Vancouver Youth Model United Nations

2017

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Background Guide

Director: Aditi Katyal

Chair: Jason Zhang

Assistant Chair: Tessa Furey

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Vancouver Youth Model United Nations 2017 Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. My name is Aditi Katyal and I am thrilled to serve as your director for UNODC at VYMUN 2017! I am currently in grade 11, attending West Point Grey Academy. The beginning of my Model UN journey was in grade 8 and ever since, I have had the time of my life while attending multiple sleepless conferences. I have had the opportunity to travel local and international for MUN and it has been an amazing experience for me. This year I hope that I can use my experiences to help guide you through committee sessions and make this VYMUN a rewarding and memorable one. Alongside myself on the dias will be Jason Zhang as Chair and Tessa Furey as Assistant Chair. Together, we have all been working hard to make this a memorable experience for you all.

The first topic we have selected for discussion is responding to the rise of

new psychoactive substances. The rapid increase of unidentified substances makes this issue very important to discuss. New psychoactive substances have many effects on the user, however most are unknown due to the lack of awareness and knowledge regarding the substances. In order to decrease the use of NPS and to combat the increase of public health risks posed by these substances, the UNODC must establish methods of responding and preventing the use of NPS.

The second topic we have chosen is human trafficking. The issue of human trafficking dates back to many years and affects multiple different countries. Recently, human trafficking has rapidly increased in North Africa and South East Asia, mainly due to poverty which leads them to the trade. Although poverty plays a huge role in human trafficking, there are other factor which should be discussed such as globalization, governmental corruption and more.

We are looking forward to what will be an amazing conference and cannot

wait to meet you all. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at unodc@vymun.com Best Regards, Aditi Katyal Director of UNODC | VYMUN 2017

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Table of Contents: Topic 1

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Questions to Consider 4 Overview

4 Timeline

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Past UN Action

6 Current Situation

7 Possible Solutions

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Bloc Positions

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Sources Cited

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Topic 2

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Questions to Consider 13 Overview

13 Timeline

15 Past UN Action

16 Current Situation

18 Possible Solutions

19 Bloc Positions

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Sources Cited

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Topic 1: The rise of new psychoactive substances

Questions to Consider:

1. What measures have your country adapted to combat the fast- paced nature of NPS? Have they been successful?

2. How prevalent are NPS in your country? What effects have they had on the country? 3. What has your country done to gather information on production, and health effects? 4. Should there be a strong and consistent international framework to address the issue of NPS or should countries focus on developing their individual state approaches?

Overview:

New Psychoactive drugs, also known as designer drugs, bath salts, research chemicals, and legal highs are proliferating all over the world, which is what makes this a pressing issue. These new psychoactive substances (NPS) are designed to avoid drug laws and to mimic the effects of illegal substances, such as cocaine and ecstasy. These replicated drugs can be approved, however not all are approved, hence the name “legal highs.” They can be extremely dangerous. All NPS are either illegal, legal or a mix of both illegal and legal. NPS are bought by users who are not fully aware of what is mixed inside. As these substances fall outside legal control, it makes it easier for suppliers to make profit while risking the health of the consumer.

These mixtures are often bought by users unaware of the mixture, which can result in serious effects, threatening the user's life .The users mainly being amongst younger age groups are exposed to large health threats and death. Many users of NPS have short term and long term problems varying from hallucinations and temporary psychotic states to hospitalization and death.

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NPS are not controlled by the International Drug Control Convention and so

their legal status varies from country to country. The rapid increase in these substances hinders the process of passing legislation to control a substance in each country. However, over 50 countries have implemented legal responses and have adopted different controlling methods.

The challenge occurring from the rise of NPS is the combination of diversity of

new substances and fast pace at which they are occurring. In addition, the newer substances are often harder to examine by scientific research, which results in limited evidence of health risks. Not only this, but once a substance is identified and controlled, updating the law can take time, sometimes over a year, which halts the process.

