By: Shehneela Mazhar
Dr. Farhan Navid Yousaf, a Fulbright fellow in 2011, has been actively working on the issue of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in Pakistan. He completed his PhD in sociology focusing on TIP and has co-authored two books and several research articles on various aspects of TIP in Pakistan. Dr. Yousaf has been providing services to various organizations as a consultant and trainer, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Government of Pakistan, for the capacity building of relevant stakeholders.
Pakistan has been on the TIP Watch List for many years, and Dr. Yousaf has the strong ambition to play his role to make Pakistan a TIP-free country by complying with international standards. He has been actively engaging in conducting research on the various dimensions of TIP in the local context for a better understanding of the issue and evidence-based interventions.
Dr. Yousaf’s recent project under Alumni Small Grant (ASG) aimed to mobilize youth to fight TIP and produce indigenous knowledge on various dimensions of TIP in Pakistan. To ensure diversity of the audience/beneficiaries, seminars were planned in public sector universities where students come from different socioeconomic, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. Efforts were made to ensure that 50% of the participants were women. Members of PUAN TIP Interest Group and relevant stakeholders were invited as guest speakers to share their knowledge and experiences.
The most significant outcome of this project is enhanced awareness about TIP among youth. Many participants shared that they had witnessed cases of different forms of trafficking in their lives but never realized that it was part of TIP. They were excited and committed to doing research on this issue in their areas. The seminar provided an opportunity for students to come across so many issues associated with trafficking that could be potential research topics for their theses.
Dr. Yousaf believes that collaborative efforts are needed to control TIP in Pakistan. He acknowledges the support and guidance of the U.S. Mission and PUAN in the successful execution of the project activities. The project activities were reported and published by mainstream media and social media of various stakeholders.
Dr. Yousaf’s project has been successful in enhancing awareness about TIP among youth and encouraging them to take action against it. The project has also provided a platform for potential researchers to explore different dimensions of TIP in Pakistan.
