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Smith Urges Strengthening of Human Trafficking Laws
United Nations, Congress must get tougher to end “human slavery” |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of two landmark laws to combat human trafficking and aid the victims of this horrible crime, said September is an “important month” for two key efforts to combat human trafficking – one in Congress and one in the United Nations. Smith urged his colleagues in Congress to move forward on H.R. 972 – the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 – which he introduced in February 2005. This legislation will reauthorize appropriations for anti-trafficking programs in the United States and abroad and offers solutions to specific scenarios where additional initiatives are needed to combat trafficking problems including occurrences of sexual exploitation by UN peacekeepers. Smith renewed his call after Louise Arbour – the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights – said at the Asia-Pacific human rights conference in “We have made significant progress over the past few years to combat human trafficking, through stronger laws, increased awareness, and better law enforcement but we must fortify and expand our efforts to end this international horror,” said Smith, who was appointed Special Representative for Human Trafficking for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly in 2004. “It remains essential for Congress to pass the 2005 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act so that law enforcement can continue to liberate the unfortunate women and children who are forced and coerced into slavery.” Smith has long championed efforts to eliminate human trafficking. In fall 2000, the President signed into law Smith’s Trafficking Victims Protection Act which gave In March 2005, – as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations – Smith held hearings about the 150 allegations of gross sexual misconduct and exploitation of refugees by UN peacekeepers and civilian personnel assigned to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Abuses typically involved peacekeepers’ sexual contact with Congolese women and girls, some as young as 11, in exchange for food or small sums of money. In recent years, the UN has struggled to deal with similar allegations in For additional information about Representative Chris Smith’s global human rights efforts and his continued fight against human trafficking please visit http://www.house.gov/chrissmith/. ### | ||
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For Immediate Release: August 30, 2005 Contact: Brad Dayspring (202) 225-3765 |
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