Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day: Role of Technology in Combating Trafficking In persons

Chairman of the Central Body for Suppression of Trafficking in Persons, Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut sent a message on 10th Myanmar Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day on 13thSeptember.

In his message, the Union Minister stated that trafficking in persons occurs at the global scale and the impacts of trafficking in persons strike more on the developing nations. In Myanmar, the key factor that contribute to trafficking in persons is the rise in search of job opportunities.

Different forms of trafficking in persons include persuading young girls by brokers for forced marriage, surrogacy, sexual exploitation, labor exploitation on fishing vessels and rafts, forced labor by debt on the vulnerable people and selling people by using social media, etc.

Regarding the awareness raising on the risks of trafficking in persons, the measures such as providing trainings, broadcasting stories and songs on trafficking in persons, erecting billboards, distributing pamphlets, sending SMSs via mobile operators, adding as a subject in the curriculum of basic education, etc. are conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Information. The 24-hour Hotlines for receiving complaints on trafficking in persons are installed in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Muse in order to rescue the victims and investigate the traffickers in a timely manner.

Moreover, the migrant resource centers are opened with the aim to raise awareness and to provide information on trafficking in persons for the migrant workers and their family members. Taking advantage of advanced information technology by the perpetrators of trafficking in persons poses a challenge for prevention. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) called for make use of technology in prevention of trafficking in persons.

In accordance with the motto of the 10th ceremony of Myanmar’s Anti-trafficking in Persons Day "Strengthen the role of technology in combating trafficking in persons", the Union Minister stressed that cooperation among the relevant ministries should be continued to advance technologies in exchange of information and investigation with the support of the people.