human trafficking

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-International (CATW) is a non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights by working internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms. Founded in 1988, CATW was the first international non-governmental organization to focus on human trafficking, especially sex trafficking of women and girls. CATW obtained Category II Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1989.

It is a fundamental human right to be free of sexual exploitation in all its forms. Women and girls have the right to sexual integrity and autonomy.
CATW depends on donations and grants to continue its work around the world.
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Ontario To Traffickers: We're Open For Business
Author(s): Norma Ramos, CATW (Oct. 2010)
In commemoration of October 5: International Day of No Prostitution, the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) stands in opposition to the Ontario Superior Court's recent decision which voided Canada's anti-prostitution laws.

Trafficking, Prostitution and the Sex Industry: The Nordic Legal Model
Author(s): Janice Raymond (July 2010)
The Nordic model, which focuses on criminalizing the buyers of women and children in prostitution, has been successful in combating trafficking.

Male Leadership to End Violence Against Women-Jonathon Walton at a recent CATW event
Author(s): CATW (Feb. 2010)
Men must have the political courage to work to end all forms of violence against women, especially the commercial sexual exploitation that is fueling sex trafficking. Male leaders have an enormous task, because their work will be done in a cultural context that has constructed their manhood around the pornification of human sexuality. Click on the link at YouTube to watch an example of this leadership: Jonathan Walton reading his poem, "I'm Sorry Anna Nicole", at a recent CATW event in New York on December 2, 2009.

Fight against the legalization of prostitution in Taiwan
Author(s): CATW (Nov. 2009)
The Garden of Hope Foundation and the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation are fighting against the legalization of prostitution in Taiwan. Decriminalization and legalization of prostitution promotes sex trafficking. State sponsored prostitution sanitizes the reality of prostitution. CATW urges all governments to work for the equality of women not the sexual exploitation of women and that they provide real economic and educational choices. Please click on the link to learn more from our video.

Abolishing Prostitution: The Swedish Solution
Author(s): Rain and Thunder Collective (2008)
Read an interview with Gunilla Ekberg by Rain and Thunder, a grassroots publication created and distributed by a collective of radical feminist women.

Wanted
Author(s): CATW (Nov. 2008)
Click on the link to YouTube and watch "Wanted," a brief video by CATW about sex trafficking.

FOKUS Networking Conference Statement on Trafficking & Prostitution
Author(s): Various (Aug. 2008)
Read the statement by women’s rights organizations from 19 countries across 6 continents who met in South Africa in August 2008. They are working to address the issue of trafficking of women and children and prostitution, including the demand for women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Take Action: Join CATW in Urging HBO to Stop Promoting Sex Trafficking and Prostitution
Author(s): CATW (September 2008)
CATW is calling on the American television network HBO to stop airing shows like Cathouse, which promote sex trafficking and prostitution. Learn more about our campaign and join us by writing HBO in protest (see our sample letter).

JOINT STATEMENT / DECLARACIÓN CONJUNTA - The Vienna Forum Must Deliver More Than Mere Rhetoric / El Foro De Viena Debe Ser Más Que Mera Retórica
Author(s): CATW, Equality Now, European Women's Lobby (Feb. 2008)
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), Equality Now, The European Women’s Lobby, and grassroots groups from around the world, all working to end trafficking in women and girls, are jointly calling on governments to use the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking (13-15 February 2008) organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as a venue to generate significant political will and commit resources to ending the scourge of human trafficking.

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), Equality Now, The European Women’s Lobby y grupos de base alrededor del mundo, todos trabajando para acabar con la trata de mujeres y niñas, hacen conjuntamente un llamado a los gobiernos para hacer del Foro de Viena contra la Trata de Personas (13 – 15 de Febrero de 2008), organizado por la Oficina de Naciones Unidas contra las Drogas y el Delito (UNODC), un punto de encuentro para generar una significativa voluntad política y comprometer recursos para poner fin al azote de la trata de personas.

UN Commission on the Status of Women--Oral Statement on Eradicating Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Author(s): CATW (Feb. 2008)
Commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls of all ages, including prostitution, pornography, the Internet bride industry, and sex tourism, is one of the most devastating, and escalating practices of gender-based violence assaulting the human rights and dignity of women and girls. No society that purports to uphold gender equality should tolerate and accept the sexual commodification of women and girls.