Tag: Anti-human Trafficking

LETTER FROM CEDAR | APR 2025

Dear CEDAR friends and supporters, How do you love both the oppressed and the oppressor? This is a question I have been asking myself since I first worked with girls who were trafficked into the red-light district in Kolkata, India. A number of them had been sold by their parents or close family members, almost all because of poverty. One girl called Ria (pseudonym) came from a family of six daughters. Her parents sold her so that they would have enough money to marry off the other five daughters since their culture required the bride’s family to pay a dowry. The parents were giving up one daughter to ‘save’ the other five, as having a husband meant having

International Laws and Agreements on Combating Human Trafficking

Written by Ken Wong (Communications Officer) The problem of transnational human trafficking has become increasingly severe and is a global issue that cannot be ignored. To promote co-operation among countries and effectively curb the crime, the international community has gradually developed a series of legal frameworks and operational guidelines aimed at preventing human trafficking, punishing offenders and protecting high-risk trafficked communities. Below is a brief introduction to key international agreements and their roles. Forced Labour Convention – International Labour Organization In 1930, the International Labour Organization (ILO) established the Forced Labour Convention, which requires countries to prohibit and criminalise forced labour. In 1998, the ILO supplemented the Convention by advocating that countries develop policies to prevent labour exploitation

Protecting the Next Generation from Trafficking

Written by Dustin Tang (Donor Services Officer) Nepal is one of the countries where human trafficking is rampant. Traffickers take advantage of Nepal’s open border with India to traffick Nepali women and children to India. In recent years, traffickers have been active in social media to deceive poor communities, such as posting job opportunities online and luring poor women to adult entertainment sector for exploitation. According to the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report of the U.S. Department of State, in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, about 17% of adult entertainment venues employ children, while 62% of adult women in the industry entered as minors. The report also mentions that nearly 30% of the child workers in adult entertainment establishments are

Slavery is Structural Sin

Written by Dr. Alex Ip (Director, CEDAR Fund) Scriptures reading: Philemon 10-12 10 That I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. Philemon 10-12 10 That I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. What is structural sin? Slavery is certainly an

‘SHARE’ 256 – Myanmar, Synonym for Human Trafficking

Written by Clara Chiu (Head of Partnership Development) In February this year, my colleague and I went on a field trip to Yangon, Myanmar, to visit our project partners. At that time, news of human trafficking in Myanmar was all over the city. When my friends and relatives heard that we were going to Myanmar, their immediate reaction was: ‘Are you going to KK Park?’ When people hear about Myanmar, they associate ‘trafficking’ and ‘fraud’. Indeed, trafficking is everywhere in Myanmar. Human Traffickers Defraud Parents in Slums On our first day in Myanmar, we visited our partner serving in the slums of Yangon. They had set up a community centre (a hut made of tin) with groups for

Human Trafficking Prevention among ethnic groups in the Mekong Region

Project Name Human Trafficking Prevention among Ethnic Groups in the Mekong Region Project Location Thailand Myanmar Creative Access Nations Project Natures Anti-Human Trafficking Children and Youth Development Advocacy Project Objectives Prevent human trafficking in the Mekong region Mobilise, connect and empower ethnic families and communities using a multidisciplinary approach Beneficiaries Schoolteachers and students Community members and leaders in the target areas No. of Beneficiaries Approx. 2,700 Key Activities Anti-trafficking and human rights campaigns: Provide training to students, youth, women, and community leaders on topics such as unsafe migration, basic human rights, community resources, and the leadership role in combating human trafficking. Curriculum development and teacher training: Develop a new curriculum and equip teachers to educate students on anti-human

Marginalised Communities Oppressed under Caste Culture

Written by: Gloria Cheung (Senior Communications Officer) Two of our staff members and two pastors from a church supporting CEDAR’s ministry visited the Chitwan region in Nepal in mid-November. They visited Samari Utthan Sewa (SUS), a longstanding partner in the area, to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Dalits, particularly vulnerable women and children. Dalits, labelled as the lowest ‘untouchable’ caste in the unequal caste system, are a group that is susceptible to trafficking and exploitation. CEDAR and our partner have established a community centre in the Chitwan region to combat human trafficking. We took a group photo in front of the centre. Two fellow pastors are learning about the latest developments in the ministry