SIXTH INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS CONFERENCE

WORKSHOP 48: Human Trafficking and Border Control: An Effective Response?

Thursday, November 29, 2001
14:00 - 17:30

ORGANIZERS

Name: Jacqueline OXMAN-MARTINEZ
Title: Professor
Affiliation: Centre for Applied Family Studies, McGill University
Address: 3506 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2A7
Telephone: (514) 398-7070
Fax: (514) 398-4760
E-mail: joxman@po-box.mcgill.ca

Name: Jill HANLEY
Title: PhD Candidate
Affiliation: École de service social, Université de Montréal/McGill University
Address: 3931 Avenue Laval, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 2H9
Telephone: (514) 288-2513
E-mail: jhanley@total.net

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

It is a victory for anti-trafficking activists and scholars that human trafficking is the object of growing international concern, as witnessed by the November 2000 adoption of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, by the United Nations General Assembly. It is notable, however, that many governments are focusing on tighter border control as a response to this international trade in human beings. Hence, the question arises as to whether restrictive migration policies are addressing the structural inequalities of wealth and gender that encourage human trafficking; and whether they can actually be effective in leading to meaningful prosecution of traffickers themselves.

This workshop will begin with a discussion by Canadian government officials of the UN recent instruments, namely the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the protocols on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons. Officials will also examine Canadian government's policy responses in these areas.

Discussions will then occur on the issue of whether the border control approach to stemming human trafficking can address the experiences of particularly vulnerable populations. To begin, a representative of an international NGO will discuss the way in which border control affects the traffic of women via legal immigration channels. A representative of an international organisation will then outline the links between health and human trafficking. Next, a policy analyst will present the controversial positions in the fight against trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation (with Dutch and Swedish case examples) before a quasi-governmental children's advocate will describe the effects of tighter immigration controls on unaccompanied and/or trafficked minors. Finally, researchers will critique the impact on restrictive border controls on the international flows of legitimate refugees.

Following these presentations, the last part of the workshop will explore alternative international migration policies, inviting the active participation of the workshop participants.

DURATION: One session (of 3 hours).

PRESENTERS
Government:
Keith Bell, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Keith.Bell@8504srk.cina.cic.x400.gc.ca
Nora Hammel, Status of Women Canada, hammeln@swc-sfc.gc.ca

NGO:
Cecilia Diocson, International Purple Rose Campaign and Philippine Women Centre of British Columbia, pwc@netcom.ca
Brian Gushulak, formerly of International Organisation for Migration, presently with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Brian.Gushulak@8303rnh.cina.cic.x400.gc.ca

Academic:
Jill Hanley, École de service social, Université de Montréal, jhanley@total.net
Jacqueline Oxman-Martinez, Centre for Applied Family Studies, McGill University, joxman@po-box.mcgill.ca
Monika Smit, Bureau of the Dutch Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, msmit@best-dep.minjus.nl