Timeline: 1925: The second International Opium Convention banned morphine, heroin, and several. However, alternatives of morphine rapidly started to be assembled and sold. 1930: The attempt to bring new drugs under control by the League of Nations Health Committee resulted in the legal control to all esters of morphine, oxycodone and hydromorphone. 1960- 1970: Several new synthetic hallucinogens are introduced. 1984: The term “Designer drugs” was created after the appearance of meperidine on the illicit drug market in the USA. 2004: With the help of China and India, two chemical manufactures were shut down. In an operation called Web Tryp, The US Drug Enforcement Administration raided and shut down several Internet-based research chemical vendors 2009-2013: In 2009, The Angelus Foundation was established for helping society understand the dangers of legal highs. In addition, The EMCDDA’s early warning system discovered a total of 268 new substances, in just four years.

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2013: The New Zealand Government passed the Psychoactive Substances Act, which 1

aims to regulate the availability of Psychoactive Substances. 2016: United Kingdom Government passed the Psychoactive Substances Act,2which bans all new psychoactive substances except those specifically exempted, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Past UN Action

As the rise of NPS is an issue that affects the entire globe, the UN and the

international community both have taken action to respond the rapid increase of these substances. In resolution 57/9, called Enhancing international cooperation in the identification and reporting of new psychoactive substances and incidents involving such substances, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs suggested that all member states 3

should exchange ideas, coming up with effective responses to address the challenge of the rise of new psychoactive substances. In the past, the UNODC has launched programs to reduce drug use amongst the young population, such as the School-Based Education for Drug Abuse Prevention.

In addition, several legislative approaches have been taken in the past in order to control NPS, in fact, a few countries have introduced temporary (emergency) bans which usually last a year until an assessment of the risks is conducted. If there is no decision made to control the substance, the temporary ban expires. Not only temporary bans, but countries such as Turkey and Iceland have incorporated the Rapid Action Plan Against Drugs which raises awareness of the dangers of all drugs and rehabilitation and of addicts.What makes the Rapid Action Plan Against Drugs successful is its law enforcement measures, countries that have this Action Plan have active police units in neighborhoods with drug sales.

Efforts have also been made by the European Union to respond to the rise of

NPS. In 1997, the early warning system was established and the EU has adopted the early warning system. The adoption of the early warning system, has contributed to early detection of NPS and has ensured a timely response in regards to public health.

1 https://psychoactives.health.govt.nz/psychoactive-substances-act-2013 2 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/psychoactive-substances-bill-2015 3 https://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CND/Drug_Resolutions/2010-2019/2014/CND_Res_57_9.pdf

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Generic and Analogue systems have also been used by individual countries. To begin with, with the generic systems substances are identified and grouped based on chemical similarities. Between 2009 and 2013, the generic system has been used to ban synthetic cannabinoids in Cyprus, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Norway, synthetic cathinones in Cyprus, France, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, United Kingdom, phenethylamines in Cyprus, Lithuania and Norway, and tryptamines in Lithuania and Norway. Countries that have used the analogue system are employing rapid response procedures or temporary bans, however, the analogue system allows the drug control measures put on substances to be extended to other substances that are somewhat similar. An example of where the analogue system was used was for Tramadol, a designer drug which made its appearance in Egypt. This was banned by the government along with all of its analogues.

As the rise of new psychoactive substances is an international concern, several countries have implemented ways to monitor these substances. Although, there has been action taken in regards to responding to NPS, there is still a long way to completely ensure the safety of the public as well as decrease the use of the NPS.

Current Situation:

The New Psychoactive Substances phenomenon is rapidly getting harder to control as the percentage of NPS found is increasing. In 2015, the synthetic cathinone alpha-PVP was found to have been associated with almost 200 intoxications and over 100 deaths in Europe. A year later, in 2016, The European Monitoring Centre for 4

Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) issued a warning about the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-CHMICA. This synthetic cannabinoid was identified in more than twenty different smoking mixtures and in eight countries, deaths were reported. Consumers are often unaware of the chemicals within the substance, which is what is the cause of their death. Clearly, the concern surrounds the rapid emergence of NPS, their sale, and lack of awareness on effects and harms, which all ties into how to respond to NPS.

