Observing the 2012 Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the US, and wider world
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Friday, January 13, 2012
This week US citizens observed National Human Trafficking Awareness Day through acts of education, legislation, and enforcement; whilst, around the world, other people highlighted or tackled this global problem in their own countries.
According to an annual report on human trafficking released by the US State Department in June last year, 27 million men, women and children are exploited through human trafficking. Worldwide, at least two million children are estimated to be trafficked victims of the sex trade; and, in military conflicts, it is not uncommon for children to be forced to bear arms. In releasing the report last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing trafficking, and cultural issues associated with it.
Under the United Nations’ Palermo Protocols, human trafficking encompasses cases where victims are born into slavery, forcibly transported for exploitation, consented to work with a trafficker, and/or were forced to participate in criminal activities. The Protocols also recognize the unique status and rights of children.
Reports from across the United States show a number of communities taking local action to solve, or otherwise highlight, this global problem.
In Southern California, Sister Caritas Foster is an advocate for the area’s victims of human trafficking. Commenting on the area’s involvement, she stated: “We in the San Francisco Bay Area are one of the largest receiving areas with our borders and coasts”. For over four years, Foster has worked on educating the public on human trafficking, speaking to civic and religious groups and describing the power traffickers hold over their victims through vivid accounts of situations trafficked individuals find themselves in. Many have no idea where they are located, suffer under the constant threat of deportation, and most often lack the language abilities to seek help.
Los Angeles politician Don Knabe said human trafficking was not a distant problem but one that hits close to home. As the county supervisor overseeing the fourth district in Los Angeles County, Knabe cited figures from the Probation Department showing 84 percent of arrests of children on prostitution charges in 2010 were in his district; he believes the overall problem for the county is much larger, and wants the Probation Department to establish a special unit dedicated to sexually exploited minors.
Northward in Seattle, Washington, members of the King County Sheriff’s department realized that law enforcement had to deal supportively with the symptoms of human trafficking — rather than putting victims in jail. This gave birth to the “Genesis Project” where sheriff’s deputies offer potential victims of trafficking a comfortable safe haven with amenities for 24 hours, and put them in touch with social services for counselling, job training, and education advice.
Politicians from several states have sought to address the connection between tourism and human trafficking; Indiana’s state Senate unanimously passed a human trafficking bill on Tuesday morning. Current legislation only considered forced marriage and prostitution as human trafficking; loopholes in the existing laws allowed some forms of human trafficking to escape prosecution. Lawmakers in the state hope to toughen their human trafficking laws, and have new legislation on the statute books in time for the Super Bowl, due to be held in Indianapolis on February 5. The just-passed bill now goes to the House for approval.
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Also on Tuesday, lawmakers from Hawaii held a special hearing on human trafficking. Kathryn Xian, of Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, says traffickers capitalize on the state’s tourist-based economy. She introduced a package of seven bills she says will help prevent human trafficking in the state.
At a national level, the US government continues to work abroad on the issue of trafficking; Luis CdeBaca, a special ambassador for human trafficking, is working with Myanmar, commonly known as Burma, as the country seeks to improve diplomatic relations with the United States. Myanmar was identified by the US State Department as having one of the worst records of forced labor, and as a country that lacks necessary laws to curb human trafficking.
Although National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is a US-based effort to recognise, and highlight, this issue — as a topic of global concern being highlighted through the United Nations, others around the world continue efforts to increase public awareness and tackle trafficking.
Forty-six women from the international group Operation Mobilization sought to raise awareness by climbing Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro. The summit is called “Uhuru Peak”, with Uhuru meaning “freedom” in Swahili. Each of the non-professional climbers raised US$10,000 to help those affected by human trafficking.
In the Middle East, several countries are reported to have problems with human traffickers recruiting unemployed gay Kenyan men to become sex slaves. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supposedly the more-common destination countries into which Kenyans are lured with offers of high-paying jobs. However, in the United Arab Emirates — where no law prohibits trafficking, but homosexuality is illegal — the problem is compounded.
Enforcement of existing laws, and acting against trafficking, are seen as key steps in reducing the activity. Showing that no country is unaffected, Northern Ireland police are currently investigating five sex trafficking cases; and, on Monday, Filipino police rescued fifteen women following a tip-off regarding women recruited, and being held, prior to being sent to work abroad.
