News

Migration bans do not protect the rights of women, only push them into taking more risky options

Written on 07 March 2016.

Statement by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women on the occasion of International Women’s Day

Stringent border control has often been used as a measure to stop human trafficking and members of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) have raised their voices against such misguided, ineffective and discriminatory measures.

Today, on International Women’s Day, GAATW is calling for an end to restrictions placed on migration of women domestic workers in some parts of the world! These bans have been justified as a way to prevent trafficking, exploitation and abuse. Not surprisingly, such policies have made women vulnerable to abuse rather than making their migration safe. Instead, states need to empower women to exercise their rights by focusing on non-discrimination, access to education and training, protection of their citizens abroad and creation of more safe and legal migration opportunities.

Launch of Anti-Trafficking Review Issue 5 in Latin America

Written on 22 October 2015.

ATR5LaunchLAC Anti-Trafficking Review (ATR) Issue 5 'Forced Labor and Human Trafficking', guestedited by Nicola Piper and Marie Segrave, was presented and launched at the Fourth Latin-American Anti-Trafficking International Conference held in La Paz, Bolivia, from the 14 to 16 October. Andrea Querol, GAATW board member and executive director of the Peruvian member organisation CHS Alternativo, presented the journal and exemplified the issue with a case of labour exploitation in Peru related to the Ashaninka peoples. She also emphasised the importance of having conceptual clarity when talking about trafficking and how terminology affects political and legal responses.

Mike Dottridge, previous ATR guest editor and current member the Board of the Trustees of the UN Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, shared specific details about ATR issue 5 and explained the importance of tackling human trafficking from a forced labor framework. With this launch, GAATW aimed to increase Latin-American voices in coming ATR issues.

The call for papers for the next issue, 'Trafficking Representations', is open until 8 January 2016.

Regressive policies on labour and migration exacerbate forced labour and exploitation, international rights group says

Written on 28 September 2015.

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 29 September 2015

Versión en español

A significant new protocol on forced labour was agreed last year, which promised to strengthen national laws and actions on protection of workers’ rights. However, many regressive policies related to migration and labour persist, according to the latest issue of the Anti-Trafficking Review, published by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW).

The new issue of the Anti-Trafficking Review examines how the global community is addressing forced labour and trafficking. The journal questions whether recent efforts have done enough to stop exploitation at work.

Event invitation: Launch of Anti-Trafficking Review Issue 5

Written on 17 September 2015.

AntiTraffickingReview web

Tuesday, 29 September, 18:00-20:00

Valley Room, Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok

The Global Alliance Against Traffic of Women (GAATW) invites applications for a media workshop, ‘Women: Agents Of Change Or Victims Of Abuse? : Reporting Labour Migration’

Written on 10 August 2015.

Up to 20 journalists will receive support to participate in a four-day workshop in Bangkok on 3-6 October 2015. The proposed workshop is a part of GAATW’s efforts to bring back the focus on women migrants from victims and sensationalised objects to agents of change, and subjects of hope, determination, and self-reliance. Following the workshop in October, 8 participants will be selected by November 2015, for fellowships to publish five stories each on labour migration and human trafficking. Each awardee will be expected to produce and publish (at least) 2 x 800-word articles, and 3 x 1,200- word articles.

The workshop is open to mid-level to senior journalists from the print media in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, reporting in English or the regional languages. The cost of travel and accommodation to attend the workshop will be supported by GAATW.

Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women