NPS are beings marketed as replacements for medicines like benzodiazepines,

which, when misused, hugely contribute to the drug problem in some countries. The global sale for NPS has been increasing into new regions and in 2015, 75 new

4 https://ndews.umd.edu/feature/european-report-alpha-pvp-released

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substances were reported to UNODC for the first time, which showed an increase from the 66 NPS in the previous year. NPS are available for sale online on sites that do not require prescription for purchasing drugs. These online sales allow easy access for consumers and allows the anonymity for the producers and sellers providing easy access to these substances is what makes attracts the young population.

The availability and use of NPS have resulted in many reports of health hazards

due to the rise of NPS. A number of the NPS that are causing major health concerns include: mephedrone, MDPV, and synthetic cannabinoids. These NPS have caused chest pain, seizures, psychosis and panic/anxiety, intoxications and have led to death. There are four main types of NPS and the effects of all NPS can be split into these categories. The first category is Stimulants, which put strain on the nervous system and increase blood pressure and heart rate. It is used to increase energy or alertness; however the these are responsible for causing psychological issues. Next, Sedatives serve as central nervous system depressants, which ultimately slow down the normal brain function. These sedatives are slowing down body reactions and result in unconsciousness, coma or death. Hallucinogenic NPS is a drug which has the same effects of a drug like ketamine. Hallucinogens contribute to psychedelic reactions, which cause the consumer to panic or get confused, leading to accidents and injury. Lastly, Synthetic Cannabinoids are chemicals sold as shredded plant material, ready to be smoked or as liquids which can be vaporized in e-cigarettes. The purpose of synthetic cannabinoids is to provide the user with the same effects as cannabis, but stronger. Synthetic cannabinoids contribute to causing seizures, increased body temperature, and life- threatening intoxications.

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The large number of potential combinations of NPS, the blind use of them, and the rapid increase in NPS is complication the issue of NPS. Given the frequency of NPS on the market and therefore increasing the health threats NPS pose, it is necessary to find ways to respond to the rise of new psychoactive substances.

Possible Solutions:

While a few member states have made progress, it is important to continue making significant efforts to address the rise of NPS production, sale and most importantly usage. Furthermore, the efforts must take into play the effects on public health, enforcement, prevention and demand reduction.

A very clear solution in regards to reducing the use of new psychoactive substances would be to create awareness as completely putting an end to their production and sale seems to be improbable. Stressing on the devastating effects, awareness campaigns about these substances would be a a great method to inform the public, as well as doctors, who should be able to recognize the effects and symptoms of these substances. The substances can cause sometimes fatal, unexpected effects and thus, informing the public on the health threats seems to be an adequate solution for this issue.

Another possible approach would be to remove criminal sanctions. As the legal status of NPS is constantly changing, many young people, who are also the majority of people using NPS, cannot keep up with what is legal or illegal. Keeping in mind that it is challenging to keep control of which substance is a “low risk” substance and which is life threatening. The rate at which new substances are being identified is tremendously high. Furthermore, as a few countries have implemented laws where one caught using or supplying NPS will serve up to two years in prison. According to a youth led organization, many believe that “criminal sanctions can lead to worsening health consequences as well as can stigmatise young drug users, creating greater social exclusion and marginalisation.” In order to deal with the rise of new psychoactive substances, this approach of decriminalising possession and usage of NPS could be way to focus on improving treatment and research on NPS.

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Bloc Positions:

Countries have employed different legal responses to respond and combat the

rise of new psychoactive substances. The responses vary from individual listing systems to greater monitoring, risk assessments and control. USA:

Since October 2015, the U.S. has considered substances are permanently regulated under the Controlled Substances Analogue Enforcement Act (CSAEA). The reason for this was in hope of adding to the law enforcement to decrease the availability and sale of NPS in the U.S. With the intention of helping to reduce the availability of specific NPS, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act has placed 26 specific synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, and other synthetic substances into Schedule I of The Controlled Substances Act. In recent years, there has been a 95 percent increase in poison control centers across the United States, receiving calls related to the use of psychoactive substances. In 2015, there were over 8,000 calls related to the use of NPS. The European Union:

