PART 2.2 comment No. 6, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted that: Trafficking of such a child, or “re-trafficking” in cases where a child was already a victim of trafficking, is one of many dangers faced by unaccompanied or separated children. Trafficking in children is a threat to the fulfilment of their right to life, survival and development (para. 52). In the same paragraph, in accordance with article 35 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee has called upon States parties to take appropriate measures to prevent such trafficking including: identifying unaccompanied and separated children; regularly inquiring as to their whereabouts; appointing guardians; and conducting information campaigns that are age-appropriate, gender-sensitive and in a language and medium that is understandable to the child. The Committee has also noted a need for adequate legislation and effective enforcement mechanisms with respect to labour regulations and the crossing of borders. 5.6. ADDRESSING INCREASES IN VULNERABILITY IN CONFLICT AND POST-CONFLICT SITUATIONS Trafficking is a feature of armed conflict as well as of post-conflict situations.228 During conflict, individuals may be abducted or otherwise trafficked by military or armed groups in order to provide labour or military or sexual services. Even after the cessation of hostilities, civilian populations may be under extreme economic or other pressure to move, and are therefore particularly vulnerable to threats, coercion and deception. Wars and post-war economies are often built on criminal activities, which can quickly be expanded to include trafficking. Weak or dysfunctional criminal justice systems ensure that traffickers and their accomplices can operate with impunity. Violent and lawless war zones often become source, transit or destination points for victims of trafficking. The presence of international military or peacekeeping forces can present an additional threat of trafficking and related exploitation, with women and girls being at particular risk. Trafficking during and after armed conflict usually has a very strong gender dimension. Where men and boys are trafficked, this is almost always for the purpose of supplying combatants to supplement fighting forces. Women and children are trafficked for a range of purposes including forced labour for armies and armed groups. Sexual exploitation is invariably a part of their exploitation. Such exploitation can include sexual servitude or enslavement as well as military prostitution and forced pregnancy.229 The factors that create or increase vulnerability to such trafficking are also highly gendered. Armed conflict destroys communities as a traditional means of support. During and after (Footnote 227 continued) both parents, or from their previous legal or customary primary caregiver, but not necessarily from other relatives. These may, therefore, include children accompanied by other adult family members”: general comment No. 6: Treatment of unaccompanied or separated children outside their country of origin, paras. 7-8. This aspect of trafficking has recently been recognized by the General Assembly, which has called upon 228 114 “Governments, the international community and all other organizations and entities that deal with conflict and post-conflict, disaster and other emergency situations to address the heightened vulnerability of women and girls to trafficking and exploitation, and associated gender-based violence” (General Assembly resolution 63/156, para. 4). 229 A/61/122/Add.1, para. 143. RECOMMENDED PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING