For many trafficked persons, the physical and psychological aftermath of a trafficking experience can be severe and enduring. Health providers may come into contact with victims of trafficking at different stages of the trafficking process and at different stages of their recovery. For health practitioners, diagnosing and treating trafficked persons can be exceptionally challenging. The informed and attentive health care provider can play an important role in assisting and treating individuals who may have suffered unspeakable and repeated abuse. Caring for Trafficked Persons brings together the collective experience of a broad range of experts from international organizations, universities and civil society in addressing the consequences of human trafficking. Developed with the support of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, and led by IOM and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the handbook gives practical, non-clinical advice to help a concerned health provider understand the phenomenon of human trafficking, recognize some of the associated health problems and consider safe and appropriate approaches to providing healthcare for trafficked persons.

In the framework of the EU action against trafficking in human beings (THB), the project “Towards global EU Action against Trafficking in Human Beings”, which is the subject of this report, facilitated the elaboration and adoption of the Council of Ministers of an Action Oriented Paper (AOP) on the external dimension of EU justice and home affairs policies on trafficking in human beings during the Swedish Presidency (July-December 2009). The AOP provides a consolidated framework for the EU (Member States and European Commission) containing an integrated compendium of external actions as well as cooperation measures on countering-trafficking in human beings and addressing the root causes of human trafficking in the countries of origin.

Migrant workers often experience precarity in their migration journeys, and the state structures and programs designed to ‘protect’ migrants have the potential to increase migrant vulnerability to exploitation; financial exploitation, enduring physical harm, rights abuses or various forms of coercion. The increased use of managed migration programs to control migrant flows have introduced a thriving private sector migration industry which facilitates the employment and migration needs of migrants in sending countries, and caters to government and industry (employer) requirements in receiving countries. Migrant workers can be subject to economic exploitation and even violence at the hands of private intermediaries, employers and government authorities. This vulnerability is exacerbated by migrants’ limited access to information and support networks in countries of destination and insufficient levels of social protection and gaps in the governance frameworks in countries of origin.In addition to these common risks, women migrant workers (WMWs) face gendered and specific forms of exploitation and human rights abuses associated with gender norms and stereotypes. Their labour is highly concentrated in devalued, gendered and often invisible labour sectors that are plagued by labour abuse (including excess hours and poor pay), physical and psychological abuse and sexual violence.

The Republic of Uganda Border and Migration Management Assessment was carried out in 2014 in order to give an overview of the migration management structure of the country. This publication allows the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda and other stakeholders to properly identify development needs and requirements. The assessment focuses on the following key areas of border and migration management: (a) administration; (b) migration regulatory environment; (c) border operations and policies; and (d) information technology management. It gives 38 specific recommendations for the short, medium and long term on how to improve border and migration management in Uganda.

This Guidance Note provides guidance for the mandatory mainstreaming of humanitarian protection principles into IOM’s response to crises. This note is intended to help every IOM staff involved in crisis response to apply these standards in performance of their functions when assessing, designing, developing, endorsing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the following: a) IOM responses to crises and b) projects falling under one or more of the MCOF sectors of assistance. In case an IOM staff member needs to deviate from this Guidance Note, the staff member or Chief of Mission concerned must contact the Department of Operations and Emergencies. It is mandatory for IOM staff members and specifically for Chiefs of Missions to ensure adherence to this guidance note and to follow up with the Department.

This paper is part of the IOM Migration Research Leaders Syndicate’s contribution toward the Global Compact for Migration. It is one of 26 papers that make up a consolidated Syndicate publication, which focuses on proposing ways to address complex and pressing issues in contemporary international migration. The Migration Research Leaders Syndicate, convened as part of IOM’s efforts to extend policy and technical expertise in support of the Global Compact for Migration, comprises senior researchers from diverse geographic, disciplinary and thematic backgrounds. The Syndicate provides a channel for leading experts in migration to propose ideas to meet the ambitious goals outlined in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants of September 2016.

In an effort to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Nigeria on gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, the International Organization for Migration in Nigeria previously developed two training guides for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). As one of a three-part training package, this manual is based on a capacity assessment and consultation conducted with the NPF and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in North-East Nigeria. This manual is practical and operationally oriented and is not designed as a series of lessons or academic treatise, but a practical “how to” guide that integrates and contextualizes training materials, resources, research and best practices developed by other agencies and experts to fit NPF and NSCDC needs in North-East Nigeria.

Although there is consensus among different actors regarding the seriousness and significance of re-trafficking as a problem, there has been very little research conducted into its incidence, cause or consequence. This research paper, funded by United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (G/TIP), aims to address this gap through an exploratory analysis of known re-trafficking cases in the Human Trafficking Database of the International Organization for Migration. It is a rare look at the issue of re-trafficking, drawing upon a regional sample of 79 known cases of re-trafficking in the database. The report examines a number of factors a means to better understand and tackle the issue of re-trafficking. These include the individual characteristics of (re-)trafficking victims, their experiences during and post-exit from trafficking, issues on return to their country of origin, and assistance and reintegration needs. The report findings reveal that many existing reintegration programmes for victims of trafficking are not effectively tackling the economic realities faced by victims post-rescue. Assistance options should be better tailored to address the complex needs of trafficked persons if re-trafficking is to be avoided. The report offers a number of recommendations, concluding that only by finding sustainable ways to challenge the wider economic inequalities, both global and local, can counter-trafficking efforts be truly effective.

Although human trafficking has gathered momentum and several international organizations have developed approaches to address it, the phenomenon remains a serious crime, with grave human rights concerns, that is largely overlooked in crisis situations. In addition, human trafficking is typically not considered a direct consequence of crisis. This misplaced assumption, coupled with the fact that counter-trafficking efforts are not necessarily understood as an immediate life-saver in crisis, often hampers the humanitarian response to human trafficking cases, particularly in terms of identification of and assistance to victims. In reality, as the newly published IOM report Addressing Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Times of Crisis reveals these efforts are a matter of life and livelihood for victims of trafficking and should therefore be considered with as much priority as for any other crisis-affected population and be addressed at the outset of a crisis. The report recommends that human trafficking in times of crisis be urgently included in the humanitarian community, with support from both emergency and development donor communities.

The overall objective of this framework document is to strengthen cooperation between IOM and UNHCR with respect to the identification and protection of victims of trafficking (VoTs). Specifically, the document intends to encourage the development of standard operating procedures between IOM and UNHCR at country level, and suggests a procedure for cooperation to ensure that the available expertise, capacities, and potential of each agency are effectively employed to deliver the best possible protection and assistance for victims of trafficking.The framework document highlights key areas for coordination and cooperation that are global in nature and should be adapted and adjusted to particular regional and national contexts. In particular, the document focuses on two areas where IOM and UNHCR play a key role: the identification of VoTs, the provision of protection and assistance and the promotion of sustainable solutions.