In March 2018, the UN committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) began drafting a general recommendation on trafficking in women and girls in the context of global migration. The goal of this document is to provide clear guidance for signatories of the convention regarding their obligations under Article 6, which simply states that “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women.”
The drafting process started in November 2018 with the publication of a concept note. This sets out in broad terms how the committee understands and analyses the issue of trafficking in women and girls and provides a framework for future discussions on the subject with all relevant stakeholders. The limitations in the framing of this crucial, and the concept note received detailed scrutiny both from civil society and academics.
In the intervening months, the International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (our organisation), the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women, and members of the Sex Workers Inclusive Feminist Alliance have been mobilising with allies in the labour rights, migrants’ rights, sex workers’ rights and women’s rights movements to ensure that the general recommendation responds to the lived realities of trafficked persons and persons adversely impacted by existing anti-trafficking laws, policies and practices.
