4. "especially women and children"
The provision requires States Parties to take measures to alleviate factors
that make persons, especially women and children, vulnerable to trafficking. By
highlighting women and children, the provision is emphasizing women and
children as a population that is of particular concern to the States Parties. The
provision does not exclude other groups of persons, but rather indicates that
there is a particular concern and political will to take measures to alleviate the
factors that make women and children vulnerable to trafficking.
Seeking to discover the ordinary meaning of a treaty provision is the
obvious interpretive starting point. The exercise can seem tedious and
elementary, but in examining the natural and normal meaning of words it is
possible to glean a good deal of information regarding the intention of the States
Parties. "Shall" creates mandatory obligations on the States Parties. This
obligation includes the requirement to coordinate with other countries to
implement measures. The types of measures that must be implemented are those
that alleviate factors such as poverty, underdevelopment and lack of equal
opportunity.