XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

557

Modern Day Slavery and Trafficking in Persons: The Variables of Migration, Gender and Human Rights

RC31 Sociology of Migration (host committee)

Language: English

“Trafficking in persons”, which is known as modern day slavery, is one of the fastest growing crime and is the second largest illegal international trade, surpassed only by arms trafficking. International Labor Organization estimates that nearly 20.9 million people are victims of trafficking globally and out of these, 22 per cent are victims of forced sexual exploitation and it generate a revenue of approximately 9.5 billion dollars annually. Young women are particularly trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labor. This phenomenon presents an acute case of human rights violation. Forced migration and trafficking of women share many elements in common such as their vulnerability and their lack of protection and security. Today, it is a complex development issue. Vast majority of the trafficking victims are consequences of poverty, unemployment, cultural practices, etc. Trafficking is a health problem, as trafficked women and children are most at risk from HIV infection. It is a gender problem, as unequal power relations reinforce women's secondary status in society. Lastly, it is a legal problem, as they are stripped of their human rights and lack any access to redress for the crimes committed against them. Against the backdrop, the primary objectives of this panel are:

• To understand the extent, dimensions, causes and consequences of trafficking in the contemporary world.
• To explore the ambiguities of the migration-trafficking nexus.
• To create a model for integrating a gender sensitive and human rights approach in trafficking issues and develop an action plan for implementation.