Vietnam determines to fight against human trafficking

Vietnam has been intensifying efforts to bring a stop to human trafficking in recent years, according to Deputy Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on July 27 to launch activities responding to World Day against Trafficking in Persons, spreading a message that preventing and fighting human trafficking is the responsibility of the whole political system and society, and that  human trafficking is a global issue that needs international cooperation to deal with.

Statistics from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) showed that 50% of human trafficking cases served sexual abuse purposes, while 38% of the total victims are forced to work mostly in the sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East regions.

Particularly, COVID-19 is creating an ideal condition for human trafficking activities, as governments are mustering resources to respond to the health crisis, according to experts.

In Vietnam, the Government has rolled out drastic measures to combat human trafficking, including a Human Trafficking Prevention and Control Programme for the 2016-2020 period and the Law on Human Trafficking Prevention and Control. Over the years, the country has effectively strengthened efforts in verifying, protecting and supporting victims of trafficking, while formulating and perfecting relevant laws, and increasing international cooperation in the field.

Punishments for human traffickers have been clarified in the Criminal Code.

At the same time, Vietnam's cooperation with other countries, especially those in the region and where a large number of Vietnamese are trafficked, as well as international organisations on preventing and combating trafficking against persons, has been fostered and expanded.

A programme on human trafficking prevention and control for the 2021-2025 period is underway.

Nguyen Minh Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs under the Ministry of Public Security and head of the Steering Committee of the ASEAN-Australia Programme on Anti-Trafficking in Persons in Vietnam, emphasised the significant role of international cooperation in effectively fighting human trafficking crimes. No country can solve it alone, he said, adding it needs coordination and cooperation between countries as well as between international organisations./.