ILO COMPILING DATABASE OF ARMENIAN VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING

khatanq/
2010/02/12

World Society

Nver Sargsyan, who heads the Armenian office of the International
Labour Organization, a United Nations agency whose slogan is "Promoting
decent work for all", pointed out today that while the RoA Constitution
prohibits compulsory or forced labour, no definitions are provided.

Mr. Sargsyan said that the ILO is carrying out an anti-trafficking
campaign in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, in conjunction with
local NGO’s, to minimize such human rights violations.

Mr. Sargsyan said that a data base of victims of trafficking was
being compiled at that it would be placed at the disposal of the RoA
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. "This resource will allow for
more effective amelioration of the plight of trafficking victims and
stiffer penalties for those who engage in such activity," he said.

While Mr. Sargsyan does not possess accurate statistics regarding
the number of those falling prey to trafficking, he did say that in
2005 some 12.3 million people worldwide were subject to forced labor
and that in 2009 it was estimated that unpaid salaries for such labor
amounted to $21 billion.