Traffic in women and girls.
- Author: UN Commission on Human Rights (51st sess. : 1995 : Geneva)
- Document source:
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Date:
3 March 1995
Traffic in women and girls
Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/25
The Commission on Human Rights, Reaffirming its faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, Reaffirming also the principles set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Covenants on Human Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Recalling that in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23), the World Conference on Human Rights affirmed the human rights of women and the girl child as an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights, Convinced of the need to eliminate all forms of sexual violence and sexual trafficking, which are violations of the human rights of women and girl children, Condemning the illicit and clandestine movement across national and international borders of persons, largely from developing countries and some countries with economies in transition, with the ultimate goal of forcing women and girl children into sexually or economically oppressive and exploitative situations, for the profit of recruiters, traffickers and crime syndicates, as well as other illegal activities related to trafficking, such as forced domestic labour, false marriages, clandestine employment and fraudulent adoption, Noting the increasing number of women and girl children from developing countries and from some countries with economies in transition who are being victimized by traffickers, and acknowledging that the problem of trafficking also victimizes young boys, Recalling its resolution 1994/45 of 4 March 1994, in which it called for the elimination of trafficking in women, Aware of the decision of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, in its resolution 3/2, to consider the international traffic in minors at its fourth session in the context of its discussion on the question of organized transnational crime, Realizing the urgent need for the adoption of effective measures nationally, regionally and internationally to protect women and girl children from this nefarious traffic,1. Expresses its grave concern at the worsening problem of trafficking, particularly the increasing syndication of the sex trade and the internationalization of the traffic in women and girl children;
2. Welcomes the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (A/CONF.171/13, chap. I, resolution 1, annex), held in Cairo from 5 to 13 September 1994, which, inter alia, called upon all Governments of both receiving countries and countries of origin to adopt effective sanctions against those who organize undocumented migration, exploit undocumented migrants or engage in trafficking in undocumented migrants, especially those who engage in any form of international traffic in women and children;
3. Encourages Governments, relevant bodies and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to gather and share information relating to all aspects of trafficking in women and girl children, in order to facilitate the development of anti-trafficking measures;
4. Urges Governments to take appropriate measures to address the problem of trafficking in women and girl children and to ensure that the victims are provided with the necessary assistance, support, legal advice, protection, treatment and rehabilitation, and urges Governments to cooperate in this matter;
5. Calls upon all Governments to take appropriate measures to prevent the misuse and exploitation by traffickers of economic activities, such as the development of tourism and the export of labour;
6. Encourages Member States to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, the Slavery Convention and all other relevant international instruments;
7. Invites the Governments concerned, relevant intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to adopt appropriate measures to create a better public awareness of the problem;
8. Draws the attention of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women and the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to the problem of trafficking in women and girl children;
9. Invites the World Summit for Social Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace and the Ninth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders to consider including in their respective programmes of action the subject of the traffic in women and girl children;
10. Recommends that the problem of trafficking in women and girl children be given consideration in the context of the implementation of all relevant international legal instruments and, if need be, that consideration be given to measures to strengthen them, without undermining their legal authority and integrity;
11. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Commission at its fifty-second session with his preliminary report to be submitted to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session, pursuant to Assembly resolution 49/166 relating to traffic in women and girls;
12. Decides to continue its consideration of the question at its fifty-second session under the agenda item entitled "Report of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on its forty-seventh session".
52nd meeting, 3 March 1995 [Adopted without a vote]This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.