PHNOM PENH, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government, the United Nations, and civil society representatives gathered here on Wednesday to strengthen mechanisms in order to support the victims of trafficking in persons, said the UN mission in Cambodia.
At the National Consultation Workshop on Referral Mechanisms, the participants shared their expertise on services and support as well as expressed their recommendations for strengthening referral mechanisms for victims of trafficking.
"This workshop is a sign of the progress that the Cambodian government has made, together with the countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, through the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT) process, in combating human trafficking through a comprehensive and collaborative approach," said Nick Beresford, UN Development Program country director in Cambodia.
Though significant progress has been made, migrants are still using irregular migration channels, predominantly with the assistance of unlicensed brokers, the UN mission said in a statement, adding that through these backchannels, migrants remain at risk of exploitation.
The UN warned that if human trafficking is not successfully addressed it will continue to have, and entrench, negative effects on society, it said.
Existing structures and gaps on referral mechanism in Cambodia will be identified and recommendations have been raised and compiled, the statement added.
"As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, governments have committed to bringing an end to human trafficking, forced labor and related forms of abuse," Beresford said. "We seek to ensure that no one is left behind on the road towards sustainable development."
A report by the Cambodian National Committee for Counter Trafficking said that 203 traffickers were jailed in 2017, and 345 victims had been rescued.
