Bangkok, Thailand (BBN) - South-East Asia is grappling with the reputation as one of the world’s best-known hubs for human trafficking and parliamentarians throughout the region have been calling for detailed evidence-based information so they can work on local solutions.
The Asia-Pacific’s leading advocate on population and development issues for parliamentarians – AFPPD – is also addressing the increased feminization of migration in the region, MPs will probe its negative effects on women and young girls.
“Women are key players in achieving sustainable development but hampered by many forms of violence. We established the Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls, a joint initiative with UNFPA, to work on evidence-based solutions,” said Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD).
The AFPPD Standing Committee initiated a project to tackle violence against women issues with focus on child marriage in South Asia and trafficking in South-East Asia region with support from the Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID).
“Men carry a huge responsibility in ending violence against women. Male parliamentarians hold tremendous capacity to bring this to legislation,” said Hon. Tissa Karalliyadda, Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs of Sri Lanka and Chair of the Standing Committee.
On Thursday, members of the Standing Committee along with South-East Asian MPs will meet in Manila, Philippines to discuss trafficking issues in the sub-region through gender perspectives at the South-East Asia Sub-Regional Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Trafficking and Prevention of Violence Against Women. MPs will formulate policy actions and national responses to address trafficking and violence against women.
The Standing Committee will also launch a policy brief on human trafficking in South-East Asia. The policy brief provides policy makers with in-depth understanding of trafficking cases in each country, consequences in practice, policy and legal framework, and policy recommendations.
BBN/SSR/AD-17Oct13-6:23 pm (BST)