U.S. Labor Secretary Addresses Challenges to Combating Human Trafficking at Conference on Trafficking in Persons in North America

Also Cites Progress Made Against This Terrible Form of Modern-Day Slavery

WASHINGTON—Speaking today at the Conference on Trafficking in Persons in North America, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao outlined the international scope of human trafficking and the Department's efforts to combat it.

The evil of trafficking in human beings must be stopped, Chao said. The worldwide incidence of men, women and children being enslaved demands a vigorous and sustained international effort to rescue victims and protect future generations.

U.S. Labor Secretary Chao, a member of the Interagency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons, discussed the department's efforts to curb human trafficking in America and abroad. The U.S. Department of Labor has provided more than $125 million to support international efforts to combat trafficking in persons, and has launched projects to combat this practice in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

It is estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 persons are trafficked across international borders every year, with about 17,500 entering the United States, according to the 2004 Trafficking in Persons Report. The number of people affected increases to two to four million if intra-country trafficking is included, the report states.

The two-day conference, which runs through Tuesday, is part of ongoing cooperative activities between the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States under the North American Agreement of Labor Cooperation (NAALC). This is the first time an NAALC conference has focused on trafficking in persons. Conference participants will examine key factors relating to human trafficking in North America, exchange information on successful anti-trafficking approaches and discuss areas of potential cooperation. Representatives from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Canadian and Mexican governments, employers and workers also will participate in the conference.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.