PH Delivers Powerful Statement at the UN’s Commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. acts as panelist in the discussions to stop trafficking in children and young people. (New York PM photo)
NEW YORK 06 August 2018 – The Philippine Mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York joined the Group of Friends United against trafficking in commemorating the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
The Group of Friends organized a panel discussion entitled “Stop Trafficking in Children and Young People: A Dire Need to Find Sustainable Solutions” on 30 July 2018.
As panelist, Permanent Representative to the UN Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. delivered a powerful statement confronting the very root of the sex trade—male instinct for sexual violation.
Ambassador Locsin averred that the roots of human trafficking for sex are not historical, social, economic, cultural phenomena or any other generality but is male hunger for helpless women and girls that they can abuse.
According to the Ambassador, in order to tackle the problem, an important step to take is to turn over the leadership and direction of anti-trafficking efforts to the women. To fully eradicate the problem, it is necessary to get the traffickers by any means efficient.
Child trafficking survivor Rani Hong also spoke at the event, sharing her story that she was stolen from her family at the age of seven and sold to a trafficking syndicate in India. She was eventually freed and was reunited with her family after 21 years.
Ms. Hong founded Rani’s Voice, an advocacy organization dedicated to being the voice of the victims. She partners with governments and other civil society organizations to promote awareness on the issue of trafficking and to help marshal efforts to combat this scourge.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a written statement that highlights the UN’s commitment to advance action to bring the traffickers to justice while protecting and supporting their victims.
UN Office of Drugs and Crime Director-General Yury Fedotov gave a video message, encouraging all UN Member States to strengthen partnerships and continue to seek solutions to address the growing problem of trafficking in children.
Other panelists include Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Valentin Rybakov, UNICEF Policy Specialist Saskia Blume, Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence against Children Special Assistant Anette Lyth, and Thomson Reuters’ Financial Crime and Industry Affairs Global Head Che Sidanius. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph / www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/.