United Nations Radio

Ahead of a panel on human trafficking that will take place at the United Nations Headquarters on Thursday, the UN Human Rights Chief announced the participation of four courageous individuals who have survived the ordeal.

Human trafficking

Navi Pillay says she is honored to have these special guests who have come a long way from different countries.

"Each of their stories is different. Two of them have never told their stories in public before, and they include people who were trafficked for labor exploitation, child sex slavery during the armed conflict, the sex trade, and prostitution."

Pillay says amongst the people coming to share their testimonies is Charlotte Owino from Uganda who was held as a sex slave for eight years in her own country, Nepalese born Budu Gurung who was forced to work in the US military base in Iraq for 15 months, Kika Serpa from Venezuela who was sold into prostitution, and the award winning journalist and recipient of the 2009 Clinton Global Citizen Award, Ruchira Gupta, who went underground to uncover child trafficking.

"I found it absolutely mind-boggling that people like Ruchira and others went into these dens where young children were trafficked in order to rescue them and try to restore them to their parents."

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations Radio
(duration: 1'29")