Economy
IOM-Harvard Report: Domestic Trafficking Accounts for Over 50% of Child Victims
A comprehensive report conducted jointly by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University (FXB) has shed light on the alarming prevalence of child trafficking within national borders. The findings reveal that over 50% of child trafficking victims fall victim to exploitation within their own countries.
The study also uncovered a distressing trend in international trafficking, with children being predominantly trafficked to neighboring countries with greater economic prosperity. Among the child victims of trafficking, nearly half were subjected to forced labor, primarily affecting boys. These children were found to be employed in various sectors, including domestic work, begging, and agriculture. Additionally, the report highlighted the prominent issue of sexual exploitation, with approximately 20% of trafficked children, predominantly girls, being subjected to prostitution, pornography, and sexual servitude.
Entitled ‘From Evidence to Action: Twenty Years of IOM Child Trafficking Data to Inform Policy and Programming,’ the report revealed that child victims trafficked for sexual exploitation were often transported across international borders, while those trafficked for forced labor were more likely to be exploited within their home countries. Disturbingly, more than half of the child victims had family and friends involved in their recruitment, emphasizing the significant role played by trusted individuals in facilitating trafficking.
Irina Todorova, Head of the IOM’s Core Protection Unit, emphasized the multifaceted and evolving nature of child trafficking, stating, “The report shows that child trafficking is a truly global phenomenon, spreading and evolving across borders without regard to age, gender, or nationality.”
Further analysis of the report revealed that boys faced a higher risk of being trafficked compared to girls, with a significantly lower likelihood of being trafficked internationally. Victims with limited or no education were found to be over 20 times more susceptible to trafficking compared to those who had completed high school. Moreover, children from low-income countries were five times more likely to be trafficked as minors compared to victims from high-income countries.
The report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for robust policies and targeted interventions to combat child trafficking, protect vulnerable children, and dismantle the networks that perpetuate this global menace.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reaffirmed her government’s unwavering commitment to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even in the face of challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war, and the climate crisis. She made this declaration during a meeting with Helen Clark, Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), at the United Nations Headquarters.
As part of her commitment to healthcare services accessibility for all citizens, PM Sheikh Hasina mentioned the implementation of the National Health Sector Strategic Plan (2011-2030) and a 27% increase in healthcare sector allocations for the current fiscal year 2023-24.
Helen Clark commended Bangladesh’s exceptional progress in healthcare under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership, citing the nation’s remarkable achievements in reducing maternal and child mortality rates and ensuring universal healthcare services.
Bangladesh’s economy is anticipated to expand by 6.5% in fiscal year 2024, reflecting an improvement in domestic demand and enhanced export growth, as per the recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) report titled “Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2023.” This growth projection is slightly higher than the 6.0% recorded in the previous fiscal year, driven by a recovering euro area.
Inflation is predicted to decrease to 6.6% in the current fiscal year, down from 9.0% in FY2023. Additionally, the current account deficit is expected to narrow marginally, from 0.7% of GDP in the previous fiscal year to 0.5% in FY2024, thanks to improved remittance growth.
The report identifies the main risk to this growth projection as a potential deterioration in export growth if global demand remains weaker than anticipated.
ADB Country Director Edimon Ginting commented on the government’s effective management of external economic uncertainties, highlighting ongoing infrastructure development and crucial reforms aimed at enhancing the investment climate. These structural reforms encompass bolstering public financial management, mobilizing domestic resources, optimizing logistics, and deepening the financial sector to foster private sector growth, diversify exports, and create productive employment opportunities in the medium term.
The report also underscores the importance of addressing climate change by expanding domestic renewable energy supply in the context of elevated oil prices.
The revival of private consumption, driven by moderate inflation and increased remittances, coupled with the completion of significant government infrastructure projects boosting investment, is expected to stimulate economic growth. However, the initial uptick in interest rates following adjustments to the country’s monetary policy framework may temper private investment.
Inflation is projected to ease due to lower global non-fuel commodity prices, increased agricultural production, and the initial tightening of monetary policy under the new framework.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country’s foremost trade organization, has joined hands with the Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) to bolster business and investment opportunities and narrow the trade deficit between Bangladesh and Malaysia. Both organizations aim to facilitate the export of skilled labor from Bangladesh to Malaysia, a crucial labor market for the nation.
During a courtesy meeting at the FBCCI Icon in Dhaka on September 19, 2023, FBCCI President Mr. Mahbubul Alam expressed these intentions while meeting with a BMCCI delegation, led by its President, Syed Almas Kabir. The collaboration between FBCCI and BMCCI seeks to address Bangladesh’s substantial trade deficit through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), and other trade mechanisms. Both organizations are committed to working together to tackle this issue.
The meeting was attended by FBCCI Director Hafez Hazi Harun-Or-Rashid (CIP), Mohammad Nizam Uddin, BMCCI Senior Vice President Mr. Sabbir Ahmed Khan, Vice President Mr. Jamilur Rahman, BMCCI Secretary General Mr. Md. Motaher Hoshan Khan, Director Mr. Mamunur Rahman, and other dignitaries.