In the Northern Ireland situation, Detective Superintendent Philip Marshall stated that fifteen men are to be contacted, suspected of having paid for sex with trafficked women. Identifying victims within the UK, or victims seeking help, is becoming more challenging with the sex industry having switched to using hotel rooms as-opposed to street corners. Many victims of trafficking are found to be unaware of where within the country they are.
In the Philippines situation, Zamboanga City police are still seeking the recruiter of the fifteen women rescued in Rio Hondo.
A range of complexities are involved in the sentencing of both those convicted of human trafficking, and their victims. In one Canadian case, 43-year-old Hungarian Lajos Domotor pled guilty to trafficking men and women into forced labor. Following being charged with conspiracy to commit human trafficking, he developed terminal stomach cancer and has been given a 10 to 15 percent chance of living five years.
In the UK, officials are seeking to detect exploitation prior to sentencing — as a counter to the high number of foreign women in jails, frequently having been victims of trafficking. One in seven women prisoners across England and Wales are foreign, with the primary offenses being drug or immigration-related. A report into the issue recommends sentencing decisions should consider the role of women, and of coercion, in such cases.
Artists also have a special role to play in the education and awareness of the public. The first opera about sex trafficking will premiere in Liverpool, England, on March 7. Anya17 was composed by Adam Gorb with a libretto written by Ben Kaye. Performers will come from Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic contemporary music ensemble 10/10. Funding for the production was provided in part by the United Nations.
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April
16
How To Lose Weight 3 Simple Tips That Can Help Anyone Lose Weight
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By Vienna Miller
Wondering how to lose weight? Weight loss is big business these days. In fact it’s a billion dollar industry.
So it’s not surprising that diets and weight loss programs are becoming more and more complicated. After all, the newest fad diet has to be different from the 37 other fad diets that were popular before it right?
In fact, dieting almost seems like a national pastime – a recreational sport. Who cares that we never actually reach our goals – as long as there’s something new to try!
If you’re confused and wondering about how to lose weight, don’t worry. Assuming you’re in general overall good health it’s not that complicated.
If you’ve failed in the past with complicated diet plans and food counting, you don’t have to go back to that. Here are 3 simple and easy weight loss tips that you can use to slim down, without complicated or time-consuming fad diets:
#1 Control Your Portions
Portion control may seem like an old fashioned concept but it works. We are so out of balance today on what a “proper” portion is, it’s ridiculous.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL1LU1BOm5Q[/youtube]
From extra large big gulps to supersized fast food meals, we eat portions in North America that would feed a family in poorer countries – for a week. Even if you don’t want to cut out your sweet treats or comfort foods, you can lose weight just by cutting your portion sizes.
Start slow, maybe by cutting them in half, then maybe by a third. Take your time and really taste the food. Savor it. By doing this you may not even notice that you’re getting less of it – or care.
#2 Eat Food You Like
Yes, that’s right – in order to lose weight, you have to actually enjoy your food. The problem with a lot of diets is that people don’t enjoy the food.
You can’t expect to eat bland, dull, blah food for more than a few days without feeling like you want to rip someone’s head off. That’s called deprivation – and it’s actually a natural reaction.
Most people don’t realize that food has 2 purposes. The main purpose is to nourish you physically. However there is also an emotional nourishing element to it as well.
Other cultures know this – that’s why the French and the Italians treat their food (and meal times) as something special. When you ignore the emotional aspect of eating by eating food you can’t stand, then you will break your diet guaranteed.
So no matter what diet or weight loss plan you choose – make sure it includes food you enjoy.
Now that doesn’t mean you eat twinkies and chocolate bars for every meal. However there are diets that include chocolate and even pizza. There are diet food delivery services that will make you gourmet, restaurant-quality meals that taste amazing – but are still low in calories.
No matter what you choose to do, make sure that you feed your emotional need every day for good-tasting food!
#3 Get Moving
No, this is not about exercise. We all know we need to move around more in order to keep the weight off. But this is more about your mental attitude.
See, many of us wish we could lose weight. And maybe we half-heartedly try the latest diet for about a day or two. Maybe we turn down a dessert at a restaurant here or there. But we’re not really taking active steps to lose weight.
