Forum on preventing human trafficking
We held a forum on preventing human trafficking
ANA Holdings, Inc. held an Anti-Trafficking forum on July 19, 2024, in conjunction with the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, with the aim of spreading awareness of the current situation of human trafficking and improving deterrence effects through collaboration among all concerned parties.
As the risk of human trafficking increases amid the recovery of transnational movement of people after the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's forum, the third to be held following 2018 and 2020, was co-hosted by Narita International Airport Corporation and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., with the aim of improving deterrence by promoting initiatives in the airline industry through renewed public-private sector partnership.
More than 200 people participated in the forum online. As seen in some comments made by participants, such that “It was an opportunity for me to see human trafficking as a personal matter,” and “I now understand the need for Japan as a whole to work together,” the forum provided an opportunity for participants involved in the airline industry to deepen their understanding of the importance of cooperation not only among individual companies, but also within the sector and the country as a whole.
Although many people may think that human trafficking takes place in distant places, it is a crime that is said to be spreading rapidly throughtout the world, and that aircraft are often used for trafficking people because it involves travel over long distances where victims cannot escape. Against this background, there are growing expectations for the airline industry to play a role in preventing human trafficking.
In this seminar, the National Police Agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) were invited to speak about the situation and challenges of human trafficking in Japan and overseas.
Also, strengthening cooperation among private companies including airlines was called upon, to establish procedures for reporting victims who are found on board flights (already implemented by ANA), and to distribute pamphlets for victims to report their own trafficking.
The forum featured a keynote speech by a representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency working to combat human trafficking worldwide, on the current state of global human trafficking, and speeches by representatives of the Immigration Services Agency and the National Police Agency on the Japanese government's efforts to combat human trafficking. In addition, a panel discussion was held on the theme of "What the Japanese airline industry can do to prevent human trafficking through public-private sector partnership” with a lively exchange of opinions.
The ANA Group, as an airline company, implements initiatives such as setting up an in-flight reporting system, and conducts internal awareness-raising through training and e-learning to deepen employees' understanding of respect for human rights on a daily basis.
We will increase the "awareness" of each employee about human trafficking to contribute to preventing it. We will also work with various concerned parties to contribute to enhancing deterrence and reducing the risk of airline services being used for crimes such as human trafficking.
By strengthening our efforts in cooperation with all concerned parties, we will further promote the ANA Group's ESG management and also contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, in which the concept of respect for human rights is at the core.
