THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (Agra, India)
For Immediate Release March 22, 2000
FACT SHEET
Combating Trafficking In Women And Children in South Asia
The Clinton Administration is leading key international efforts to stop the trafficking of women and children around
the world. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development recently launched four new programs
totaling nearly $1.6 million to assist non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in implementing prevention efforts,
providing assistance to victims, and improving coordination between law enforcement officials and local NGOs.
The new programs reflect President Clinton's sustained commitment to fight trafficking of women and children, as set
forth in his Executive Memorandum issued on International Women's Day in March 1998.
The vulnerability of women and children to criminals engaged in trafficking is rooted in poverty and the low social
status of women.
While the commitment of many anti-trafficking NGOs in South Asia is strong, the majority of them need additional support
to continue and expand their activities in light of the dramatic global increase in incidences of this horrific crime.
In South Asia, research and media reports suggest that the number of trafficked women and children is rising, and the
average age of the victims is falling. In response to these alarming statistics, the U.S. government has committed to
the following:
Working with the United Nations Development Fund for Women
USAID has approved a $1.3 million grant to the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) for a program to combat the
trafficking of women and children in South Asia.
This three-year grant will fund regional activities that directly complement the bilateral efforts of USAID mission
programs in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The grant will assist grassroots, national, and regional NGOs in
South Asia to expand their advocacy activities and strengthen their networks against trafficking. Regional prevention
efforts will increase public awareness about the realities of trafficking.
UNIFEM will assist NGOs to design and evaluate models of successful prevention efforts. A South Asia Anti-Trafficking
Information Center will also be established in the region to promote stronger collaboration among NGOs working on
anti-trafficking projects and greater exchange of information on prevention and prosecution programs.
Supporting India's Anti-trafficking Coordination
The Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at the U.S. Department of State has approved
$70,000 for two Indian NGO projects to develop and conduct training programs to improve anti-trafficking coordination
among law enforcement officials and local NGOs.
Strengthened law enforcement and prosecution of traffickers is critical because the crime remains a high profit,
relatively low-risk transnational criminal enterprise. Improving coordination among law enforcement officials and NGOs
serving victims ensures that traffickers are detected and punished, and that victims are afforded the protection and
assistance they need to rebuild their lives.
This funding will support interactive training for border officers, police, prosecutors and judges in Calcutta and New
Delhi. Police and judicial officials will participate in workshops designed to assist in building successful
prosecutions of traffickers and abettors. Border officers will also receive in-depth instruction on recognizing
potential trafficking situations.
The State Department is contributing $200,000 to anti-trafficking activities specifically in India. This additional
funding is part of a $1.5 million effort in the South Asia region using Economic Support Funds (ESF). Central to the
strategy in India will be: strengthening enforcement of existing laws, supporting NGO shelters for victims of
trafficking, and supporting rehabilitative programs, including skills training and income-generating activities.
# # #