Urgent action is needed by the government, police and courts to tackle the growing problem of human trafficking, according to the Cambodian Committee of Women (CAMBOW), a coalition of 33 local NGOs working on women’s issues.

International Women’s Day: March 8, is not only a day of celebration for the progress women throughout the world, but also a day of solidarity for women to assert their political, economic, and social rights.

“On International Women’s Day, it’s important to remember the countless women and children who are trapped in exploitation because of traffickers,” said Kek Galabru, president of CAMBOW. “It’s not acceptable that Cambodian women and children should be bought and sold like cattle, while their exploiters and abusers get rich from this trade.”

CAMBOW urges senior government and law enforcement officials to take an active leadership role in preventing trafficking and encouraging the prosecution of traffickers. In particular, CAMBOW notes that the 1996 anti-trafficking law passed by the National Assembly has not proved an effective tool to combat trafficking because of failure to apply the law, corruption, and lack of law enforcement resources.

“There’s little point in having a law unless it’s going to be enforced,” said Kek Galabru. “With the anti-trafficking law, the results have been very disappointing and many traffickers continue to ply their trade with impunity.”

Serious reforms to the police and judiciary are required to address the causes of why this and other laws are not properly enforced. Such reforms should include the recruitment and promotion of police and judicial officials on the basis of competence, full training in the law, and proper disciplinary structures to ensure that those who fail to fulfill their duties are punished.

CAMBOW is deeply concerned about all forms of human trafficking, including trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, trafficking for forced labor and trafficking of children for the international adoption industry. According to reports by CAMBOW members, human trafficking is steadily increasing, both within Cambodia and internationally. There is evidence that Cambodia is a place of recruitment, transit point and a trafficking destination for the international trade in humans.

Trafficking into other countries is an especially serious a problem in Cambodia’s border areas. In Poipet town alone, it is estimated that there are more than 100 active traffickers luring destitute Cambodians to work in Thailand as cheap laborers, beggars or sex workers. Children are frequently tricked or coerced and taken to Thailand for begging, forced labor or sexual exploitation. Children sought for the sex industry are as young as 11-years-old.

Trafficking usually begins at the community level, with local recruiters preying on poor women and children in villages. According to the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center, about 60% of sex workers enter the trade involuntarily, having been mislead by traffickers. In many cases the girls are approached by a recruiter in their own villages and are offered work in garment factories or other city jobs. It isn’t until later that they discover that they had been sold into prostitution.

CAMBOW is also concerned about the problem of trafficking of children for the international adoption industry. Recent investigations by LICADHO have revealed clear patterns and networks in the process of buying babies and toddlers for adoption, with recruiters tricking or coercing vulnerable women into giving up their children to “children’s centers”. When the mothers try to visit their children or get them back, they are refused.

On March 8, International Women’s Day, CAMBOW will be presenting educational drama performances in five areas where trafficking is most prevalent, Bantey Meanchey, Koh Kong, Svay Rieng, Kratie and Kompong Cham. The dramas are aimed at raising awareness at the local level about trafficking practices.

“However, education and awareness-raising is only part of the solution to the trafficking problem,” said Kek Galabru. “It must go hand-in-hand with determination by the government, police and the courts to pursue traffickers and punish them according to the law.”

For more information, please contact:
▪ Dr. Kek Galabrr, President LICADHO, 012 802 506
▪ Ms. Hor Phally, President PADV, 023 721 654 /012 838 721
▪ Ms. Oung Chanthol, Executive Director CWCC, 023 982 158

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