Trafficking carries “lower risks” and “high profits” for criminals

                                                                                           Immediate action against trafficking is essential, a crime with few risks for criminals 

 

 The UN Secretary General on Thursday urged states to take urgent measures against human trafficking. In his message for the World Day against this crime, the head of the Organization remarked that children represent a third of the victims affected by this scourge that has tripled in the last 15 years.

 

 “Half of the victims in low-income countries are girls and boys, and most of them are trafficked into forced labor. Across the world, criminals use technology to identify, control and exploit vulnerable people. Children are increasingly targeted by online platforms for sexual exploitation, forced marriage and other forms of abuse, ”he stressed.

 

 António Guterres added a new element to take into account with trafficking: the coronavirus pandemic. The UN head stressed that COVID-19 has pushed up to 124 million people into extreme poverty and that "many millions of them" were exposed to this form of torture.

 

 Trafficking carries “lower risks” and “high profits” for criminals

 

 

Listen to what they did
Don`t listen to what they said.
What was written in blood?
Has been setup in lead…

 

The heart is a drum.
The drum has a snare.
The snare is in the blood.
The blood is in the air.  - James Fenton

 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Minors joined Guterres' message and called on governments to increase their actions against trafficking through an “even more concerted effort to combat it”

 

 . Both highlighted that, despite the progress made over the last 20 years, trafficking in persons, and in particular that of minors, is still a crime that carries "lower risks" and "high profits" for criminals.

 

 

 According to data from data from the IOM and UNICEF, eight out of ten migrant minors traveling along the Central Mediterranean Route to Europe were victims of exploitation, which may include trafficking. Many of the children who take this route are held against their will and forced to work, or are never paid for their work.

 

 On the positive side, they highlighted as progress that most countries currently have or are implementing laws on human trafficking and that significant efforts are being made to capture and prosecute traffickers, together with the broad recognition of rights and needs. of trafficked persons to access adequate protection and assistance. 

 

 Trafficking has a predominantly female face 

 

 For its part, the United Nations in Mexico called for guaranteeing "comprehensive assistance and a rights-based response" that serves to empower survivors, provides them with security and guarantees access to justice.

 

 The UN office in the North American country indicated that the 2020 World Report on Trafficking in Persons from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights that this crime continues to affect mainly women and girls with 65% of the victims identified.

 

 The study also reflects an 8% increase in children detected compared to the previous 2018 report.

 

 Launch of the UNODC Campaign 

 

Coinciding with the celebration of World Day Against Trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has launched a campaign entitled "The voice of the victims leads the way", which aims to highlight the untold stories of victims and their role in the fight against trafficking. 

 

 Office Executive Director Ghada Waly noted that "the voices of victims are critical to preventing trafficking, supporting survivors and bringing perpetrators to justice." She then pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated vulnerability to trafficking and stated that "the collaboration of victims is more important than ever."

 

 The agency helps countries and all stakeholders implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and develop victim-centered approaches.

 

 Through the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, the agency also provides essential support to victims, helping to empower them as part of the response.

 

 Waly called on all member states to support the fund and their involvement to help spread the stories of the victims. Share

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