John Miller, former US ambassador at large on the issue of human trafficking, has accused the UN of not doing enough to halt sexual abuse by peacekeeping forces. “It’s very hard to take the lead (in combating human trafficking) when you are one of the major promoters of human trafficking in the world,”, Miller said at a conference held by Thailand’s UN Mission and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. To read more about this and related issues, please go to http://www.b92.net/eng/news/globe-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=04&dd=13&nav_category=117&nav_id=40669

In Finland, the Directorate of Immigration has granted a residence permit to a victim of human trafficking, under new legislation, which came into force last August. Under this legislation a residence permit can even be granted if human trafficking charges have not yet been brought, but it seems very likely they will. The idea is to remove the danger of re-trafficking and give the victim space to decide if she can testify against the trafficker, although the permit is not dependant on such testimony. The permit is also open ended instead of temporary, given the especially vulnerable situation of trafficking victims. Finland is presently considering awarding two more such permits. To read more about this and other subjects, please go to http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+grants+residence+permit+to+victim+of+human+trafficking/1135226515923

What are thought to be human body parts, found in a bag in Bindura, Zimbabwe, point to the growing problem of human trafficking in the country. Some believe that human body parts can increase the success of business ventures, and as these body parts are often female genitalia, there has been a growth in the number of women and children being trafficked and murdered for body parts. Zimbabwe does not have a comprehensive law which deals with human trafficking and there is a need for such a law to be passed and enforced. For more on this and related subjects, please visit http://allafrica.com/stories/200704100256.html

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong has highlighted the growing problem of human trafficking in his country. While speaking at a conference on the subject, he urged the government to develop an action plan for 2007 – 2010. The ministry of Public Security estimates that more than 6000 women and children have been sold into forced labour and prostitution abroad. This figure does not include those sold within the country. The government also believes that many of the 136,000 marriages between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners are linked to human trafficking rings and could lead to the woman being sold into slavery. To read more about this, please go to http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02SOC070407

Police in Spain have arrested 7 people for allegedly trafficking at least 40 young Russian women into forced prostitution in the country, after offering them jobs, for which the victims also paid $2,675. The suspects, who are from Albania, Russia, Kosovo and Armenia, are accused of working with agents in St Petersburg who lured the women, but when they arrived in Spain they were allegedly forced to work as prostitutes. To read more about this and related subjects, please visit; http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/April/theworld_April178.xml&section=theworld&col=