ISLAMABAD,(Pakistan Point News - 21 July, 2023)
The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) organized a successful National Dialogue on Child Trafficking in Persons and Bonded Labor today in Islamabad. In collaboration with the US State Department, the conference aimed to address the critical issue of child trafficking and bonded labor in Pakistan. The event focused on strengthening partnerships among stakeholders, promoting human-centered approaches to prevent child trafficking, and developing a National Referral System for victim protection and rehabilitation.
The National Dialogue provided an exceptional platform for various stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, law enforcement authorities, international partners, academia, and the media to come together and collectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by child trafficking and bonded labor. The conference featured insightful speeches from key figures in the field, including the Chairperson of Punjab's Child Protection Bureau, the Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), the Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Director-General of the National Police Bureau. Counselor of Cultural Affairs at the US State Department, Mr Brad Parker, also spoke at the event. Alongside U.S. State Department representatives, INL Acting Director, INL Gender, Security and Law Advisor participated actively during the National Dialogue on Child Trafficking and Bonded Labor.
In June 2023, the U.S. Secretary of State presented Pakistani Police Officer, Zaheer Ahmed, Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero Award for his instrumental role in guiding the Government of Pakistan to implement anti-TIP laws and reforms, capacity building, and training initiatives that were instrumental in Pakistan's promotion from TIP Tier 2 watchlist to Tier 2 in 2022 when he was the Director of Federal Investigative Agency's Anti-Human Smuggling Unit. Secretary Blinken presented Ahmed the award on June 15th during the 2023 TIP report launch ceremony. Ahmed and his fellow TIP heroes participated in the TIP-focused U.S. International Visitor Leadership Program.
In addition to speeches, the event included panel discussions, a documentary screening, and breakout sessions, enhancing the depth and impact of the discussions. Mr. Faisal Kundi, Minister of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, graced the event and emphasized the challenges faced in curbing child trafficking. He shed light on the need for increased funding and awareness at the district level, while emphasizing the importance of international support and partnerships to protect children effectively. His presence further underscored the government's commitment to addressing this pressing issue with practical, human-centric interventions.
The National Dialogue was a continuation of SSDO's efforts, building on the momentum generated by a 2-day international conference organized by the organization in February, which primarily focused on trafficking in persons. Today's event, however, specially focused on aspects of child trafficking and bonded labor, highlighting the staggering figure that over 3 million people presently live in modern slavery within Pakistan. This alarming statistic reinforces the urgency for all relevant stakeholders to unite and take collective action against child trafficking.
Mr. Syed Kausar Abbas, Executive Director of SSDO, emphasized the necessity of strengthened coordination between stakeholders, stating, "Child trafficking is currently only of the most prevalent human rights violations in Pakistan, with estimates showing there are millions of such cases. We organised today’s national dialogue so that we could gather a diverse group of stakeholders and encourage discourse and debate to extract concrete, data-driven and evidence-based policy recommendations, that will help us all to eliminate this issue in a systematic and effective manner.”
At the event's conclusion, four groups made recommendations: Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) emphasized transparent reporting, strengthening cyber crime resources, and identifying trafficking hotspots. Child Rights Institutions proposed adding awareness messaging to school curricula and disseminating it through TV videos. They also stressed creating child rehabilitation institutions with life-skills training in all provinces. Legislators and policymakers suggested increased punishment for perpetrators and establishing separate child protection courts in all provinces. They aimed to agree on a definitive age for a child to improve coordination. Media and civil society emphasized advocacy, including children in dialogues, and better coordination among departments, like the Council of Common Interest, and madrassa monitoring to strengthen the cause.
SSDO has actively been implementing a project in Pakistan with the support of the US State Department. The project aims to strengthen institutional capacity and collaboration among various stakeholders, enabling the effective implementation of legal frameworks against trafficking while increasing direct referrals of victims for essential services and rehabilitation.
