Dynamics of Trafficking in Women and Children

Trafficking in women and children has become an issue of growing concern worldwide. In today’s world it has become a “global phenomenon” and more than 130 countries are affected by trafficking. The magnitude of trafficking in Bangladesh has also increased over the years and the problem of trafficking has reached endemic proportions in Bangladesh. A comparative analysis of the recent Government’s anti-trafficking initiatives with United Nations anti-trafficking initiative showed that Bangladesh Government’s action plans mostly qualify the UN standard. However the implementation of these strategies is not satisfactory and there is a gap between theoretical documents and practical implementation. Poverty or more particularly feminization of poverty along with lack of awareness; less or no job opportunity and uncertainties of livelihood of the women and children are the root causes of trafficking in Bangladesh. Non cooperation of the victims and witnesses with the Police and reluctance of them to produce the evidences against the traffickers before the Courts have been found to be the main reasons for the failure to bring the traffickers to justice.