Every year, thousands of women are abducted, sold, lured into prostitution, forced marriages and bonded labour. Trafficking turns already poor and vulnerable women into objects for sale. The process of trafficking resembles the old slave trade. Women and girls are sold by their husbands or parents, forced into marriage with a trafficker, abducted from the streets or lured by false promises of well-paid jobs.

Over the last 26 years, successive Pakistani governments have commissioned enquiries into the sexual exploitation of women. However, all governments to date have ignored the recommendations.

ActionAid Pakistan launched their anti-trafficking campaign in 2000, publishing a report in December that charting the alarming rise of trafficking in the country. Currently, ActionAid is putting pressure on the Pakistani government to introduce strict penalties for traffickers, and to establish safe rehabilitation programmes for rescued victims.

ActionAid Asia is promoting a cross-continent alliance, involving global, national and sub-regional networks and political formations to eliminate this modern version of the slave trade.