A regional conference on Networking to Combat Child Trafficking was organised by BNWLA on November 20, 2016, on behalf of the “Prevention of Child Trafficking through Strengthening Community and Networking” (PCTSCN), a project implemented by a consortium of ATSEC Members. The Honorable Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan, MP highlighted the activities of the Government of Bangladesh to combat child trafficking through the Monitoring cell run by Ministry of Home Affairs and also committed to strengthen the network and accomplish all declarations.

From this regional conference, we observed that: 1. National and regional networks against trafficking in children are essential and hold a special role in combating trafficking 2. With a slow progressing reform process within SAARC countries, there have been progresses registered at bilateral level, especially between India and Bangladesh with respect to coordination of RRRI taskforces, expansion of extradition treaty and introduction of SOP regarding speedy repatriation etc. 3. The national legal instruments are found to be much more progressive than the regional instruments.4. Both boys and girls are trafficked in South Asia and the trend in trafficking in children is upward. 5. At regional level, the SAARC Convention’s scope and mandate on trafficking is restrictive as it is limited within “women and children for prostitution”. Still at regional level there is no shared database, there are also constraints in promoting voluntary-speedy-humane repatriation of survivors, harmonisation of laws and effective extradition of criminals.

Within this context, the Conference finds greater relevance of promoting regional level networking and commits to work together for the recommendations presented by A.K.M MasudAli, Executive Director, INCIDIN Bangladesh, Chair of ATSEC Bangladesh and the PCTSCN Consortium which are given here:1.Alongside the issues of expansion of the scope of SAARC Convention (beyond women, children and prostitution), shared database, voluntary-speedy-humane repatriation and effective extradition, it is necessary to ensure harmonisation of the laws and NPAs

throughout South Asia.2.There is a need of strengthening bilateral opportunities for combating child trafficking within the existing legal and regional arrangements. In this regard, the networks need to channel their efforts and learn from each other. 3. There is a need of bringing child trafficking-focused networks (such as ATSEC) and NACG closer at national and regional level 4.To address the full range of the problem of trafficking in children and to explore the opportunities offered by different issue-based networks (such as migration, gender, child labour, HIV/AIDS, refugee rights etc.), the Conference strongly recommends for expanding cross-thematic-networking. 5. In a similar fashion, the importance of cross-regional networking is felt strongly. The prospect of such cross-regional networking may be explored between SAARC and ASEAN (i.e. between South Asia and South East Asia) as a priority. 6. The regional networking needs to be strengthened as a referral mechanism for better utilization of the scarce resources and for effective utilization of specialized services of capable organizations. 7. The emerging networks and organizations of the survivors of child trafficking require to be given a space at regional level. In this regard, the existing networks such as ATSEC can promote these distinct voices of the survivors. 8. At regional level by taking advantage of the expansion of the ICT facilities, the online coordination and virtual-networking needs to be strengthened. 9. The project-based networking initiatives need to be mapped out and coordinated both nationally and regionally.

Trafficking is not only a national and international issue, but also essentially a regional issue. Now, it is high time to reduce the trafficking through strengthening the aforesaid network.

The writer is Executive Director, Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers Association.