Laos pledges to tackle human trafficking
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Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong yesterday vowed to continue efforts to support education, vocational training and the development of labour skills in a move to protect people from becoming victims of human traffickers both at home and overseas.
In his message in Vientiane to mark the International Day Against Trafficking, observed worldwide on December 12 every year, he said Laos will enforce strict laws and punish traffickers, while looking for ways to extend more effective aid and assistance to victims.
Anti-human trafficking cooperation between Laos and Thailand has revealed that 2,017 Laotians have been identified as victims from 2011. At present, it is estimated that that more than 100,000 Laotians are working in Thailand either legally or illegally.
Laos’ Labour and Social Welfare Ministry has notified related agencies about the number of victims, a source from the United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT) said on Thursday.
According to the ministry, women are the main victims and over the past 10 years, more than 80 per cent of the identified victims have been under 18.
“This year, 133 victims of human trafficking have been identified and most are women and children,” the UN-ACT official pointed out.
The Laotian victims in Thailand mostly hail from Savannakhet and Champassak provinces and from the capital Vientiane.
In an effort to curb trafficking, the government is cooperating with UN-ACT and other UN agencies and organisations in an effort to raise awareness on the risks of trafficking among the public.
“The situation for these illegal migrants is risky because they have no idea where they will be working. Moreover, they have no friends or relatives to rely upon, which is why they are so vulnerable and taken advantage of by human traffickers,” the source said.
In recent years Laos has made significant progress in its efforts to control human trafficking. Agreements have been signed and cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries has enhance services such as shelters and vocational training.
Thailand has become a popular destination for Laotians seeking employment as the wages are higher and the culture and language are similar.