The European Union has developed a warning system called the European Early Warning System (EWS). Every EU country has pledged to share any new information regarding the production and use of NPS. Furthermore, After a risk assessment report in submitted, EU member states will present a process to place the NPS under control to the council of the EU. The European Union is taking this very seriously as majority of new legal high drugs have been reported through the early warning system in EU member states. From 14 reported in 2005 to 98 in 2015, it represents a large challenge for the EU policymakers. Canada:

Like many other blocs, Canada is also trying its best to respond and combat the issue of new psychoactive substances. Similar to the United States, Canada has adopted the analogue system. The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) is the main piece of legislation for drug control, which contains eight schedules listing

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substances that are under the Act. Similar substances that are essentially not listed in the schedules, can also be subject to the Act. In addition, Canada monitors the use of NPS by conducting self- report surveys where in the past students in grade 7-12 report their use in the 12 months before the survey. In addition, they use internet monitoring, where the products being sold by Canadian websites or distributors that ship to Canada will be monitored. However, many websites have moved to the “deep” or “dark” web, with the intention of being hidden and not a part of the world wide web. China:

In recent years, several new psychoactive substances have been identified in

China and has taken measures to restrict the availability of NPS. In 2015, the Government of China placed 116 substances under control. The newly scheduled NPS include 39 synthetic cannabinoids. Notably, in Hong Kong, which is a Chinese special administrative region, there have a number of NPS identified. Hong Kong is believed to a major transit location for NPS shipments. Although, the use of NPS is not as high in Hong Kong compared to other regions, there is a possibility of a “spillover” effect due to the large number of NPS trafficked through the region. New Zealand:

In response to the rise of new psychoactive substances, the New Zealand

government placed a law in 2013 in order to establish a regulated legal market for “low risk” NPS. The Psychoactive Substances Act was passed in 2013 restricts the production, sale and supply of legal highs. The government of New Zealand requires producers to pay for a clinical trial prior to the sale of the substances. This ensure that the substances is “low risk.” In addition, the substance, once approved, should only be sold to people over 18 years old. Packaging also requires a list of all ingredients and health warnings. All things considered, the sale or supply of an unapproved substances will result in up to two years in prison, as well as the possession of one, can result in a fine of NZD 300. Clearly, New Zealand has taken measures to keep their population safe.

Sources Cited Benjarat. "China." China. APIAC, 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

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Commission on Narcotic Drugs Fifty-ninth Session. Vienna: n.p., 14 Mar. 2014. PDF.

David Nutt. "Journal of Psychopharmacology." Generic Legislation of New Psychoactive Drugs (2013): 317-24.

Web.

Enhancing International Cooperation in the Identification and Reporting of New Psychoactive Substances and

Incidents Involving Such Substances. N.p.: United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, n.d. PDF.

"European Drug Report 2016: Trends and Developments." European Drug Report 2016: Trends and

Developments. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 01 May 2016. Web. 10

Aug. 2017.

Hughes, Brendan. Drugs in Focus. Belgium: Publications Office of the European Union © European

Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2011. PDF.

"New Psychoactive Substances." DrugWise. DrugWise, 16 July 2017. Web.

Not for Human Consumption. N.p.: DrugScope, 2016. PDF.

Patil, Vaibhav, and Abhinav Tewari. "New Psychoactive Substances: Issues and Challenges." Journal of Mental

Health and Human Behaviour. N.p., 4 Nov. 2016. Web. 7 July 2017.

PERSPECTIVES ON DRUGS Legal Approaches to Contr. N.p.: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and

Drug Addiction, n.d. PDF.

PERSPECTIVES ON DRUGS Legal Approaches to Contr. N.p.: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and

Drug Addiction, n.d. PDF.

Regulation of New Psychoactive Substances in Hungary. Hungary: n.p., n.d. PDF.

Travis, Alan. "Number of Legal Highs Rockets as New Psychoactive Substances Go Global." The Guardian.

