Country: Mongolia

Committee: International Labour Organization

Topic: Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in the Age of Globalization
Delegate: Alexander Asiamah
As stated by the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1 930 (No. 29), forced or compulsory labour is “ All
work or service which is exacted from any person and for which the person has not offered himself or
herself voluntarily.”
Human trafficking and Forced labour can be largely attributed to Poverty, war or natural disasters. The
victims tend to be migrants, fleeing their homes either because of economic hardship, natural disasters,
conflict or political instability. Demand for cheap labour is greatly responsible for forced labour and
human trafficking. Restaurants and kitchens are common exploiters of human trafficking. There is also
a demand for cheap domestic and agricultural labour. Employees are initially promised a safe work
space and a stead salary only to later find that they are paid less than minimum wage and worked over
time. The victims can rarely protect themselves which results in business owners exploiting them
continually by practicing these illegal norms. In many countries, groups that are vulnerable and
marginalized in society lack institutionalized human rights. Traffickers can prey on these vulnerable
and marginalized groups because of lack of protection by law enforcement, their families, and the
society. Victims of human trafficking can experience devastating psychological effects during and
after the trafficking experience. They end up experiencing depression, memory loss, anxiety, fear,
guilt, shame etc. Victims lack advanced education and the resources needed to live independently.
They may not understand laws in their residing country or are not able to attend school. The
government of Mongolia does not fully meet the minimum standard for the elimination of trafficking;
therefore Mongolia remained on the Tier 2.
The government increased efforts to protect victims, to do this the government maintained a National
Anti-Trafficking Program. However the government redirected portions of the budget used to
implement the program to the pandemic. Mongolia also allowed border authorities to use immigration
software to screen for trafficking indicators among hundreds of Mongolian children travelling
internationally with and without their parent or legal guardians.
It is important to address issues on human trafficking and forced labour because it helps victims who
are ignorant about the issue get to know more and keep other people out of the situation.