Trafficking a growing problem in south-east Asia

Human rights activists have called on the governments of south-east Asia to do more to end child prostitution and child trafficking, as the problem is getting worse. Although there is some co-operation in the region, NGOs are asking that more be done. ECPAT, a leading NGO in the field of protecting children from exploitation and co-authors of this web site said that there were more than 1 million child prostitutes in Asia, with 300,000 in Thailand, 100,000 in the Philippines and 40,000 in Vietnam.
Vitit Muntarbhorn, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on child prostitution said;
“There must be a co-ordinated and co-operative effort if we are to succeed in eradicating human trafficking, especially child sex trafficking from this region,”
The International Labour Organisation has collected data showing that sex tourism makes a major contribution to the economies of some Asian countries, amounting to between 2 to 14 percent of the gross domestic product of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. With such a major contribution to the economy, it will a test of will for the governments of south-east Asia to tackle the growing problem of child sex tourism.