This factsheet is intended as a quick reference tool to support National Societies to consider how the Covid-19 global pandemic may place communities at increased risk of trafficking, how it may impact trafficked persons and provide advice on practical actions that can be taken to respond and mitigate risks.

The course is structured to move from understanding and knowledge to action, with the vital intermediary stage of planning. It is organized into three textbooks (and a related exercise book): Textbook 1 covers understanding of child trafficking, and aims to cover the main concepts involved so that there is clarity and common understanding but also so that variations (for example national variations in legal definitions) can be shared and considered. It also includes facts and figures designed to give a ‘snapshot’ of child trafficking across the world, and looks at how statistics and data can be gathered and used so that such a snapshot is clear and usable. The final session in this book explores the people involved in anti-trafficking efforts. Once all this is covered, the group is ready to move on to plan effective action. Note that it is important to ensure that there is a smooth transition between this theoretical section and the action-oriented section that follows; the link is through National Action Plans (NAPs), which take all the theory/research/mapping/data and formulate them into a plan for action. It is important, throughout the course, to keep referencing policies and actions within the framework of the NAP (and other equivalent frameworks, including at local, regional and other levels). Textbook 2 will differ according to the course participants but is generally organized around the actions that can be taken by the various groups under four main headings: Broad protection of children/building a protective environment; prevention of the crime of trafficking; law enforcement; and victim assistance. The principal sectoral roles and responsibilities of each group are examined in more detail. For each topic, there is a generic section, followed by ‘GWEN’ – individual notes for Governments, Workers’ organizations, Employers’ organizations and NGOs/international organizations. It is useful, of course, for all participants to consider all the roles, but you will want to concentrate – depending on the participants in the course – on the specifics. For government representatives, for example, there is a focus on policy and action on social issues such as poverty reduction, education and youth employment, as well as important trafficking-specific policy areas like migration, recruitment and labour. For workers’ organizations, the focus is more obviously on workplace actions including monitoring and standards, reporting, combating discrimination and protecting migrant workers. Employers will look at some of these areas too, as well as social auditing, codes of conduct and sectoral agreements. NGOs, international agencies and civil society representatives will focus on their role in influencing and informing policy, and the kinds of direct assistance that can be implemented. Textbook 3 focuses on ‘matters of process’ to underline the message that not only what you do is important, but how you do it. It covers areas such as advocacy and mobilization, working with the media, building partnerships, child participation, monitoring and evaluation, and learning and sharing lessons. Throughout the course, the focus is on child trafficking as a violation of the rights of the child, and a worst form of child labour.

Trafficking in persons constitutes a grave crime against the individual. The absence of comprehensive data presents a major issue, including in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Many cases go unreported as victims are too afraid to testify, cannot escape exploitation, are expelled once identified or do not seek official protection. Trafficking in persons from refugee camps and shelters after disasters is also of concern. Trafficking does not only occur across international boundaries, but also internally.This background note presents an overview of concepts and trends on trafficking in persons in ACP countries. Innovative initiatives taken by ACP countries are highlighted as they provide example of best practices that may be of interest for various stakeholders.

This report, Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict: Global Overview and Implications for the Security Sector, demonstrates the horrifying scope and magnitude of sexual violence in armed conflict. The first part of the report, the Global Overview, profiles documented conflict-related sexual violence in 51 countries – in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East- that have experienced armed conflict over the past twenty years. The second part of the report, entitled Implications for the Security Sector, explores strategies for security and justice actors to prevent and respond to sexual violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. The Global Overview highlights both similarities and differences in the forms and settings of sexual violence in conflict, in the profiles of the perpetrators and their victims, and in the motives for and the consequences of such violence, between and within conflict-affected countries and regions. Conflict-related sexual violence occurs in homes, fields, places of detention, military sites, and camps for refugees and displaced persons. It occurs at the height of armed conflict, during population displacement, and continues after conflict. Although the majority of victims of sexual violence are women and girls, men and boys are also targeted in armed conflict. In many conflicts, indigenous people or people from specific population groups are targeted for sexual violence based upon their ethnicity. Perpetrators of sexual violence in armed conflict include members of official armed and security forces, paramilitary groups, non-state armed groups, humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel, and civilians. Sexual violence during conflict is an act of domination, grounded in a complex web of cultural preconceptions, in particular as regards gender roles. It is used to torture and humiliate people, and to punish or humiliate an enemy group or community. Sexual violence may be encouraged or tolerated within armed groups. In some conflicts, it has been used strategically to advance military objectives, such as the clearing of a civilian population from an area.

