ALL STATES HAVE JOINT RESPONSIBILITY TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING – PHL AT MINISTERIAL MEETING OF GROUP OF FRIENDS UNITED AGAINST TRAFFICKING 28 September 2013 - The Philippines called for the intensification of global efforts to combat human trafficking, stressing that it is a “joint responsibility of all member-states” of the United Nations. The Philippines issued the call during the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking which was held at the sidelines of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 26 September 2013. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia stated that combating human trafficking is a core advocacy of the Philippines given that protection of the welfare and rights of Filipinos overseas is a pillar of Philippine foreign policy. He underscored that fighting human trafficking is a joint responsibility of member states – whether these be countries of origin, transit or destination. Undersecretary Garcia also told foreign ministers and deputy ministers, belonging to the Group of Friends, as well as heads of UN agencies of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking (ICAT), about the Philippines’ leading efforts to develop an ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons (ACTIP). The Philippines urged the Group of Friends to: • further enhance efforts in information-sharing, technical assistance and capacity building; • advocate for the universal adoption of a human rights based approach to combat trafficking in persons; • promote ratification of the Palermo Protocol and the full and effective implementation of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons; and • continue the exchange of experiences/best practices at the national and regional levels through seminars and workshops. The Philippines and Belarus, together with 18 countries across all regions, founded the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking as an informal, voluntary, and open-ended association of UN Member States aimed at reinvigorating the global fight against trafficking in persons. At the heart of the initiative is promotion of the Global Plan of Action against Human Trafficking which engages critical stakeholders such as Governments, civil society, mass media, and private business. The Group of Friends is composed of Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, the Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. Since then, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela have joined, bringing the total number of members to 24.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 05:21:38 +0000
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