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Reforms in Saarc convention on trafficking underscored

25 April 2010, 18:00 PM

METROPOLITAN

Staff Correspondent

The definition of trafficking in the upcoming Saarc Convention needs to be amended for addressing the problem in the region efficiently, said speakers at a press conference yesterday. ATSEC Bangladesh organised the press conference at the National Press Club in the city advocating for the requirements of reforming the SAARC convention on Trafficking. While presenting the keynote, Advocate Salma Ali, chairperson of ATSEC, placed some recommendation on changing the definition of trafficking and bringing some changes to the current convention. "The definition of trafficking requires to be broadened beyond 'trafficking for prostitution' to address other forms of trafficking in persons," said Salma Ali. The convention needs to clarify the responsibilities of the origin, transit, and recipient countries with respect to extradition and prosecution of traffickers as well as rescue, recovery, protection, repatriation and social integration of the victims and prevention of trafficking, she added. She also said the convention needs to make provision of a permanent and systematic monitoring body and National and Regional Focal Points on Trafficking to ensure that Member States are held accountable to the requirements imposed by the Convention. "Again, the Convention needs to have directives on shared database of state-parties on victims and traffickers with access of the authorities concerned and civil society," she added. ATSEC Vice Chairperson AKM Masud Ali, Executive Committee members Emranul Haque Chowdhury, Binoy Krishna Mollik and Fazlul Haque Chowdhury were also present.