Any strategy aimed at ending the trafficking of women and children should incorporate rights based approach, said a senior UN rights official.

Chief of OHCHR-Nepal Lena Sundh (File Photo)

Chief of OHCHR-Nepal Lena Sundh (File Photo)
Addressing the first national gathering of Shakti Samuha, a network of survivors of human trafficking, on Wednesday to mark International Women’s Day, Lena Sundh, chief of Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-Nepal) said human rights must be at the core of any credible anti-trafficking strategy; and all stakeholders must work from the perspective of victims of trafficking and those who are vulnerable to it.

“A critical issue is to address the connection between trafficking, migration, human rights and social exclusion. It is not a coincidence that those who are the victims of the worst forms of trafficking and other human rights violations also belong to the most socially excluded and discriminated groups,” added Sundh.

More than 120 women from across Nepal attended Wednesday’s conference, including some who had to travel for two or three days, on foot and by hitching rides, because of transportation strikes.

Shakti Samuna, established in 1996 became the first organisation in the world created by trafficking survivors. It focuses on preventing trafficking of members of vulnerable groups, particularly adolescent girls, providing services for trafficking survivors, and ensuring that their human rights are respected.

During the national gathering, the speakers stressed that in order to be effective, a human rights approach to counter trafficking requires: improved cooperation between countries of origin and destination; addressing the issue of safe migration and management of employment opportunities abroad; better coordination between actors at the national level and integration of human rights into all parts of the national anti-trafficking system.