Human Trafficking                                              

Human trafficking is a global problem. Canada has been identified as both a transit and a destination point for human trafficking, and Vancouver has been singled out by the U.S. state department as a port of major concern. In 2007 British Columbia established the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP). OCTIP is focused on the protection of trafficked persons and on the prevention of human trafficking. The Office will also assist law enforcement in the prosecution of human trafficking offenders. Latest update from OCTIP.

Human Trafficking - Special Presentation. The BC Human Rights Coalition was pleased to assist in helping present a very special free presentation by Ms. Patsy Sorenson, titled “Payoke: Pioneering in the Fight against Human Trafficking.” Payoke is an NGO based in Antwerp, Belgium, created in 1988 to defend the interests of sex workers in their fight for emancipation and to combat all forms of forced prostitution. Patsy Sörensen is the founder and current director of Payoke and is widely recognized as a pioneer and leading advocate in the fight against human trafficking in all its forms. She is also a member of the Committee of Experts on Human Trafficking of the European Commission. On November 18, 2008 Ms. Sorensen spoke to a morning gathering at the Vancouver Law Courts, and again later that evening at the SFU downtown campus.

Patsy Sorensen from Payoke and Susan O’Donnell E.D. of the BC Human Rights Coalition. See Video Excerpt

International Human Rights Day Celebration and Human Trafficking Seminar- December 10, 2008.

The B.C. Human Rights Coalition and the United Nations Association in Canada, Vancouver Branch celebrated International Human Rights Day, Wednesday, December 10, 2008. This year the event was marked by a special afternoon seminar, moderated by Alisdair Smith, titled Human Trafficking: The Outrage of the 21st Century. The speakers included Senator Mobina Jaffer, Robin Pike from the B.C. Provincial Office to Combat Trafficking in People (“OCTIP”), UBC Law Professor Benjamin Perrin, Norrie de Valencia, and Gail Davidson of Lawyers Rights Watch. The Speakers addressed Global, National, Provincial, and local/NGO issues related to Human Trafficking. (Click on the speakers name to see a video of their speech)

At table left to right: Senator Mobina Jaffer, Moderator Alisdair Smith, Gail Davidson, Benjamin Perrin, Robin Pike and Norrie de Valencia.

Read our paper on "Human Rights and Gender Equality – Towards a Comprehensive Approach to Human Security for Trafficked Persons"