Each day without fail, Loan and four other female acquaintances arrive at the
markets to find employment, hoping to make between VND20,000-30,000 ($1.25-2.00
USD) per day.
Most of the time, this is not the case and Loan and her female friends end up
going home empty handed and dejected.
"We all know that it is not easy to make a living in Hanoi, but we are still
better off in comparison to staying in our village," Loan told Vietnam
Investment Review.
Loan and her friends are one of the lucky few who have avoided the traffickers
and successfully made it to Hanoi safely.
Since arriving in the city from Vu Yen district of Phu Tho province, Loan and
her four friends have managed to find themselves a 15 square metre room which
provides them with cramped living quarters.
They have also worked a variety of jobs since arriving in the city, ranging
from cleaning houses, to toiling as a porter in the Long Bien market. Loan
understands that the employment market is very unstable for her, but
regardless, she still manages to work enough to save VND700,000 a month to send
home to her family.
Under the sponsorship of the United States Embassy in Vietnam, and organised by
the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and
Adolescents (CSAGA), rural laborers were chosen to take part in a project aimed
at raising the awareness of human trafficking.
"In recent years, human trafficking has resulted in dire consequences for its
victims and the community, while also impacting on Vietnam's economical and
political environment," said Nguyen Thi Van Anh, director of CSAGA.
"For what reason are you making the trip to Hanoi? Is it for a better job, more
money and an improved lifestyle? Be aware that there are people out there ready
to exploit you and you will be trafficked," states the project's pamphlet.
It also encourages all rural residents to: "Please be careful and study the
situation thoroughly before coming to Hanoi".
Hanoi is widely regarded as a delivery and holding port for victims of human
trafficking, confining them in deplorable conditions until they are ready to be
transported to the Northern provinces, China and Cambodia.
Van Anh believes that rural labourers are the most vulnerable demographic
because they are illiterate, come from poor families and lack necessary
information on the dangers of human trafficking.
Hanoi is also considered a tempting destination for them as there are numerous
hotels, and restaurants considered ideal hunting grounds for prospective jobs.
In an effort to curb the growing trend, CSAGA provides cautionary information
and consultation services through different channels, such as Radio of Vietnam,
television, print media, websites, loudspeaker and through face-to-face
contact.
"We are focused on providing specific knowledge and experiences that may help
the susceptible individuals avoid the traffickers," said Van Anh . Apart from
directly assisting and consulting with people living in Hanoi, the project also
raises awareness for people contemplating coming to the city to find a job.
"We would like to make sure that everyone knows about human trafficking and
help them avoid any unnecessary situations," she said.
"Parent must think seriously about letting their children make the potentially
perilous trip to Hanoi," she added.
Due to a lack of knowledge, many rural females actually consider trafficking as
a viable solution to a change in lifestyle.
Thankfully the project may help change perceptions such as these, saving many
naive females from a life of misery and hardship.
Figures from CSAGA research reveal that there were 2,458 recorded cases of
human trafficking between 1991 and 2004, and more than 4000 people were accused
of committing the crime during the same period.
These figures are however far from the truth, with untold numbers of cases
going unreported each year.
Increasing rates of human trafficking can be linked to a growth in demand in
the sex industry, as well as growing labor abuses going unchecked in many
countries.
It is also claimed that the growth in human trafficking can be linked to the
illegal drug and weapons trade.
Van Anh expressed her concern over the current situation, saying there were
numerous hurdles to overcome before the situation was resolved.
"We need to contact many relevant bodies and agencies to provide us with help,
and this process is proving to be very slow," she said.
"We need a more flexible and clear system to provide us with improved support
for the victims," she added.
Although the Government has been aware of the problem, there are too many
agencies and authorities involved in attempting to provide a solution,
resulting in victims not knowing who to turn to.
There are at present numerous authorities providing assistance with the
problem, including the women and youth association, legal authorities, police
and border police.
Nguyen Quoc Nam, an expert from the International Emigration Organisation, said
that a network linking all of the authorities was required, along with a
clearer and more detailed policy to aid victims.
"Only by doing this can we help victims return to their normal life," Nam said.
Nguyen Van Gian, deputy tribunal president of the Crime Court under the Hanoi
Court, said that current Vietnamese human trafficking laws command sentences
ranging from two years to 20 years, and the death penalty for trading in
children.
There are instances where relatives of the victim sell the individual to China
for as little as from VND1.4 to 1.5 million.
Last year, a mother was even charged with selling her young daughter to
traffickers, with the courts subsequently sentencing her to 21 years in prison
Unfortunately the fate of the child is still unknown as authorities have yet
locate her whereabouts.
Vietnam's Ministry of Police claim that thousands of women and children are
traded each year, with the majority of victims sent to China, Taiwan, Thailand,
Singapore, South Korea and Cambodia.
Exact figures are not available, but according to statistics released by the
UN's Children Fund, more than 200,000 from the Asian Pacific region were
trafficked last year.
Vietnamese victims are predominately trafficked through Cambodia and China,
with authorities retrieving some 300 women that smugglers attempted to move
across the border to China last year.
UNICEF China and the Chinese Women's Association have figures of their own and
claim that between 10-12,000 Vietnamese women were trafficked into China. One
of the reasons the number is so high is that Vietnam has an extensive border
with China, stretching for more than 3,700 kilometers and making it extremely
hard to patrol.
Vietnam also has six provinces bordering China, including Lao Cai, Ha Giang,
Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Lai Chau, which account for the majority of
trafficking cases annually.
Traffickers generally target young rural women who are unmarried, divorced,
widowed or in an unhappy marriage, with the added advantage being that they are
poorly educated and none of them have access to information on the risks.
