World day Against Trafficking in Persons

Let us not leave any child behind in the fight against Human Trafficking

One of the worst forms of human rights violation or crime is trafficking of human beings.  It is a matter of shame for us that we have seen this worst form of human rights violation in recent years and it is also prevalent in a few places.  Though the situation has improved from the recent past, the fact remains that it has not been completely eliminated.

 We should know that human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception for exploitation. In every region of the world, traffickers exploit vulnerable women, girls, men, and boys of all backgrounds for profit.

The tragedy is that even without knowing, we might have come across its victims. It has been seen that traffickers often use violence, blackmail, emotional manipulation, removal of official documents, fraudulent employment agencies, and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.

We must know that globally, one in three victims of human trafficking is a child, and the majority of these trafficked children are girls. According to the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (GLOTIP) by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), children are twice as likely as adults to face violence during trafficking.

The World Day against Trafficking in Persons is observed on 30th July and this year’s campaign focuses on raising awareness of the causes and vulnerabilities associated with child trafficking. It emphasizes the critical need for dedicated support for child victims of trafficking and urges the public and policymakers to address the current shortcomings and accelerate action to end human trafficking. The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/68/192.

The irony is that the fight against child trafficking has not been effective. There is an urgent need to take comprehensive measures to protect vulnerable groups and help child victims. This requires joint efforts at national and international level. At the present day another challenge is the online issue as human traffickers have become adept at using internet platforms, including social media channels, online marketplace sites, and free-standing web pages to recruit victims and attract clients.

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN in his message on the occasion said that “children account for one-third of trafficking victims, suffering unspeakable abuse – whether they are forced into labour, sold off as brides, recruited as soldiers, or coerced into criminal activities. Rising inequalities and globalization have fuelled complex trafficking networks that challenge traditional legal frameworks, creating new forms of slavery.  Online platforms further expose children to sexual exploitation and gender-based violence and allow traffickers to exploit victims across borders.”

“We must strengthen protection responses – including child-sensitive justice mechanisms, raise awareness, support unaccompanied children on the move, provide care for survivors, and tackle the root causes of exploitation by helping vulnerable families” , he said . He also called upon governments, civil society, and the private sector, including tech companies, to intensify their efforts and collaboration so that no child is victimized and no trafficker goes unpunished.

The Blue Heart Campaign raises awareness around the globe of human trafficking and its impact on people and society. The campaign encourages involvement from governments, civil society, the corporate sector and individuals alike to inspire action and help prevent human trafficking. It is raising awareness of human trafficking also through the stories of the victims and thus trying to prevent further cases and raise funds for victims.

There is no doubt that every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims. Traffickers around the world continue to target women and girls. The vast majority of detected victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and 35 percent of those trafficked for forced labour are female. Conflict further exacerbates vulnerabilities, with armed groups exploiting civilians and traffickers targeting forcibly displaced people.

Trafficking is not only limited to girls or women but men become victims of trafficking too. There are differences between out migration and trafficking but if migration is not taking place properly then there is all possibilities that men or women may become victims of trafficking. Together we can stop these inhuman activities and give justice to them who have become victims of trafficking in the past.

(With direct inputs from UN publication and feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com)