There are many reasons for this – maybe we feel bad about diets that failed in the past (note: the diet failed – not you!). Maybe we are beating ourselves up for gaining weight over the holiday season (note: you’re normal – no reason to feel bad, we all indulge. It’s not the end of the world.)
But the outcome of this is that we are scared to really take serious steps to tackle the problem. We get lulled into thinking “If I don’t really try, I can’t really feel bad if I fail.”
But if you are serious about losing weight you must get moving. Try something. Pick a diet, choose a weight loss plan that you get excited about.
I personally like to use a diet meal delivery service every spring to get the winter weight off – it gives me built-in portion control and the meals are delicious. But you may choose to try something else. Whatever it is – do it. Take action steps to put your weight loss plan into place.
Get off the couch and go after your dreams. Nobody is going to do it for you.
So those are 3 simple tips on how to lose weight. If you follow these 3 tips, you won’t be one of those people this year who only “wish” they were slimmer – you will be slimmer, happier and more confident!
About the Author: Vienna Miller writes for
Diet Food Delivery
Reviews – a site giving you the latest tips and reviews on diet services that deliver to your home.
For the top 3 diet meal delivery services rated by price, food taste and fast weight loss results visit Best Diet Meal Delivery
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World Health Organisation: China engaging in bird flu cover up
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Sunday, July 24, 2005
The World Health Organization’s Beijing spokesman has said that the People’s Republic of China has withheld vital information regarding H5N1 outbreaks, a type of bird flu that is infecting animals throughout Asia. The animals most affected by the disease are those among waterfowl and poultry, however in recents months it has infected humans and has also been discovered in tigers as well as swine. The Nation magazine quotes WHO officials as saying that the strain has the potential of causing a human pandemic (global epidemic) resulting in tens of millions of deaths.
The first appearance of this type of flu was in Hong Kong during 1997. As of July 21, 2005, one hundred and nine cases of human infection have been confirmed resulting in fifty five deaths outside of China reports the Centers for Disease Control. China has reported no deaths in the recent outbreaks, leading to speculation of a cover up. The Economist says eleven countries across Asia have been affected, and more than one hundred and twenty million birds have died from infection or been culled. Although this week a case was found in Russia making it the first European country with an infection and twelfth in the world.
Usually these flu viruses are carried worldwide by wild bird populations in their intestines and are non-lethal. However this variant has mutated into the most lethal strain of influenza ever recorded says Mike Davis, author of The Monster at Our Door: The Global Threat of Avian Flu. Such occurrences are natural and have happened in the past as in the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic.
The current virus is morphing into a type that is spread among humans with the first human-to-human cases found in Vietnam during 2005. When avian influenza subtypes adapt for this mode of transmission the effect is deadly for humans as the immune system has no natural immunities for it and the production of appropriate antibodies to fight the infection takes some time.
Further complicating the effort to combat H5N1, it was reported in the Washington Post that the People’s Republic of China has been administering the medication Amantadine to poultry in violation of international livestock regulations that state it is for human use only since the late-1990s (all the time officially denying any cases of bird flu among its poultry); the result has been that the virus is now largely immune to the medication and is significantly deadlier. World Health Organization officials had been preparing to use the drug to fight a future pandemic and now it has been rendered useless.
Chinese government officials have said more than 1,000 migratory birds have been found dead during 2005 and there have been unofficial Internet reports of one hundred and twenty related human fatalities that are strongly denied by Beijing.
China has previously irked international agencies for its handling of public and agricultural health crises, notably the SARS epidemic that began in 2002. China’s health minister was fired after the government acknowledged it had covered up the extent of the SARS outbreak by preventing reports about the illness for months and by minimizing its seriousness says the Washgington Post.
Margaret Chan, WHO director of pandemic influenza preparedness is pressing China to allow laboratories to examine specimens from birds in Qinghai, where the H5N1 virus has killed more than 5,000 birds from five species. Recombinomics has found Chinese message boards indicating part of Qinghai province may be under martial law and quarantine.
Three outbreaks of H5N1 have affected China in recent months but the World Health Organization has not received the information or the virus samples from infected birds that they requested. “It is a matter of urgency,” said Roy Wadia, the WHO’s speaker in China. “We stress that this virus is highly unpredictable and versatile and can change any time. It is highly dangerous.”
