Actress at UN to Urge Action Against Human Trafficking

Governments must view human trafficking as a security issue because the proceeds are often used to fund violence including terrorism, actress and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Julia Ormond said on Thursday.

"This is billions of dollars that is being created and involves millions of people," Ormond said at a U.N. news conference. "It's happening because there's virtually nothing being done to address demand, and there's a phenomenal, endless supply of vulnerable people."

The 42-year-old British actress spoke after an informal U.N. Security Council discussion on the issue organized by Britain's U.N. Ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry.

Some council member states disagree on whether the 15-member body, which deals with peace and security, should address an issue that many developing countries argue is a humanitarian problem within the competence of the 192-member General Assembly.

"Prostitution rings ... are being run and specifically funding terrorist activities," Ormond said.

She cited the case of a U.S. language school used by human traffickers as a front to procure visas that also helped two of the Sept. 11 hijackers get visas to the United States.

Ormond said Nepalese insurgents trafficked in prostitutes to fund their activities and the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda trafficked in children for use as soldiers and sex slaves.

According to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, the total market value of illicit human trafficking around the world is $32 billion.

Ormond said one common misconception is that all victims were forced into prostitution when in fact industries such as mining and agriculture are involved.

She also said it was also wrong to think that slavery was confined to certain well-documented areas such as Gulf countries where children are forced to be camel jockeys.

She said 300,000 children are trafficked each year within the United States.

Jones Parry called for concerted action by all U.N. agencies, as well as by governments and individuals.