Course Overview

Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is a global human rights violation that constitutes a contemporary form of slavery.  It has acquired alarming proportions generating profits of billions of dollars annually, an organized trade in which women and girls are particularly vulnerable.  This course is designed to introduce participants to the different manifestations of trafficking, and to examine the broad spectrum of issues related to trafficking from an international and regional legal framework perspective. The course is oriented towards a human rights based approach to TIP and the recognition of the trafficked person as a ‘victim of crime’.  Special emphasis will be given to developing an understanding of the measures taken to protect human rights of the trafficked persons.

While the course primarily focuses on commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking for forced prostitution, trafficking for other purposes will also be fully addressed. Such practices include forced labour, the exploitation of immigrant females for domestic services, removal and sale of human organs, the sale of children for irregular inter-country adoption, and the sale of wives legalized by national / transnational marriages.

The course will lay special emphasis on all aspects of Prevention of TIP, Protection of trafficking victims and Prosecution of offenders. Critical challenges and appropriate responses to issues ranging from Rescue of the trafficked victims to comprehensive Integration into their families / society would also be examined.

The course will also look closely at diverse contemporary debates surrounding complexity of human trafficking, especially sex – work and trafficking in women; legalizing prostitution as a means of protecting women against trafficking; migration within and across national borders and trafficking in women; the relationship between supply and demand in diverse forms of trafficking and the impact of economic boycotts and sanctions in addressing trafficking in the supply chain.

The course will finally examine the roles of government, law enforcement, the international community, civil society and individual actors in addressing the problem and will conclude with strategies and ‘good practices’ that have proven effective in different parts of the world. Strong emphasis will be placed throughout the course not only on theory and legal frameworks, but also on case studies resourced globally.

Course Objectives

• Introduction to Trafficking in Persons: Clarifying Concepts, Dimensions and    Different Forms of Human Trafficking
• International and Regional Anti – Trafficking Legal Frameworks
• The 3 P’s Approach to Combat Trafficking in Persons: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution
• ‘Rescue – Rehabilitation – Repatriation – Integration’ of Trafficked Victims: Critical Challenges and Responses
• Trafficking in Persons: Debates and Critiques
• Multi Disciplinary Response to Trafficking in Persons: Role of Government, Law Enforcement, Non – Governmental Organizations, International Community and Others