Trafficking in Cambodia
in conjunction with other NGO’s in Cambodia and Thailand and Guides Australia
Reporting Date:
12 November 2006
Focus:HUMAN RIGHTS / STATUS OF WOMEN
[B] Eliminate trafficking of human beings especially women and girls
Overview:
-
What we did – The Club invited Amy Lamoin as Guest Speaker to the May meeting. Amy works at the Human Rights Commission and is currently doing her Ph.D. on Trafficking. She has chosen Cambodia as a focus of her research. Amy is also a member of War Child Australia – an NGO that advocates on behalf of children in war torn countries around the world. At the meeting Amy shared her research material and photos with Club members and advised that she was returning to Cambodia to continue her research and support for local children’s orphanage. The Club provided Amy with a large bag of stuffed toys that had been made by members and their families for the children in the orphanage. Amy will be invited back in 2007 to share her research findings and to become a member of SI.
-
Why we did it – Our Club has maintained a strong focus in the programme area of HR/SW to eliminate all forms of violence against women – in particular Trafficking. The SI Position Statement on Where We Stand on Trafficking also calls for governments to establish comprehensive policies and programmes that eliminate the root causes of trafficking and to address the needs of the victims and supports the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocol on Trafficking. Other activities have included guest speaker Margaret Farmer (SI Melbourne) who prepared a submission into the inquiry into prostitution and trafficking in Victoria.
-
How we did it – The event was publicised at the Region Meeting and several members from other Clubs attended. The Club continues to network via email and monitors the impact of trafficking around the world. Copies or relevant articles and resources on the issues of trafficking and rights of the girl child in Cambodia have been passed onto Amy.
-
Results and recommendations. The value of networking with other SI Members and NGO’s has been invaluable in understanding both the economic and social justice issues at the local level. It has also highlighted the difficulties experienced by others that are also trying to provide some assistance to mitigate the spread of trafficking and exploitation of women and children. More information is becoming readily available via the Internet that can assist SI Clubs wanting to become more involved in raising awareness, advocacy and action of trafficking at both a local and international level.
SISWP President Elect Leigh Ellwood Brown attended the breakfast meeting and spoke to Amy about her work as an SI member of the Australian Womens Coalition to raise the issue of trafficking with the Federal Government. Leigh also provided further details of the website that monitors global trafficking.
SISWP Federation President Lorna Mead shared local contact details with Amy in Cambodia and Thailand via email. provided Amy and SI Brisbane City with details of the WUNRN release on human rights, health, education, safety and dignity of The Girl Child in Cambodia. Cambodia Research 2006: Street-Based Child Sexual Exploitation in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville - A Profile of Victims. Lois Hermann, SI member from Minnesota (USA) is a Human Rights activist on trafficking.
|
|
Last Updated ( Sunday, 02 March 2008 )
|
