History contains many accounts human beings using other human beings as their personal property. This still happens today. Human slavery is real and it is happening now and today goes by the term human trafficking. (Annan, 1)
Though many people are led to believe that slavery is an atrocity of the past, saying that it ended with the Civil War, it is still going on today. The trafficking of human beings to be sold into prostitution, forced labor, or companionship slaves; or kidnapped from their families and sold in orphanages is one of the most important issues and heinous crimes being committed in the world.
Modern Slavery is not a scourge happening somewhere else. It is a thriving business run by society’s underworld that is present wherever a profit can be made—this causes it to silently exist virtually everywhere.
Human trafficking is happening throughout the world from Africa, Asia, and even in in The United States. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has stated that there are 20,000 children and adults who are brought involuntarily into the United States each year.
Every thirty seconds another person becomes a victim of human trafficking somewhere in the world. UNICEF estimates that this year alone – 2,000,000 CHILDREN will be forced into prostitution. (Annan, 7)
One must begin by asking a question of Human Trafficking’s most defenseless victims, “Why is trafficking of persons, especially children, so popular?” Though no one answer will satisfy the question, extreme poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and ignorance are all culprits to the problem and combine to allow it. There are then, two ways to combat the problem, by going after those criminals who are perpetuating it. That is a direct legal intervention. And also it can be fought be working against the conditions of poverty, illiteracy and corruption that lead to it.
In the year 2000, leaders from around the world committed to the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and a Plan of Action that had 27 different goals related to children’s survival, health, education and protection (Annan, 3). Some of these goals, specifically the ones dealing with protection, have made a real impact on human trafficking, others things still remain undone (Annan, 5).
In addition to preventative measures, actions are being taken and funded by the UN and other government agencies and NGOs to rehabilitate victims. By providing former with education and vocational training and safe havens after the trauma, they are offered an alternative to being forced to sell themselves, or being re-victimized by human traffickers. From the wreckage of their victimization, they can begin to build a better life where the threat of being victimized is substantially reduced. (Annan, 53)
Both governmental and non-governmental organizations have multiple programs dedicated to ending human trafficking. These organizations work to combat the issue by providing long-term education, by prosecuting the offenders, and by providing rehabilitation services for those who have been trafficked. Kofi Annan, however, in his report, We The Children lays out that governments, law enforcement, and rehabilitative services must work together to do all that is required to fight the issue and rehabilitate the victims who have been freed from those conditions. (Annan, 75)
Reference
Annan, K. (2001). We The Children. Unicef, 1, 1-101. Retrieved March, 22 2013 from http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/about/sgreport-pdf/sgreport_adapted_eng.pdf
