Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trongsaid on Oct. 22 that efforts from all strata of society are neededto combat crimes related to the trafficking of women and children.

Addressing an online conference in Hanoi to review the implementationof an action programme to prevent and combat human trafficking in the2004-2009 period, Deputy PM Trong asserted that addressing this issueis an important political and socio-economic task for governmentlocalities at all levels.

Deputy PM Trong asked officials to step up the training of humanresources to investigate such crimes, as well as boost vocationaltraining, create more jobs and increase people’s living standard,especially those in remote areas.

He said that further efforts are needed to raise public awareness oflaw as well as the deceptions employed by the traffickers to increasepublic vigilance against the crime.

Speaking at the conference which attracted the participation of stateleaders, local authorities and representatives from 14 ministries andrelevant agencies, international organisations and foreign delegationsin Vietnam, Vice Minister of Public Security Le The Tiem said that overthe past five years since the programme has been deployed nationwide,the country has uncovered 1,586 cases of human trafficking and arrested2,888 suspects, of which 60 percent of cases were related to thetrafficking to China and 11 percent to Cambodia.

Police forces rescued over 1,000 victims and helped nearly 3,000 othersreturn home. Most of the people freed from the traffickers have hadaccess to counselling services and have received a state subsidy tohelp them reintegrate into their community as well as vocationaltraining courses, Vice Minister Tiem added./.