This Aide-Memoire serves to generate adequate awareness on sexual exploitation and abuse and the many UN measures against the scourge. Therefore, the objective of this Aide-Memoire is to provide you, the commander, with a quick reference to the UN measures against sexual exploitation and abuse, including clearly defined command responsibilities. The Aide-Memoire complements relevant training guidance prior to and during deployment to UN peacekeeping operations. It is intended for all UN military commanders. Moreover, the document may also be a useful resource to UN military observers as well as other entities committed to service under the UN.

Today, nearly 250 million children are living in countries and areas affected by conflict. An untold number of children are now living in communities besieged by conflict and often cut off from sufficient humanitarian aid. And far too many children have been recruited, forced into, or otherwise used by armed groups. Around the world, millions of children have been scarred physically and psychologically by violence— experiencing horrors no child should ever experience; witnessing events no child should ever see; victimized by the worst of humanity. Each and every one of these children has the right to a childhood — to be safe, to learn, and to grow into adulthood. The right to progress, not only for their sake, but also for the sake of their societies. For children whose rights have been violated with impunity are less likely, as adults, to respect the rights of others. For 20 years, the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict has summoned outrage and compelled action to prevent grave violations against children, working in partnership with governments, NGOs, and UN agencies — and aided by the UN Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism. Our past progress — exemplified by some of the examples in this report — shows what we can do, through common effort — now and in the future. For example, last year alone, almost 10,000 boys and girls were released from armed forces or groups.

Law enforcement officials play a key role in society, serving and protecting the people and upholding the law. That role is valid at all times, including during armed conflicts and other situations of violence. By engaging in dialogue with police and security forces about the law and their operations, the ICRC supports their efforts to incorporate the rules and standards of international law into their procedures. For the past 20 years, the manual "To Serve and to Protect" has provided guidance for that dialogue. This updated version takes that successful endeavour a step further, using recent experience to explain the international rules and standards applicable to the law enforcement function and their practical implications for law enforcement work.

Over the past few decades, the international community has taken progressive steps to put an end to impunity for sexual and gender-based crimes. The Statute of the ICC is the first international instrument expressly to include various forms of sexual and gender-based crimes — including rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilisation, and other forms of sexual violence — as underlying acts of both crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in international and non-international armed conflicts. The Statute also criminalises persecution based on gender as a crime against humanity. Sexual and gender-based crimes may also fall under the Court’s jurisdiction if they constitute acts of genocide or other acts of crimes against humanity or war crimes. The Rules of Procedure and Evidence (Rules) and the Elements consolidate important procedural and evidentiary advancements to protect the interests of victims and enhance the effectiveness of the work of the Court. Recognising the challenges of, and obstacles to, the effective investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender-based crimes, the Office elevated this issue to one of its key strategic goals in its Strategic Plan 2012-2015. The Office has committed to integrating a gender perspective and analysis into all of its work, being innovative in the investigation and prosecution of these crimes, providing adequate training for staff, adopting a victim-responsive approach in its work, and paying special attention to staff interaction with victims and witnesses, and their families and communities. It will increasingly seek opportunities for effective and appropriate consultation with victims’ groups and their representatives to take into account the interests of victims.

The purpose of this guidance note is to provide Humanitarian Coordinators (HCs) with a specific, clear and field-oriented tool to facilitate the integration of human rights into humanitarian action, and to outline the role of the HC in this context. It is hoped that the guidance note will also facilitate and encourage agencies to clarify their role vis-à-vis the integration of the human rights agenda into their activities. The guidance note begins by setting human rights law in context and discusses its relevance to humanitarian action. Subsequent sections provide assistance to HCs for the gathering and assessment of human rights related information and for the application of this information – with particular attention paid to the application of human rights for assistance, protection response and advocacy activities as well as for possible human rights related reporting which might be undertaken. The guidance note concludes with suggestions regarding the forms of human rights partnership and coordination systems which HCs might consider establishing.

While no government has a fully comprehensive response to modern slavery, all countries in the Americas region have either mantained or improved their response. Most notably, the United States has retained its position as demonstrating the strongest response to modern slavery in the region, and the strongest response globally to prevent governments and business from sourcing goods and services linked to modern slavery. The United States is joined by Argentina and Chile, both of wich have made improvements that result in the highest government response ratings in the Americas region of "BBB". Other countries that have improved their response to modern slavery this year include Peru, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama and Bolivia.