Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
Human Trafficking
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Jaisal Chopra
Human trafficking is the transportation of people from one country or area to another illegally, usually for forced labor or sexual exploitation. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) forced labor makes up most of human trafficking in the world and is also known as involuntary servitude. Worldwide, 12.3 million people were affected by human trafficking, and $44.3 billion were made because of it. It is worst in countries such as Russia, China, and Iran. Sex exploitation mainly affects women and children and is forced participation in sexual acts. UNODC also stated that children make up one third of victims worldwide. The UN attempted to address the global issue of human trafficking in 2000, to help all victims, especially women and children, by adopting the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. Since then the UN has been keeping track of human trafficking and urges countries to take action. Global Migration Group and the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons are some committees that are dedicated to solve or at least alleviate the human trafficking crisis. However after all these efforts, human trafficking remains a global issue. This problem needs to be addressed, because it is harming and robbing people of their dignity. The Bahamas has remained, in the U.S. Department of State’s 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, tier one for five years. Tier one means that the government has noticed the problem and has had efforts to resolve the issue. But is still a destination where men, women and children are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.
Human trafficking is an issue in The Bahamas, as it says in the human trafficking report in 2018. If a human trafficker is caught penalties can range from 3 years in prison to higher charges for higher crimes such as rape. According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, The Bahamas have had “serious and sustained” efforts to combat trafficking. To help the country, The Bahamas’ government “implemented a formal victim-centered protocol to guide front-line responders in identifying trafficking victims and referring them to services”. The Bahamian government worked hard to “develop guidelines for identifying and interviewing labor trafficking victims and for providing medical and mental services” on a more international level. The government believes that it is doing its best for the issue. In The Bahamas, member agencies and ministries were funded and trained to identify and protect the victims of human trafficking. This effort was made to aid the victims. To let foreigners know their national right, The Bahamian government formalized a strategic plan to spread awareness of trafficking. Awareness was raised in the business community, pamphlets about labor trafficking and workers rights were distributed by The Department of Labor of The Bahamian government.
To address this international problem, The Bahamas recommends that an increase in efforts to identify the victims of human trafficking, and the traffickers would be a helpful first step. The next step taken should be the appropriate prosecution, or punishment for these traffickers. The victims should be protected and assisted. The Bahamas have been working hard to keep its tier one ranking, and believe that all nations should act upon this international problem, within their own countries. The UN should have more movements that help countries everywhere control this issue if it is prevalent in the country. The Bahamas will do what can be done in their nation to help protect the victims, and prevent as much labor and sex trafficking as possible. We hope that this committee is able to advise as many countries as possible to become tier one.
- Jaisal Chopra
