Vietnamese children in Bangkok

Bangkok (VNA) -- Five Vietnamese children, together with 25 contemporaries from the
Greater Mekong Sub-region countries, are in Bangkok, Thailand for the third Mekong
Youth Forum on Human Trafficking and Migration.

The week-long forum aims to inform policy makers and the public about a range of
risks children in the region face. Delegates at the forum are also discussing
measures to better protect at-risk children and youth from exploitation and
trafficking.

Participants from countries, including Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar and
Thailand, will discuss and share their first-hand experiences with migration or
trafficking. The five Vietnamese children were selected by 85 delegates at the
National Children's Conference in August.

Nguyen Thi Mai An, 15, from the central Highlands province of Kon Tum, told te
English-language daily Vietnam News before her departure that she and her friends
would walk along the border near her home to disseminate information about human
trafficking to local residents.

They provided the local children with information about human trafficking and held
talks and spread the slogans: "Listen to the children's cry on the other side of
borderline" and "Put traffickers into a prison cell!"

She said that the province was home to several ethnic minority groups, so the
communication campaign attached importance to understanding the groups' cultures
first.

"Vietnamese children want more information about how to combat human trafficking,
as well as how to protect themselves," said An. "We also want to achieve more
cooperation to deal with these issues at the regional forum."

At the meeting, the participants are using creative methods to tell their stories,
discuss human trafficking and migration, and talk about potential future action
plans. Groups of artists will work as co-facilitators to help children prepare
their own creative presentations.

According to the organiser, the regional forum aims to institutionalise the
participation of children and youth in local, national and regional
anti-trafficking programmes.

The forum's results will be discussed by leaders from the region at the
Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking's official meeting.


Between 2004-09, about 1,600 human trafficking cases were reported, involving
2,900 traffickers and 4,000 victims. Most trafficking victims are women and
children.

The forum has been co-organised by the International Labour Organisation, World
Vision, Save the Children UK and the UN Inter-agency Project on Human
Trafficking.-Enditem








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