KATHMANDU, Jan 17: A three-day international workshop on human trafficking organized by the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) began in the capital from Friday.

The workshop which will be divided into four plenary sessions is expected to discuss on the minimization of human trafficking form different angels and aspects.

The participants of the workshop will discuss about the matters of raising public awareness on the seriousness and urgency about the problem of human trafficking, mapping the trans-border networks of cooperation, establishing the fast-track punishment system and issuing the Kathmandu-statement on human trafficking.

A total of 380 political parties from more than 50 Asian countries are associated with the ICAPP which was launched in Manila in September, 2000 to promote exchanges and cooperation between political parties from different Asian countries and with various ideologies, to enhance mutual understandings and trust among the Asian countries, to promote Asia´s regional cooperation through the unique role and channel of political parties.

The ICAPP previous workshops and programs were focused on corruption prevention, attainment of the United Nations millennium development goals and poverty alleviation, control of natural disasters, environment conservation, people´s access to development, development of greenery areas, building of beautiful Asia and women empowerment.

The ICAPP decided to focus this workshop on human trafficking and hold the event in Nepal as this is a common problem of the South Asian countries.

Opening the workshop, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi said that trafficking in human beings in the present world was a big challenge to the human civilization and the civilized society itself.

"The problem of human trafficking is a common problem of all countries whether they are developed or developing," he said and stressed on concerted efforts from all to fight this crime through the effective enforcement of the declarations made at the international, regional and national levels and the related laws.

Chairman Regmi pointed out the need of concentrating on works for checking human trafficking through strong law enforcement bodies and adopting public awareness, preventive and remedial measures at the national level also apart from the legal measures.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Riddhibaba Pradhan underlined the need of making the preventive programs effective by building up collaboration and coordination among the governmental and non-governmental bodies working in the area of controlling human trafficking.

Chief of the CPN-UML Foreign Affairs Department, KP Sharma Oli expressed the view that emphasis should be given to education and public awareness for checking the problem of human trafficking which is linked to unemployment, want, poverty and economic deprivation.

Nepali Congress foreign relations department chief Sujata Koirala said that the countries in South Asia were suffering the most from the human trafficking problem.

Representatives from different countries are scheduled to present working papers on various topics related to human trafficking.

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68124