of people around the world. It is denied to the child who is working as an indentured labourer in a sweatshop; to the father who must pay a bribe to get medical care for his son or daughter; to the woman who is condemned to a life of forced prostitution. I believe the trafficking of persons, particularly women and children, for forced and exploitative labour, including for sexual exploitation, is one of the most egregious violations of human rights that the United Nations now confronts. It is widespread and growing. It is rooted in social and economic conditions in the countries from which the victims come, facilitated by practices that discriminate against women and driven by cruel indifference to human suffering on the part of those who exploit the services that the victims are forced to provide. The fate of these most vulnerable people in our world is an affront to human dignity and a challenge to every State, every people and every community. I therefore urge the Member States to ratify not only the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, but also the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which can make a real difference in the struggle to eliminate this reprehensible trade in human beings. Criminal groups have wasted no time in embracing today’s globalized economy and the sophisticated technology that goes with it. But our efforts to combat them have remained up to now very fragmented and our weapons almost obsolete. The Convention gives us a new tool to address the scourge of crime as a global problem. With enhanced international cooperation, we can have a real impact on the ability of international criminals to operate successfully and can help citizens everywhere in their often bitter struggle for safety and dignity in their homes and communities. The signing of the Convention in Palermo in December 2000 was a watershed event in the reinforcement of our fight against organized crime. I urge all States to ratify the Convention and the Protocols thereto at the earliest possible date and to bring these instruments into force as a matter of urgency. Kofi A. Annan Secretary-General iv