LAWYERS TACKLING TRAFFICKING
The Hong Kong Federation of Women Lawyers is committed to the struggle for children’s rights and women’s empowerment
The trafficking of children is a painful topic to discuss, yet the United Nations estimates that more than a million children are sold each year, with most of the victims destined for the sex trade.
One village in Cambodia, Svay Pak, not far from the capital, Phnom Penh, is especially notorious for this scourge, but things are slowly changing as the Hong Kong Federation of Women Lawyers, known by its Spanish acronym, FIDA Hong Kong, partners with an NGO fighting human trafficking, Agape International Missions (AIM), to stop this crime against humanity.
Human trafficking, forced prostitution and violence against women and children in Asia, and indeed around the world, is a painful reality, but one that is largely hidden. However, the 2011 film The Pink Room, which features AIM and other groups on the front lines of the battle against the sale of human beings, not only brought awareness to the problem, but also offered hope.
The Emmy Award-winning documentary graphically details the stories of girls in Cambodia kidnapped, tortured, forced into the sex trade and often sold to other countries. Yet The Pink Room is also a tale of redemption, focusing on the experiences of Mien, a woman who survived years of abuse to build a life for herself and speak out on this horrific topic.
Watching the documentary was both unforgettable and heartbreaking, says Sarah Wong, vice president of FIDA Hong Kong and head of legal for Hong Kong at Amundi, an international asset management firm. “I still can’t forget it because it wasn’t just a movie, it was real life. The children had no way to fight back, no choice, no escape and no way to end the horror.
“There was one moment that stunned me, which tugged my heart—if someone of power is ignoring or facilitating the situation, it filters down into everyone’s lives because it kind of gives permission for others to do the same. Crime invites crime and violence incites violence. It reminded me again of the importance of justice, law and order, the protection of children and the voiceless, and the education of future leaders, any of which makes or breaks a country.”
FIDA Hong Kong supports AIM with 12 holistic programmes in Cambodia aimed at stopping the cycle of exploitation by preventing human trafficking in high-risk neighbourhoods, rescuing underage girls and women who have already been trafficked, rehabilitating the survivors of sex
trafficking and reintegrating survivors who have gone through the programmes after rescue.
To date, the combined efforts of the two organisations and support from other beneficiaries have resulted in the rescue of 1,000 children and teenagers. They have also built a safe house for 70 children and in April this year completed the construction of a new school to educate, empower and protect 1,500 students.
“When I first introduced AIM to others,” says Wong, “some people suggested that I contribute to less controversial, less dangerous and less risky philanthropic efforts. That sort of comment only made me appreciate how important organisations like AIM are, how crucial they are to fight the apprehension and taboos that still surround the topic of children trafficking.”
FIDA has a long history of empowering the status of women and children by providing legal aid, legal literacy and education programmes and networking with other non-governmental organisations. Founded in 1944 in Mexico City, the NGO was originally known officially by its Spanish name, Federacion Internacional de Abogadas.
Individual members must be women admitted to the practice of law in their respective countries. Affiliate organisations have been established in 73 countries, including FIDA Hong Kong, which was founded in 1996. Former Hong Kong Bar Association chairperson Jacqueline Leong and former Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung have served as presidents of the local chapter.
FIDA Hong Kong’s mandate extends well beyond support for the rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked children in Cambodia. The organisation provides a wide range of activities, including charitable initiatives, empowerment, mentoring and professional talks, sports, fashion and lifestyle events, musical activities, and family and educational workshops.
For Wong, however, shining a light on human trafficking is of paramount importance. On September 14, FIDA Hong Kong will host a One Moon 2019 charity gala dinner at the Murray, Hong Kong to raise awareness of and support for its victims in Cambodia. “We feel that it is our social responsibility to be a voice for the voiceless. All are welcome to join us,” she says.
More information on FIDA Hong Kong, in support of AIM’S charity dinner on September 14, can be found on women-lawyers.org