Annotation:
This paper discusses trafficking of women in the Asia Pacific and the potential of CEDAW to reduce trafficking and violence against women in the region. The paper begins with a discussion on the conceptual understanding of trafficking and outlines trafficking patterns in the Asia Pacific. It then examines various facets of trafficking, including human rights, gender, forced labour, migration and poverty. The last section of the paper focuses on CEDAW and the legal obligations of ratified parties to protect women's human rights. The paper concludes that while the UN Trafficking Protocol takes primarily a law enforcement approach, CEDAW is more able to address the underlying causes that perpetuate violence against and trafficking of women. [Descriptors: Migration - Trafficking, International - Asia]