Human trafficking- third lucrative trade, says UN report

Bhopal, Sep 6(UNI) Human trafficking constitutes the third most lucrative illicit trade after drugs and arms smuggling and trafficked women are usually forced into sex work, domestic or sweatshop labour, says a UN report.

Trafficking nets an estimated 7 to 12 billion US dollars annually reflecting only profits from the initial sale of persons.

International Labour Organisation estimates that once victims are in the destination country, criminal syndicates rake in an additional 32 billion US dollars a year-- half generated in industrialised nations and a third in Asia.

ILO also estimates that 2.45 million trafficking victims are toiling in exploitative conditions worldwide. An estimated 6 to 8 lakh women, men and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Of these, 80 percent are women and girls.

Promotion of gender equality and poverty reduction is key to putting a halt to trafficking and other forms of slavery. Women who are desperate to find work- even if it means relocating to another country- are easy prey for traffickers, says the ''State of World Population 2006 Report'' released today.

As part of its universal release, the report, published by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was released here today by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The report says women constitute almost half of all international migrants worldwide- 95 million or 49.6 percent.

Migrant women move to marry, rejoin migrant husbands and family or to work. They are domestic workers, cleaners, caretakers of the sick, elderly and children.

They area farmers, waitresses, sweatshop workers, highly skilled professionals, teachers, nurses, entertainers, sex workers, hostesses, refugees and asylum seekers.

They are young, old, married, single, divorced and widowed. Many migrate with children, while others are forced to leave them behind.

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