Guardian News and Media, 26 June 2015. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. N.p.: United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, n.d. New

Psychoactive Substances. UNODC. Web.

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Topic 2: Human Trafficking

Questions to Consider:

1. How does your country define human trafficking?

2. How can the international community intervene without infringing on other nation’s sovereignty

3. What has your country done to combat human trafficking? What is your

country currently doing to combat human Trafficking?

4. What is the scope of human trafficking within your country?

5. Which age group stands out? Is there anything your country can do to limit human trafficking within that specific group?

Overview: Human trafficking is trading of humans for the purpose of, but not limited to,

forced labour, sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation or others. Said action can occur local and international, and it most often involves children and women. Human trafficking is a crime against the person being violated as the victim’s rights of movement through coercion is violated; however, victims do not necessarily have to be transferred from one location to another. Human trafficking is a violation of human rights within international conventions and is also subject to a directive in the European Union. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Trafficking Protocol defines human trafficking as:

(a) [...] the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons,

by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of

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others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal, manipulation or implantation of organs;

(b) The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation set

forth in sub-paragraph (a) of this article shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) have been used;

(c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the

purpose of exploitation shall be considered "trafficking in persons" even if this does not involve any of the means set forth in sub-paragraph (a) of this article;

(d) "Child" shall mean any person under eighteen years of age.

The practice of human trafficking has been growing significantly as crime and

poverty rates create potential human trafficking targets. The 2016 Global Slavery Index estimated that 45. 8 million people are directly affected by one or many forms of modern slavery as opposed to 36 million in 2014. This index represents findings in 167 countries based on the proportion of its population to that in modern slavery. Within the 45.8 million victims, an estimated 58% enslaved are in five countries: India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. The countries with the highest slavery by the proportion of their population are Uzbekistan, Cambodia, India, and Qatar. In Uzbekistan, the government continues to subject its citizens to forced labour

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in the annual cotton harvest. A number of these countries provide low-cost consumer goods labour production for Western Europe, Japan, North America, and Australia’s markets.

Timeline:

1400s-1600: The 1400s marked the beginning of European slave trade in Africa with the Portuguese. In 1562, Britain joined in on the slave trade in Africa. With the development of plantation colonies, the volume of the slave trade increased. Throughout the 1600s, other European countries and North America became involved as well, including Spain, Holland, France, Sweden, and Denmark.

1904: The International Agreement for the Suppression of “White Slave Traffic” was signed with the purpose to protect women of all ages from becoming involved in “white slave traffic.” White slavery referred to forcing or deceiving a white woman or girl into prostitution.

1927: Found after World War I, the League of Nations had the goal of maintaining world peace and world issues such as human trafficking. The previously established agreement International Agreement for the Suppression of “White Slave Traffic” was changed to “traffic in women and children” to include everyone with no 5

discrimination of race. Number of women involved in prostitution, the demand, and the environment of the victim were taken into consideration. This was one of the first steps towards more insight into human trafficking.

1932: During World War II, Japan established a system where all women across Asia were forced into sexual slavery. They were placed in “comfort stations,” in which the conditions were horrible. Many died of disease, malnutrition, exhaustion, suicide, and etcetera due to these establishments.

1956: India introduced the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act to persecute third parties involved in the act of trafficking. Activities that were criminalized include, but are not limited to, running brothels, living on earning from sex work, capturing and imprisoning people into prostitution. However, this act failed on multiple accounts. First, this act failed to protect women already in the trafficking industry. Second, many arrests made were on sex workers for soliciting, which caused them to lose

5 https://www.loc.gov/law/help/us-treaties/bevans/m-ust000001-0424.pdf

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everything. Last, many victims were forced into more dangerous areas to escape the police.

1995: The United Nations held the fourth World Conference on the issue of trafficking of women. During which, trafficking became recognized as an act of violence against women, and the act of trafficking was further defined. Actions such as enforcing international conventions on trafficking and slavery, addressing factors that encourages trafficking, introducing effective law enforcement and institutions to eliminate local and international trafficking, and implementing educational and rehabilitation programs and institutions for victims.

