Trafficking in persons has existed around the world for many centuries. It used to be called slavery. Frankly, it is the process of buying and selling of human beings. That evil system came to an end over 200 years ago. However, it has reared its ugly head again as ‘trafficking in persons’ since 1990.

Human trafficking is cost-effective, but very lucrative. The crime can be committed, using advanced communications. Therefore, the issue has been rapidly rampant worldwide. World countries, developed, developing and least developed, have to deal with this issue. Human trafficking crimes are by nature violated secretly, so it is hard to record the exact number of the victims. According to the findings of researchers, from on million to two million people are being trafficked yearly.

In the process, the majority of those targeted by human traffickers are women and children. It is not very difficult to threaten, force, coerce and deceive women and children into doing what traffickers want. To make matters worse, they are vulnerable to hardships. In addition, women and children are by nature not capable enough of making correct are on making correct decisions. So, mostly women and children are on target.

Personally, another cause is that women are trafficked to serve as prostitutes or as sex workers under the name of wife. Children are exploited various for child pornography, sexual entertainment and abuse. In many cases, children are exploited for many purposes, adopting them just in nominal status, including taking their inner organs for sale. Women and children are forced to work as beggars. Thus, the majority of victims are women and children but also men are sold for sweated labour, and are tortured by owners in sweated factories, workshops and hard labour camps.

Some points that force people into victims are wanting better incomes; need to supply parents and families more; law education standard and poor reasoning power; nature of placing too much trust in others; and lack of information. And some points that lure people into victims are too much trust in the trick intensive that they can get well-paid jobs in neighboring counties, and unreasonably emulating the success of a handful of people who get on with business in foreign countries. They are indeed major causes that make such people fall into the snared set by human traffickers.

Some other case are being informed wrongly about the occupation targeted people will get; receiving unreliable promises; making trips without being informed about the destinations, with their important documents in the hands of traffickers; and going abroad with fake passports and documents. Many people sold in foreign countries get into troubles due to language barrier.

Trafficking in persons can cause physical and mental sufferings, and sometimes loss of lives. Therefore, the governments of the world countries are trying to ward off such unwanted consequences.

In Myanmar, human trafficking is convinced of tarnishing the fine tradition of preserving own linage and national integrity. So, anti-human trafficking is carried out as a national duty. Myanmar, being a member of the United Nations, the government is active and self-motivated with a strong sense of duty in international affairs. As a gesture of showing interest, emphasis and commitment in international issues, Myanmar has been member of United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crimes and related protocol 30 March 2004.

There are so many international conventions, but to achieve success in anti-human trafficking mainly depends on commitments and endeavours of the government concerned. With this concept in view, the government promulgated on 13 September 2005 the Law on Prevention of Trafficking in Persons, which meets the norms of international laws on the issues.

In fact, the law is a driving force behind scaling up prevention and control of human trafficking, and particularly protecting trafficked women and children. The law is also designated to meet out punitive sentences on human traffickers.

Related government organizations, and internal and international non-governmental organizations are carrying out anti-human trafficking operations in harmony under the leadership of the government. In recognition, UN agencies and international and regional organizations on anti-human trafficking constantly provide necessary assistance and cooperation in tasks.

Myanmar has put emphasis on ant-human trafficking since 1992, as evidenced by emergence of the Myanmar National Committee for Women's Affairs in 1996, and the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation in 2003. Since their births, these organizations have been joining hands with the government in anti-human trafficking tasks. Prevention is at the core of combating human trafficking.  So, knowledge of the nature and evil consequences of trafficking in persons is disseminated to women and children, who are on target of traffickers. The Work Committee on Protection and Rehabilitation of Women under the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation and state/ division, district, township and ward/ village-tract Women's Affairs Organizations give educative talks on human trafficking in both urban and rural areas. The process covers educative talks, roundtable discussions, staging educative video and TV plays, and distribution of educative pamphlets.

Trafficked persons are human beings. With the aim of encouraging the victims to reunite with others in their societies, the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation takes part in rehabilitation of physically and mentally affected victims. Trafficked persons suffer depression, distance themselves from others, lack self-confidence, and feel to take revenge on traffickers. Therefore, the MWAF systematically carries out consolation process and teaches vocational education and provides small loans for victims. Moreover, it takes follow-up care of trafficked women and children in order that they will get along with their parents again.

In collaboration with the government, the MWAF has taken a vow to fight trafficking in persons which causes major impediment to development of women. As a gesture of honouring the Myanmar Women's Day that falls on 3 July, I write this article to inform that in line with one of the 10 future tasks adopted in its Annual General Meeting (2009)_ To cooperated with local and international NGOs in combating human trafficking, and rehabilitation of victims, the MWAF put growing emphasis on anti-human trafficking.

By Myo Lay