United Nations States Human Trafficking Helps Spread HIV/AIDS
Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:31 PM
The United Nations has stated that the approximately 300,000 women and children who are trafficked across Asia every year are increasing the spread of HIV/AIDS. There are major human trafficking routes that run between Nepal and India as well as between Thailand and many neighboring countries such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Many of the victims are young teenage girls who are trafficked into prostitution. In the Asia-Pacific region UNAIDS estimates there are 5.4 million people living with HIV, the second largest HIV-positive population in the world. Compiled from: Sirilal, Ranga, “Human Trafficking Helps Spread HIV/AIDS in Asia-UN,” Reuters AlertNet, 22 August 2007.