Foundation for women and the activities in 2003.

In the year 2003, FFW has provided assistance to 448 women and 93 children who are under 18 years. The majority are victims of human trafficking of which 147 are foreign women and children. 154 cases (28 per cent) are cases of domestic violence. 81 cases (14.9 per cent) are cases of unwanted pregnancy.

The trafficking cases of Thai women reveals the international trafficking route and countries of destination that include Malaysia, Japan, England, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. Two women went abroad with deception and forced into prostitution. They could not endure the slavery-like condition of overseas forced prostitution and tried to contact their families for help.

217 migrant women and children in the IDC (Immigration Detention Centre) and at work sites have received immediate assistance. There were 98 cases of unpaid/unfair wages, of which 79 were in the IDC, 19 cases were from direct contact. FFW also paid attention to mother and child health, 10 mothers with newborn babies were transferred from the IDC to stay in the government shelters.

Altogether there are 157 women and girls who have been assisted during this period. The sites of providing assistance to them are in the IDC, Kredtakarn shelter and also hotline service. They are women and children of different nationalities. During this period FFW has observed the growing number of Vietnamese women in the IDC. There is a need to find local partner as well as interpreter from Vietnam to facilitate communication with this group. The following tables show the number of women and children and their nationalities.

FFW also organized activities and disseminate information for migrant women and children staying in the IDC and in the government shelters including preparing them to appear in the court. Apart from the assistance, FFW also developed an interview guideline to identify trafficked victims in the IDC. Among the identified victims were children from neighboring countries and women from Uzbekistan. FFW also prepared a report on the situation of Uzbekistan women in Thailand based on the interviews with women in the IDC.

Apart form providing direct services to women and children, FFW also works on the issue of domestic violence. These activities include campaign on marital rape, participating in the drafting of domestic violence act, and review the impact of Vienna + 10 and violence against women in Thailand. A public seminar was held in November to provide information about the Vienna Declaration and the responsibility of the government in combating violence against women. In relation to the problem of child prostitution, FFW received support from the National Research Council to assess the implementation of the Cabinet's policy by responsible governmental agencies. The findings from the study were presented in the national meeting and report was disseminated to the responsible governmental agencies.

FFW also worked with community volunteers and the local administrative organizations to campaign for safe migration. Information kit for the campaign was developed and disseminated in community meetings and seminars to inform potential migrants on safe migration and the danger of being trafficked. The checklists for safe migration are distributed widely by volunteers and were also shared with organizations in Vietnam.

FFW has continued to support the local group in Wang Mai in providing assistance to vulnerable group of tribal children whose parents are migrants and/or drug addicts in order to prevent them from the risk of being trafficked or lured into prostitution. FFW coordinated with the Office of the Social Development and Human Security to provide resources for the Child Center. The Center is under coordination of FFW and the local committee, which comprises of school principle, an officer at the health center, community leaders and members of women's group. The children who stay in the Centre have made progress in school and attend the class regularly.

There is a local effort to find scholarship to children so that they can continue higher education after finishing the primary class.

FFW feels strongly that there is a need to continue a more horizontal approach, which promotes the role of community and participation of affected women/children as well as the civil society in addressing violence against women including trafficking of women and children. There is also a need to continue to promote right-based approach in working on violence against women in order to prevent enforcing stigma and blame the victims attitude. Any initiative should aim at empowering affected women to choose the lives they want to live.

Table 1 Classification of problems and
number of women and children

                                        Number
             Item                      of cases  Percentage  < 18 years

Trafficking in women and children        157         29      70 (12.9%)
Domestic Violence                        154         28.4     2 (0.3%)
Unwanted pregnancy                        81         14.9     5 (0.9%)
Family problems/teenage problem           36         6.6      6 (1.1%)
Health problems                           29         5.3      5 (0.9%)
Information on marry with foreigners      25         4.6          0
Sexual violence                           24         4.4      5 (0.9%)
Jobless/Economic problem                  17         3.1          0
Others                                    18         3.3          0
Total                                    541         100     93 (17.1%)

Table 2: Number of trafficked women and
children assisted by FFW, classified by sources.

                         Migrants                  Thai

   Sources        Age < 18    Age > 18    Age < 18    Age > 18    Total

IDC                  16          49          0           1          66
Hotline               5          19          0           9          33
Ban Kredtakarn       49           9          0           0          58
Total                70          77          0          10         157

Table 2: Number of trafficked women and children
classified by nationalities.

                    Age under   Age above
Nationalities           18          18        Total

Laotian                 58          10          68
Chinese                  0           4           4
Cambodian                0           2           2
Burmese                 11          31          42
Uzbek                    0          23          23
Thai                     0          10          10
Vietnamese               1           7           8
Total                   70          87         157