‘Law on trafficking in persons needs review’

KABUL Network for Combating Trafficking in Persons (ANCTIP) on Monday said the country’s law on combating trafficking in persons needed to be reviewed.

Marking July 30 the World’s Day for Combating Trafficking in Persons, the network urged the international community to provide financial support to Afghanistan in combating human trafficking.

Habibur Rahman Nang, a member of ANCTIP, told the ceremony that human trafficking was one of serious problems in Afghanistan.

 “This phenomenon is not only in conflict with Islam, but is also a crime under the country’s law,” he said.

He said the increasing human trafficking in Afghanistan had national, regional and international dimensions and combating the menace needed practical national and international policies.

“Unfortunately efforts against human trafficking on national and international levels remain insufficient, this policy needs to be reviewed, we urge both the international community to take the human trafficking as serious as terrorism,” Nang said.

ANCTIP also released a statement that offered some suggestions for improving the fight against trafficking in persons.

Afghanistan approved the law on combating trafficking in persons in 1395 solar year (2016), but it has problems and needed review.

Afghanistan should develop diplomatic contacts with regional countries regarding combating trafficking in persons because no such policies existed in this area, the statement said.

It said ministries having ANCTIP membership should attend relevant meetings and the government’s performance regarding preventing trafficking in persons should be closely monitored as well as an annual report in this regard prepared.

 “We ask the international community to press the Afghan government to take decisive steps for combating trafficking in persons and provide financial support to the Afghan government in the area,” the statement said.

Other suggestion included implementation of all international protocols regarding trafficking in persons, punishing its perpetrators, building coordination among government organs and civil society organizations for fighting this phenomenon and providing public awareness through scholars and other sources.

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