UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged the international community to do more to end the inhumane practice of human trafficking and protect migrants and refugees -- particularly young people, women and children -- from those who attempt to exploit their opportunity for a better future.
In his message to mark the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, which falls on July 30, the secretary-general called upon all nations to recognize their responsibility in combating the global scourge.
"All over the world, tens of millions of people are desperately seeking refuge, many of them far from home and even farther from safety. Migrants and refugees face imposing physical obstacles and bureaucratic barriers. Sadly, they are also vulnerable to human rights violations and exploitation by human traffickers," Ban said.
"We must govern migration in a safe and rights-based way, create sufficient and accessible pathways for the entry of migrants and refugees, and ultimately tackle the root causes of the conflicts -- extreme poverty, environmental degradation and other crises which force people across borders, seas and deserts," he said. (Xinhua)