that Australia plays a key role in shaping a slave-free world.”
More than 21 million people are trapped in forced labour around the world, including 11.7 million from the Asia-Pacific region alone.
World Vision Australia’s submission to the Inquiry into Slavery, Slavery-like conditions and People Trafficking also recommends the Government:
- Adopts the recommendations of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, on her mission to Australia (2011).
- Introduces legislative and regulative mechanisms to prevent Australian businesses using – even inadvertently – child or forced labour.
- Implements government procurement guidelines that ensure public funds don’t purchase goods produced using exploitative labour.
Ms Gillard’s announcement and World Vision Australia’s appearance at the inquiry come the day after US President Barack Obama announced a historic anti-trafficking agreement with Myanmar.
World Vision Australia is implementing several anti-trafficking programs in the Asia-Pacific and around the globe, including the AusAID funded End Trafficking in Persons Programme and Project Childhood.
Find out more at www.worldvision.com.au/childrescue, or donate on 13 32 40
Media contact: Kate Rose – 0418 528 683 / kate.rose@worldvision.com.au