• In the Asia and Pacific Region, UNICEF is a partner in a number of projects that specifically address the trafficking of women and children. They include:

• the Mekong Regional Law Centre project, "Illegal Migration: The Case in Trafficking of Women and Children" (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam), which aims to develop a practical program to improve legislation and law enforcement in the area of trafficking;

• the ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) Human Resources Development Section of the Social Development Division, "Project for the Elimination of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth in Asia and the Pacific"(Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), which will build capacity of local government and NGO personnel through research and networking, raising awareness of policymakers, development of curriculum and training materials and sub-regional training;

• the ILO-International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) project, "Combat Trafficking in Children and Women for Labour Exploitation in the Mekong Sub-region and South Asia", which aims to develop best practice guidelines based on the evaluation of pilot activities and train trainers as well as offering direct socio-economic alternatives to child and women victims of trafficking and to those at risk;

• the UNDP project, "Trafficking in Women and Children in the Mekong Sub-region", which will do an inventory of UN agency, government, NGO and CBO activities addressing trafficking; assess gaps in these activities; establish mechanisms to improve communication and coordination; identify research needs and begin research;

• the International Organization for Migration (IOM) project, "Return and Reintegration of Trafficked Women from China to Vietnam, Thailand to Cambodia and Cambodia to Vietnam", which will build research capacity, train border police and provide psycho-social recovery assistance to trafficking victims.

• UNICEF participates in the Regional Working Group on Child Labour (involving ILO/IPEC, Save the Children Alliance, and Child Workers in Asia).

• UNICEF supports the International Network for Girls (INfG). Organized by the NGO Working Group on Girls, the network comprises 400 NGOs in 86 countries who work with and for girls. Sexual exploitation and trafficking are two of its highest priorities.

• In Benin, UNICEF supports the Project on Children in Need of Special Protection. The project raises awareness about child trafficking and exploitation and the hazards these children face. The project also advocates for children's rights in the CRC; has set up eight educational facilities for girl domestic workers; provided community support, giving women access to loans to finance income-generating activities; and promoted girls' education.

• In Cambodia in July 1999 the Cambodian National Council for Children has launched a national 5-year plan against child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Article Sections:

• Introduction
  
• Nature of the Issue
  
• UNICEF Policy
  
• Measures Adopted