More efforts needed to prevent and combat human trafficking

Raising public awareness of the Law against Human Trafficking is among measures taken by Can Tho's authorities to fight human trafficking.

In recent years, human trafficking has been a complicated issue in Vietnam, as many human trafficking cases have occurred via illegal migration with increasingly sophisticated tricks. The crime has directly harmed the lives, health, honour and human dignity of the victims, mostly women and children.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, human trafficking throughout the world and in the region remains complicated, especially the trafficking through illegal migration from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to Europe. The European authorities have investigated and discovered thousands of transnational human trafficking and illegal organ trade.

In Vietnam, from November 16, 2015 to May 15, 2018, 885 cases of human trafficking with 1,158 defendants and nearly 2,319 trafficked victims were identified - a decrease of 22% in cases, 32% of defendants and 8% of victims compared to the 2011 - 2015 period. Criminals often take advantage of economic hardship, unemployment, low education and the trust of the victims, or loopholes in policy implementation and law enforcement, to traffic individuals abroad into forced labour, prostitution, or marriage. Victims of human trafficking are mostly people in rural, mountainous, remote and isolated areas. Most of whom face economic hardship and lack job opportunities and education.

Meanwhile, the prevention and fight against human trafficking in Vietnam is facing a number of difficulties and challenges. The implementation of policies and laws, as well as State management and social supervision in some areas, has failed to weaken criminal activities. A widespread prevention movement has not attracted a large number of people, especially women. Communications and information dissemination activities in many places are still formal, lack specific plans, measures, guidance, and inspection.

On December 31, 2015, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 2546 / QD-TTg approving the programme against human trafficking for 2016-2020. Ministries, branches and provinces and cities nationwide have realised the Decision in a drastic and synchronous manner with flexible and creative forms and measures, focusing on promoting the prevention and fight against human trafficking on mass media and directly in the community. As the standing body, the Ministry of Public Security has chaired and coordinated with the ministries and branches to submit documents to the Prime Minister for promulgation on the implementation of the Law against Human Trafficking, and organised the implementation of the national programme on the prevention and combat against human trafficking and projects in each period.

Remarkably, in order to raise the awareness of the entire society and contribute to reducing the risks and crimes related to human trafficking, on May 10, 2016, the Prime Minister issued Decision 793/QD- TTg to observe July 30 as the National Day Against Trafficking in Persons. On May 3, 2018, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 01/CT-TTg on preventing Vietnamese citizens to illegally exit, migrate, reside, work and violate the law in foreign countries in an effort to reduce the crime involving workers abroad.

In order to effectively eradicate and prevent human trafficking, it is necessary to strengthen the approved programmes by the Party and State on the prevention and combat of human trafficking for the 2016-2020 period, combined with deployment of the 2016-2025 National Strategy against Crimes.

The media should continue to maintain and develop new specialised pages, columns, news, articles, and documentaries to share information on the prevention and combat of human trafficking, while regularly increasing the volume and frequency of information on the issue to help create changes in awareness and action among the community.

The Ministry of Public Security should continue deploying offensives to suppress the crime on a national scale, and co-ordinate with the relevant ministries and agencies to accelerate the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases, while selecting cases for mobile trials to deter crime, and launching a mass movement on the issue at the national level.