International Seminar

“Best Practices to Combat Human Trafficking”
2009

Slavery is one of the worst forms of negation of the human. It implies a domination that denies the possibility of the accomplishment of the human rights, because the victim is simply undressed of them; slavery is always the negation of the human condition, because it means to assume that somebody can actually decide on the life and dignity of whom is enslaved.

To face such a crime as trafficking in persons is not easy; it is less easy still in societies in which indifference has taken a major role, and where the capacity to be empathic before other people's drama is less and less common. That is why human trafficking must be prevented, not only from the logic of “crime prevention”, but from a perspective in which the final objective is developing functional societies, for solidarity and justice.

The issue of trafficking in persons imposes new agendas associated to the generalized poverty that is lived anywhere in the world; related to the increasing migration intensity; associated to vulnerability that is consequence of economic questions; and connected to the increasing networks of corruption and delinquency that are managing to consolidate through the use of the technologies, transportation and telecommunications.

It must be maintained that there will not be social justice or possible complete human development, if human rights are not totally guaranteed beforehand, and in cases that these are violated or injured, the State shall assume the responsibility to repay and to protect the victims.

In this way, CEIDAS has tried to approach the crime of trafficking in persons, as well as its associated phenomena. We want to contribute to a greater understanding on the implications of the persistence of slavery in our societies, as well as the persistence of the brutality in the exerted atrocious violence against the most vulnerable groups, which are always the same: children and women.

In this effort, CEIDAS has found in the Government of the State of Tabasco and the Chamber of Deputies Justice Commission a complete endorsement to carry out the Second International Seminar to prevent the Trafficking in Persons.

In this new edition, the Seminar’s objective is to show the Best Practices, as well as to share experiences, knowledge and strategies in the prevention and combat of this crime in order to be implemented in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Numerous instances and organisms have joined this effort, among others:

 * U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

* The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

* The Ricky Martin Foundation

 * The ADO Foundation

 * The International Organization for Migrations (IOM)

 * The Manpower Foundation