2011: Former US President Obama declared January to be Human Trafficking Awareness month, and January 11 was named National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Past UN Action:

The act of using humans for sexual and physical tasks is an issue dating back thousands of years. During the early 1400s, the act of human trafficking began to popularize among the world. The earliest global human trafficking activities began with the African slave trade. This is the first recorded international flow of human trafficking as both Europe and North America were involved. Prior to the first law against slavery established by Britain in 1807, human trafficking was popular, legal, and government tolerated. In 1820, the United States banned slavery, over forty years before the American Civil War.

After the cessation of the African Slave Trade, “white slavery” began to grow.

The definition of white slavery is the “procurement—by use of force, deceit, or drugs—of a white woman or girl against her will for prostitution.” As white slavery 6

gained traction, governments cooperated to suppress this issue. International conferences were held in 1899 and 1902, and in 1904, the first international agreement of human trafficking was inserted, the International Agreement for the Suppression of “White Slave Traffic.” The main goal of said agreement was to ensure repatriation of the victims of slavery; however, the International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Trade in 1910 criminalized white slavery.

6http://stanford.edu/group/womenscourage/cgi-bin/blogs/sextraffickingandprostitution/2010/05/27/when-did-trafficking-in-women-become-a-h

uman-rights-issue-the-white-slavery-panic/

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During World War I and its rebuilding phase, the crisis drew attention away

from the efforts against white slavery. However, the League of Nations, the first international organization of nations created due to the war, allowed the opportunity for agreements to be made within a set organization. Allied nations who had power over nations in Africa and the Middle East reignited the discussion on international human trafficking of white women and children, both male and female. The International Convention for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children was signed by 33 members of the League of Nations in 1921. However, at this time, human trafficking simply included trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and prostitution.

After World War II in 1949, the United Nations and its members adopted the

United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. This was the first international legally binding agreement set on human trafficking; however, only 66 nations have ratified it. Over the next 51 years, organ harvesting, labor trafficking, and other forms of exploitation grew in size. The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children was adopted in 2000. With the introduction of said agreement, it became the first agreement that acknowledged modern-day slavery and the possibility of men being victims. The definition of human trafficking now includes organ harvesting, slavery, and forced labor migration.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), initiated a project including over 14 United Nations agencies and international organizations that responds to the need for improved communication and coordination, especially in Southeast Asia. Developed out of the Interagency Working Group, this project’s aim was to even local, regional, and national activities to the same level, and to limit the number of women and children participating in the sex trade through the following steps: (1) Developing new national and subregional communications and support systems, establishing a documentation centre and database on trafficking, research, and networks; (2) Supporting local initiatives and community-based projects; (3) Increasing national capacities for enforcing laws and policies against perpetrators.

Being a profitable industry, human trafficking is identified as the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, earning roughly 150 billion USD annually for

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traffickers. With traffickers’ growing target among poverty stricken cycles, human 7

trafficking is an increasingly complex phenomenon.

Current Situation: During recent years, forced labor migration has increased while trafficking for

sexual exploitations have decreased. In 2007, labour migrants composed 32% of trafficked person. In 2011, it made up 40%. During the same time period, we saw the share in female victims drop from 74% to 49%; however, it is matched with an increase in trafficked girls, from 10% to 21%. Although the percentage has dropped in several categories of human trafficking, it is important to not confuse the drop in percentage with a drop in victims.

One of the most heinous crimes in the world, human trafficking affects millions of lives around the globe. Recently, there has been an alarmingly rapid growth of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. An estimated 200 - 225 thousand women and children are trafficked in said region annually, composing roughly 33% of the global trafficking industry. In the United States, more than 60% of human trafficking victims are of Southeast Asian origin.

