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Trafficking is one of today's greatest human rights challenges. Films like Meghla Akash, which was partially funded by USAID, use popular media to bring messages and warnings about trafficking to women, families and others who could be affected. The U.S. Government estimates there are up to 1,000,000 women and children trafficked annually between almost every continent. The numbers of those who are trafficked internally, usually from rural to urban areas, are even higher. Some victims are tricked into leaving their homes with the promise of a better life and a well-paid job; others are kidnapped; and still others are sold by desperate family members. Once entrapped, women and girls are forced into prostitution, domestic servitude or exploitative labor situations, while many boys end up in the Middle East, forced to work as camel jockeys or beggars on the streets. Traffickers take advantage of the poor and vulnerable for their trade. Often, victims are transported out of their countries to places where they do not speak the language, their travel documents are confiscated, and they are isolated. Many victims fear being jailed or deported, so they do not turn to the authorities. Without their network of family and friends, alone in a strange culture, victims do not know where to turn for help. Raising Awareness: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Trafficking is one of many issues being highlighted on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It is a day when governments and NGOs worldwide are asked to organize activities to raise awareness about the violence women and girls around the world suffer. For many countries, trafficking is a bewildering and difficult issue to tackle. Trafficking takes many forms and crosses national boundaries. One country may be the source of sex workers for its neighbor. Another may be a transit point en route to the Middle East. In some cases, the victims enter on their own and are enslaved. In others, they are trafficked into the country. Far too often, traffickers escape prosecution. Agencies responsible for combating trafficking often have limited budgets, coordination between departments is uneven at best, and corrupt officials can be bribed to turn a blind eye. In addition, many law enforcement agencies are not equipped to deal with the multi-national aspect of trafficking, allowing traffickers and their victims to disappear across borders with ease. USAID works hard to help fight trafficking around the world. Its efforts fall into three categories: prevention, protection of survivors and prosecution of traffickers. Below are some examples of USAID's work in Asia. Preventing Trafficking in Bangladesh From Bangladesh, women and girls are trafficked to India, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates for sexual slavery or domestic work. Internally, women and girls from rural areas in Bangladesh are trafficked to larger cities.
To prevent trafficking, both within and out of the country, USAID has supported a nation-wide multi-media communications campaign. Educating people about the issue is a key element of any anti-trafficking program since many people in rural, isolated villages and urban slums are not aware of the problem and can be misled by traffickers. In addition to films like Meghla Akash, USAID reaches people through traveling theater groups, such as those from the Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA). One of BITA's skits tells the story of an adolescent girl called Bedana, who lost her mother at a young age. Her new stepmother mistreats her, so Bedana eagerly accepts the offer of a distant relative to come to the capital to study and work. By the time Bedana realizes her relative is up to no good, it is too late, and she is about to be sold. While the story ends happily with the timely intervention of a social worker, the warning it gives is clear to all who watch the play. USAID's work does not stop with communications campaigns. Through a program to introduce development issues to people of influence in Bangladeshi society, USAID has also incorporated anti-trafficking into its Imam training activity. Imams lead the prayers in mosques and are held in high esteem. Helping them understand the problem of trafficking is one important step towards slowing the enslavement of women and children. Despite these efforts, trafficking remains a problem, so USAID focuses some of its work in Bangladesh on protecting survivors and prosecuting traffickers. To help survivors build a new life or return to their homes, USAID has helped establish ten sites to give survivors legal advice. These centers also gather information on trafficking cases. Between July 2000 and June 2003, USAID-supported activities led to the arrest of 254 traffickers, 35 of whom have been convicted.
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