The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons has urged the Government of South Sudan to redouble its efforts in preventing human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, child marriage, recruitment, and forced labour.
Siobhán Mullally was addressing the media in Juba at6 the end of a ten-day working visit to South Sudan and commended the progress made by the national task force to counter trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
“At this junction of peacebuilding and state building in South Sudan, urgent action to prevent trafficking in persons and to protect survivors, especially women and children, is crucial,” she said. “Conflict-related sexual violence, including trafficking, remains a serious concern in which there is a need for continued attention to the risk faced by children associated with armed groups and armed forces including of conflict-related sexual violence and trafficking.”
According to Mullally, internal displacement as a result of conflict and violence, coupled with climate-induced displacement, gender inequality, and limited access to education, increase the risk of trafficking, including child recruitment and marriage, sexual exploitation, forced labour, and domestic servitude.
“Prevention of trafficking in persons for all purpose of exploitation and protection of survivors to ensure a human rights and survivors-centred response to trafficking in persons are paramount,” she said.
The UN Special Rapporteur also stressed the need to continue to prioritize ending sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage, and forced marriage and to promote women`s empowerment and participation in peace-building and state processes.
“I hope that the recommendations resulting from my visit to South Sudan will provide important tools to prevent trafficking in persons and to strengthen human rights and survivor-centred response to trafficking, at this critical time in peacebuilding in South Sudan,” Mullally said, adding: “Ending trafficking in persons, especially of women and children, for all purpose of exploitation, is essential to achieving the sustainable development goals and to achieving gender peace and security.”