There are several factors that result in the growing trend of human trafficking. These often occurring in high levels of migration, regularly in undocumented cases, and are usually caused by the desire for better economic and life opportunities. In addition, the poverty cycle and its nature are a direct cause for trafficking. Lack of education leads to poor employment opportunities, which turns into economic hardships. Families in densely populated areas sease an urgency to find jobs to support their loved ones. Furthermore, lack of job security and labour laws caused by the government worsen the mistreatment of those looking for a brighter future. Human traffickers often prey upon this desperation by posing as fake jobs to draw victims in.

Once compared together, clear correlations can be found between poverty, overpopulation, and trafficking levels. The issue of trafficking requires international cooperation and effort despite being concentrated in developing countries; as victims end up in nations worldwide, trafficking presents social, political, and economic issues on a global scale. Aside from previously stated causes, rapid economic growth, economic inequality, civil unrest, and urbanization are also correlated with the rise in

7 http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/human-trafficking-numbers

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illegal migration. Vast lands, sea borders, and lackluster governmental interventions combines for a risky and permissive context for human traffickers to thrive in.

As of right now, there are at least 510 known routes and flows of trafficking internationally. Furthermore, it is difficult and demanding to penetrate and dissect 8

human trafficking rings despite the government's’ efforts: 15% had no convictions from 2010 to 2012, 26% had less than 10 convictions per year, while the same percentage, less than a third, had 10 to 50 convictions per year. 9

Human trafficking and organized crime associated with it is extremely

profitable and low risk, no matter how widespread. Typically, there is not enough time or personnel for the government to investigate illegal groups. Furthermore, some governments have yet to criminalize human trafficking at all, leaving two billion people vulnerable.

Possible Solutions:

With human trafficking being a prominent issue today, it is important that this committee make meaningful progress towards eradication of said crime. Possibly one of the most complex problems this committee has faced, this topic requires undivided effort in creating solutions that will ultimately control and eliminate human trafficking. Possible solutions can be viewed under community, national, and international action.

Human trafficking is a crime that occurs locally; therefore, communities in poverty are often the target of many traffickers. By initiating community based activities and organizations, important skills, such as how to detect and prevent trafficking, can be taught to citizens. The two main focuses of communities experiencing trafficking are education and public awareness. It is crucial that the vulnerable citizens are aware of the potential threats and dangers that participation in trafficking can cause. Projects that focus on public information are integral to the gradual success in controlling human trafficking. Having an understanding of human rights and standards of living not only serves as basic protection, but also educates people on legal channels of migrations, which in turn, improves safety of the general public. Awareness on the topic of human trafficking can be achieved through numerous mediums; mediums include the internet, pamphlets, radio, as well as

8 http://www.stopvaw.org/trafficking_routes 9 http://hankeringforhistory.com/the-history-of-human-trafficking/

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commercials. By spreading public awareness, pressure rises among government and international organizations to take action. Although effective in limiting trafficking in one’s own community, these solutions do not address the crisis directly, and therefore do not cease the flow of trafficking.

The act of human trafficking often requires the victims to cross a border between two countries. There are many things a government can implement and execute to limit and eliminate illegal border crossing. Migration is one of the most common course for one to be trafficked. There are two main approaches to this problem: either focus on the traffickers or focus on the migrants. If one chooses to focus on the trafficker, there are several options to decrease trafficking, such as effective prosecution, increased punishment, and imprisonment, which often poses as a problem for crimes group that deter each other. By relentlessly arresting these traffickers and chipping away at the block, especially from the top to bottom, is an effective measure to crumble a crime ring. The latter option, to focus on the migrants in the country or origins, results in a focus on the push factors affecting poverty stricken victims. Poverty, lack of employment, civil unrest, inadequate living standards, and ethnic or religious persecution are factors that need to be considered.

Victims of human trafficking are often transported from one country to another; therefore, by practicing stricter border controls and regulations, the number of victims could drop significantly. To introduce this idea, one must look at how the traffickers are transporting people across borders illegally. A common course in smuggling cases is the traffickers’ use of false documents. By improving border security through well trained officials and management, the number of human trafficking cases can decrease substantially. Better maintained border security can also decrease crime rates, which in turn lowers the volume of human trafficking.

