Women now account for nearly half – 49 percent - of the world’s 183 mn migrant population.

The UN’s 2004 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: Women and International Migration, shows that the proportion of women migrants increased from 46 percent in 1960 to 49 percent by 2000.

In Sri Lanka over half the 208,000 odd Sri Lankans working abroad are women but now Criminal trafficking has become an international concern together with illegal migration.

However, illegal migration or human smuggling works with two-way consent.

People who are trafficked are also for legitimate occupations, but are tricked or forced into prostitution, forced marriage, domestic work, sweatshops and other forms of contemporary slavery, says the UN report.

Last year a country report by the US Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons, said that Sri Lanka is a source country for trafficking women.

Sri Lankan women are trafficked to Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar, mainly as sex workers or for forced labour.

A smaller number of Thai, Chinese and Russian women were also trafficked into the island for the commercial sex trade.

-LBO Newsdesk: LBOEmail@vanguardlanka.com