Trafficking in people is a violation of international law, as laid out in the 1949 Convention on the Suppression of Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others . Trafficking in women was also addressed in the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women . Both of these conventions require state parties to stop such trafficking. Unfortunately, all too many countries fail in their obligations to stop trafficking and to prosecute those who engage in it. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women - Works to protect the human rights of migrant women.
Web site includes international documents on trafficking in women.
Captive Daughters - Works to end sex trafficking. Sometimes it is based on tradition, with the practice continuing almost solely because it has become entrenched in society. It is frequently women who enforce the practice and impose female circumcision on their daughters, afraid that even though they are aware of the pain and risks that are associated with such procedures, their daughters may not be perceived as marriageable, thus dooming their life prospects. There is some controversy over what terminology to use, the argument being that the term female circumcision reflects the cultural context of this practice, whereas the more inflammatory term female genital mutilation reflects a judgment about the practice, thus cutting off debate and discussion. The United Nations has been at the forefront in settings standards in the area of women s rights.