Bloc Positions: 1. China

China is one of the most targeted areas in terms of human trafficking. Men,

women, and children are regularly transported from and arrive in China mainly for the purposes of forced labor and prostitution. As human trafficking is a rising issue, China has implemented several regulations and laws to combat trafficking. For example, the ratification of the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol in 2009 obligated China to criminalize all forms of trafficking. In a report, the United States’ Department of State

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released a statement that China had “arrested 19 of the country’s 20 most wanted traffickers and pursuit of criminal networks and organized crime syndicates involved in trafficking.” 10

2. Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a common source for trafficked women and children into the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Costa Rica for sexual exploitation. Men are often forced to labour in construction, cotton, and tobacco industries of Russia and Kazakhstan. Domestic trafficking also exists for the purpose of local servitude and forced labour. The government of Uzbekistan is making efforts to eliminate trafficking, although still placed on Tier Two Watchlist by the US. Although the government did not demonstrate success in ending child labour, Uzbekistan is working with ILO Conventions to limit child labour. Last, Uzbekistan adopted comprehensive anti-trafficking law in 2008 to ensure funding will be used to provide assistance to the victims. 3. Russia

The Russian government have made effort to crack down on human trafficking of men, women, and children, as well, Russia has made progress in preventing illegal victims brought into Russia from abroad. Although Russia is somewhat motivated to fight against human trafficking, the United States Department of State in 2010 determined that Russia has not sufficiently proven capable of being removed from US’ Tier 3 Watchlist after its enrollment in 2011. 4. Thailand

Thailand is a wide known source, destination, and transit for trafficked men, women and children for the purpose of forced labour and sex trafficking. Thailand’s prosperity in comparison to its neighbouring countries draw migrants fleeing from poverty, often going into involuntary prostitution. In 2016, Thailand was placed on the US’ Tier Two Watch List, one step above the Tier Three Watchlist Russia is currently in. 5. USA

10http://thesadreallity.blogspot.ca/2017/07/china-human-trafficking.html

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Human trafficking often occurs in international destinations with large immigrant population. In the United States, these destinations include California and Texas. 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked into the US every year, as estimated by the US Justice Department, and approximately 244,000 American children are at risk from being a victim. Under the United States’ federal law, it is a crime to force 11

people to work by force, coercion, or fear. Currently, over half of the states within the US criminalize human trafficking although punishment for said crime varies under jurisdiction of different states. 6. Pakistan

Pakistan is a popular destination for human trafficking of men, women, and children for the purpose of forced labour and prostitution. Its Sindh and Punjab provinces experience the most concentrated labour traffic. An estimated one million victims are located within Pakistan. Although progress was made by the Pakistani government in 2009, its lack of anti-trafficking laws damaged the best of efforts. Pakistan prohibits all forms of international trafficking with their ratification of the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance. Further steps were made in 2009, including the discipline of officials and officers.

Sources Cited Diana.teixeira. "United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime." FAQs. UNODC, n.d. Web.

France-Presse, Agence. "US Lists China among Worst Human Trafficking Offenders." Inquirer News US Lists

China among Worst Human Trafficking Offenders Comments. Agence France-Presse, 28 June 2017.

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"Human Trafficking." Greek. N.p., 6 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

Margesin, Martin. "United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime." Protecting Victims of Human Trafficking. N.p.,

n.d. Web.

Oster, Grant. "The History of Human Trafficking." Hankering for History. Grant Oster, 29 Apr. 2016. Web.

11 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/909358/us-lists-china-among-worst-human-trafficking-offenders

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Ryan, Mary. "Timeline." Global Journalist. Laura Welfringer, 31 Oct. 2014. Web.

Salim, Louren. "Human Trafficking." Worldissuesscrapbook - Human Trafficking. N.p., 25 May 2011. Web.

"Statistics." CAHTSA. N.p., n.d. Web.

"The Problem." Global Centurion Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

"The Scale of Human Trafficking Worldwide." STOP THE TRAFFIK. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

"What Are the Statistics on Human Trafficking of Children?" Ark of Hope for Children. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Aug.

2017.

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