CEDAW and Trafficking in the Netherlands

One argument (of many) in favor of CEDAW ratification by the United States is for the educational benefits gleaned from other nations’ successes and failures. As an international convention CEDAW has had concrete impacts in countless countries, and on countless issues.  

One issue directly addressed by the Convention is that of human trafficking: Article 6 states that “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women.” As one of only two human rights treaties to address trafficking 

directly, CEDAW has been used frequently as a catalyst for effective responses to trafficking.

The Netherlands has long been a “destination country” for victims of sex trafficking, most frequently of women from Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. With assistance from the CEDAW Committee, new legislation was constructed and adopted in 2005 that expanded the nation’s definition of trafficking beyond merely sexual exploitation and amplified punishment of traffickers. The Dutch have also implemented a National Human Trafficking Action Plan, a national Human Trafficking Taskforce, and a National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, in addition to a 2006 publicity campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of trafficking. The number of victims, however, has continued to increase (by roughly one hundred people from 2007 to 2008) in addition to wider variance in victims’ source countries; this variance, an increase in women from Hungary, Sierra Leone, and China with a decrease in women from Nigeria, is said to be indicative of the evolution of the international trafficking network.

Despite the fluctuations in statistics, CEDAW has helped to strengthen the Dutch response to trafficking overall and will continue to foster a more holistic approach to the issue.

Post by Hannah.

"Dutch Authorities Register 809 Human Trafficking Victims." Crossroads Magazine. 9 Feb. 2009. Web. <http://crossroadsmag.eu/2009/02/dutch-authorities-register-809-human-trafficking-victims/>.

Warner, Ann. Recognizing Rights, Promoting Progress: The Global Impact of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Rep. International Center for Research on Women, 2010. Print.