Press conference on anti-trafficking in women and children
Attending the press conference were Mrs. Truong Thi Khue, VWU Standing Vice-president; Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ninh, Head of VWU’s Organization and Personnel Department; Mrs. Duong Thi Xuan, Head of VWU’s IEC Department; members of VWU Presidium and media representatives.
According to the United Nations estimation, the total number of trafficking victims is as high as 700,000 to 4 million in the world with the majority being women and children, and 200,000 to 250,000 in the Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, tens of thousand women and children are trafficked cross the border in many forms and for various purposes. To help reduce and stop this evil, VWU implemented the Plan of Action of anti-trafficking in women and children between 1999-2002. Its current Anti-Trafficking Plan of Action (2004-2007) includes concrete measures to create visible changes in the awareness, action and participation level by VWU staff and members at all levels and to assist the returned victims in their community reintegration. With the Asia Foundation’s support, VWU and the Center for Women Support, Education and Capacity Building have been implementing the project “Preventing and fighting trafficking in women and children and promoting women’s effective participation in solving theproblem”. The project has gained encouraging results after 3-year-implementation.
Making a remark at the press conference, Mrs. Truong Thi Khue mentioned a number of specific measures to strengthen anti-trafficking activities. She also called for the mass media to make a more in-depth, inclusive, comprehensive and diversified communication on this tough and sensitive issue; to organize communication campaigns with concentrated efforts to have direct impacts on the target groups and mobilize the participation by entire community; and to increase awareness and responsibility of the Party and authority at all levels in fighting women and children trafficking. VWU will make all favorable conditions for journalists to receive information, make investigation and approach target groups to improve communication effectiveness in the time to come.