To mark the National Anti-Human Trafficking Day, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on Thursday appealed for the cooperation and support of other countries to fight against human trafficking, which is still prevalent today.

“I appeal to all relevant target countries to participate in monitoring and strengthening preventive measures against human trafficking and cooperating with relevant authorities in order to punish perpetrators who exploit migrant workers,” he said.

He said the government has expanded efforts to educate students and citizens to be vigilant of perpetrators and be informed of the consequences of illegal migration. Authorities at all levels and the media, he said, play a major role in disseminating information about the issue.

Sar Kheng noted the various forms of human traffickings, such as cross-border trafficking rings that force victims into marriage, sex, or slave labour.

Migrant workers are especially targets of forced labour while thousands of victims are sex-trafficked by criminals through online channels in urban and rural areas, he said.

Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said human and sex trafficking is a global issue that is rooted from the lack of access to proper education and employment opportunities, ineffective law enforcement, and increase in traffickers.

“Human trafficking does not only happen through sex and labour exploitation. Other forms of trafficking such as the illicit trade of human organs in the black market and commercial surrogacy also occur,” she said.

She noted that the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) is currently working on establishing measures, conducting investigations, and studying relevant legal regulations to effectively stop the proliferation of such acts.

Sar Kheng urged the NCCT to continue to enact legal measures strictly and promote the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Countering Trafficking in Persons 2019-2023.