News
Declaration against child trafficking signedISLAMABAD: Feb 21 : Four civil society organisations has formed Pakistan chapter of a network ‘Action Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children’ (ATSEC) to work with a commitment to ensure that all children and women are protected from being trafficking and sexual exploitation.
A declaration on formation of Pakistan chapter of “Action Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children was signed by the representatives of the four founding member organisation including Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA), Journalists for Democracy and Human Rights (JDHR) and Pakistan Rural Workers Social Welfare Organisation (PRWSWO) at a meeting held at SDPI, here yesterday.
Dr. Aliya H. Khan of Quaid-i-Azam University facilitated the meeting. A leading human rights activist and expert on anti trafficking issues, Zia Ahmad Awan, will act as the convenor of the ATSEC Pakistan with a core team.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of international organisations including International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Solidarity Center, Asia Foundation, Save the Children UK, South Asia Regional Initiative on Equity for Women and Children (SARI/Equity), and ATSEC Bangladesh.
The formation of ATSEC Pakistan has been supported by SARI/Equity that has already supported formation of such chapters in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The ATSEC core team would invite more civil society organisations to join the network and arrange a formal launch of the chapter soon.
The newly formed ATSEC Pakistan chapter in a mission statement says taking note of the linkages among trafficking, sexual exploitation and issues of safe migration, mobility, socio-cultural practices and traditions, poverty, discrimination and violence, ATSEC Pakistan envisions that every child and woman is protected from being trafficked and/or sexually exploited.
The objectives of ATSEC Pakistan are to provide a platform for the civil society organisations working against trafficking, unsafe migration, commercial sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of women and children to share information and experiences and to initiate action and to take necessary steps to engage with all tiers of government and national, regional, international organisations and networks for more effective coordination of anti-trafficking measures and interventions.