A Mekong Agenda for Action

The young delegates attending the Mekong Youth Forum have a lot to offer politicians and Government officials working to combat trafficking. Some have direct first-hand experience of trafficking and the exploitation and child labour that results. Their close relationship with the various UN and NGO sponsored anti-trafficking projects has given them a unique insight

into counter-trafficking work.  They have worked with and through the following organizations at grass-roots and national levels:

• The International Labour Organization via its anti-trafficking projects active in collaboration with GMS Governments in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam.
• Save the Children via activities in Cambodian, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
• World Vision International through its work in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam

All of the children and youth come from areas where trafficking is an ever-present threat and have participated in national forums on trafficking. Five from each country were selected by their peers at national-level to attend this sub-regional gathering. Collectively, they speak with an authoritative voice. A Mekong Voice.

Through their work at the Mekong Youth Forum, the young delegates will draft a Mekong Youth Agenda for Action on Human Trafficking and offer this set of recommendations to senior Government officials from their countries who are participating in a multi-national initiative to combat trafficking of children in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (via the ‘COMMIT’ process).

Those recommendations will be formally presented to the COMMIT delegates at a Senior Government Officials Meeting in Beijing in December 2007.