Events

MINSK, 29 September (BelTA) – Belarus speaks for the unification of international efforts against trafficking in persons. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Andrei Dapkiunas presented his country’s position at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the thematic dialogue “Trade in Minors in the Digital Age: Waking Up the World to the Dire Need to Stop Trafficking in Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, Including Via the Internet” on 28 September, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his speech, the Belarusian diplomat stressed that international efforts to combat human trafficking remain fragmented, and the fight against child prostitution and pornography remains far from adequate. The deputy minister called for better coordination of all partners’ activities, search for new practical ideas to combat child prostitution and pornography, including via the Internet. Andrei Dapkiunas reaffirmed the readiness of the Group of Friends for active joint actions with other UN member states.

Andrei Dapkiunas also emphasized that information technologies that give access to education, rapprochement, cooperation are often used by human traffickers and allow them to stay unpunished. In his words, children, by virtue of their naivety and trustfulness, become the easiest victims on the Internet. The result is an increased number of cases of child pornography and child prostitution.

The event was organized on Belarus’ initiative by the Group of Friends together with partners from international and American non-governmental organizations. It was the final part of the special two-day event, which the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking held in the margins of the High-level meeting of the General Assembly on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

One of the moderators of the event was former member of the US Congress Michele Bachmann, and one of the panelists was current US Congresswoman Ann Wagner. Taking part in the dialogue were also the leaders of a number of prominent American non-government organizations involved in counteracting trafficking in children, child pornography, and prostitution.