UN Campaigns for World Anti-Trafficking Day

Vienna, MINA – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is again campaigning for World Anti-Trafficking in Persons, Sunday, 30 July 2023, with the theme “Reach every victim of human trafficking, leave no one behind.”

The campaign aims to raise awareness of developments and trends in human trafficking identified by UNODC.

UNODC in its press release on Saturday, called on governments, law enforcement, public services and civil society to step up efforts to strengthen prevention, identify and support victims, and end impunity (impunity).

Global crises, conflicts and climate emergencies increase the risk of trafficking in human beings, says UNODC.

The statement added that socio-economic inequality also affects millions of people worldwide, making them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers.

Those who have no legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, health care or decent work, face discrimination, violence, persecution, or come from marginalized communities which are often the main targets of traffickers.

Globally, national responses to trafficking, particularly in developing countries, appear to be deteriorating.

Detection rates fell by 11% in 2020 and convictions plunged by 27%, reflecting a worldwide slowdown in criminal justice responses to trafficking.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also changed the nature of human trafficking, pushing it further downwards and potentially increasing harm to victims by making the crime less likely to come to the attention of the authorities.

In fact, 41% of victims who managed to escape their ordeal contacted the authorities on their own initiative.

The UN agency also emphasized that countries should step up their efforts to implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, including by strengthening national frameworks for the identification and protection of victims of trafficking. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)