Women, girls make up 70pc of human trafficking victims, NA told

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar informed the National Assembly on Thursday that according to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2023-24, the number of women and girls who are victims of human trafficking stands at 24,398, making up 70.6 percent of the total victims, which is 34,533.

In response to a question posed by Shahida Rehmani during the Question-Hour, Information Minister Atta Tarar shared that the total number of trafficking victims identified in the TIP Report 2023-2024 was 34,533, with 24,341 of these victims being exploited for sexual purposes, accounting for 70.4 percent of the total.

He told the National Assembly that all genders can fall victim to human trafficking, including men, women and children. However, women and girls are disproportionately affected, particularly in cases of sexual exploitation. Their vulnerability often stems from factors such as gender inequality, poverty, lack of education and discrimination, which increase their susceptibility to trafficking.

The minister also emphasized that existing laws and ongoing awareness campaigns were in place, with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) fully actively combating human trafficking. He welcomed any proposed amendments to legislation that could introduce more effective measures.

Following the 18th Amendment, human trafficking became a provincial matter under the law & order category. However, Tarar highlighted that the National Apex Committee, a high-level forum with representatives from provincial governments and law enforcement agencies (LEAs), oversees the issue. He noted that the matter would be included in the Apex Committee’s agenda, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would launch a comprehensive awareness campaign.

The National Assembly was also informed that traffickers often exploit social and economic vulnerabilities, with women and girls in certain regions and communities, particularly at risk. At the same time, men and boys can also fall victim, especially to forced labour, begging, or criminal exploitation.

Trafficking is a global issue that affects people of all identities, although patterns of victimisation vary. It was noted that data from 2017 was not available; however, the TIP Report 2023-2024 indicates that 24,398 women and girls have been victims of trafficking, making up 70.6 percent of the 34,533 total victims.