SAARC
SAARC CONVENTION ON PREVENTING AND COMBATING
TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOR PROSTITUTION
THE MEMBER STATES OF THE SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION (SAARC),
PARTIES TO THE PRESENT CONVENTION
EMPHASISING that the evil of trafficking in women and children for the purpose of prostitution is
incompatible with the dignity and honour of human beings and is a violation of basic human rights;
RECALLING the decision of the Ninth SAARC Summit (May, 1997) that the feasibility of a regional
Convention to combat the grave crime of trafficking in women and children for prostitution should be explored;
RECALLING ALSO the relevant international legal instruments relating to prevention of trafficking in
women and children, including the Convention for the Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and of the Exploitation
of Prostitution of Others, 1949; Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women,
1979; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966; and the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, 1989;
GIVING due regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the various pertinent International
Bodies and Conferences including the Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing (1995);
NOTING with concern the increasing exploitation by traffickers of women and children from SAARC
countries and their increasing use of these countries as sending, receiving and transit points;
RECOGNISING in this regard the importance of establishing effective regional cooperation for
preventing trafficking for prostitution and for investigation, detection, interdiction, prosecution and punishment
of those responsible for such trafficking;
EMPHASISING the need to strengthen cooperation in providing assistance, rehabilitation and repatriation
to victims of trafficking for prostitution;
HAVE AGREED as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this Convention:
1)
“Child” means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years;
2)
“Prostitution” means the sexual exploitation or abuse of persons for commercial purposes;
3)
“Trafficking” means the moving, selling or buying of women and children for prostitution
within and outside a country for monetary or other considerations with or without the consent
of the person subjected to trafficking;
4)
“Traffickers” means persons, agencies or institutions engaged in any form of trafficking;
5)
“Persons subjected to trafficking” means women and children victimised or forced into
prostitution by the traffickers by deception, threat, coercion, kidnapping, sale, fraudulent
marriage, child marriage, or any other unlawful means;
6)
“Protective home” means a home established or recognised by a Government of a Member
State for the reception, care, treatment and rehabilitation of rescued or arrested persons
subjected to trafficking.
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