BEYOND BORDERS: TRAFFICKING IN THE CONTEXT OF MIGRANT, LABOUR AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Over time, GAATW has become increasingly aware and concerned that discussion at policy and advocacy levels on trafficking, migration, labour, gender, and globalisation issues continue to be fragmented into specialist discussions even though it is clearer than ever before that any one single framework is unable to address the range of human rights violations people experience during labour migration processes. The challenge that civil society faces now is to appreciate and utilise the overlaps and intersections between anti-trafficking frameworks with migrant rights, labour rights and other sister movements, and thus enable civil society actors to work with each other more effectively for the human rights of all migrants and all workers.

This year's conference will bring together a diverse group of human rights advocates working in a broad range of fields, relating to trafficking, women's rights, migration and labour issues, to discuss the practical and conceptual linkages between trafficking and migration, gender, labour and globalisation and to suggest future strategic directions for a broad range of civil society actors. Prior to the conference, GAATW will convenea Members Congress that will discuss GAATW's strategic direction in the coming years and other organisational matters.


Ms. Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will be joining us for this conference and deliver the keynote address on 6 July 2010. In addition to many GAATW member organisations from various parts of the world, allies in related movements, such as migrant rights, women's rights and labour rights will also be participating, as well as representatives from UN agencies, donor organisations and academics.

Sessions will vary in structure (e.g. performances, plenaries, panels, group discussions) and will include the following themes:

The conceptual and practical links between trafficking and migration, gender, labour and globalisation;
Linking international advocacy and grassroots human rights advocates;
Linking theory and practice;
Linking women's lived realities to policy and programme development and implementation;
Strengthening UN advocacy strategies;
Dialoguing with domestic workers rights and sex workers rights movements;
Building bridges across movements.

If you would like more information about this event, please email: Michelle Taguinod at GAATW International Secretariat .

The draft agenda is posted on the GAATW website at www.gaatw.org.