Trafficking in human beings covers various forms of coercion and exploitation of women, men and children. Responses to trafficking have traditionally focused on combating the criminal networks involved in trafficking as well as protecting the human rights of victims. However, European countries are increasingly exploring ways to influence the demand for services or products involving the use of trafficked persons or for the trafficked persons themselves. DemandAT aims to understand the role of demand in the trafficking of human beings and to assess the impact and potential of demand-side measures to reduce trafficking, drawing on insights from related areas on regulating demand. DemandAT takes a comprehensive approach to investigating demand and demand-side policies in the context of trafficking. The research includes a strong theoretical and conceptual component through an examination of the concept of demand in trafficking from a historical and economic perspective. Regulatory approaches are studied in policy areas that address demand in illicit markets, to develop a better understanding of the impact that the different regulatory approaches can have on demand. Demand-side arguments in different fields of trafficking as well as demand-side policies of selected countries are examined, to provide a better understanding of the available policy options and impacts. Finally, the research also involves in-depth case studies both of the particular fields in which trafficking occurs (domestic work, prostitution, the globalised production of goods) and of particular policy approaches (law enforcement and campaigns). The overall goal is to develop a better understanding of demand and demand-factors in the context of designing measures and policies addressing all forms of trafficking in human beings.

Trafficking in human beings (THB), as a transnational crime, involves movement of people across borders. In this regard, border control authorities are expected to play an important role in preventing and curbing this phenomenon. Border guards are identified as key actors in fight against trafficking in human beings both in the new Directive 2011/36/EU and the associated EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings. The role of border guards in combating trafficking, is largely seen as in the role of “first responder” as part of the National Referral Mechanisms in identification of victims of trafficking, as well as for the identification and apprehension of traffickers within border control procedures. The growing commitment on the EU policy level for prevention of, and fighting against, trafficking of human beings, has also led to recognition of the issue as an important priority to border control authorities of all Member States as well. The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) has already recognised THB as one of its priorities and has developed a training manual for border guards related to THB and a handbook for Border Control Authorities on good practices to counter THB. This paper Human Trafficking, Border Security and Related Corruption in the EU, by Atanas Rusev of the Center for Study of Democracy in Bulgaria, investigates the much under-researched aspect of corruption and human trafficking. Rusev explores this topic vis-à -vis border authorities and connected corruption to facilitate, inter alia, THB and how this corruption can be related to the corporate sector and enter into the highest political spheres

This article addresses sex trafficking committed by the terrorist group Da’esh in the Syrian Arab Republic and its neighboring Republic of Iraq. It proposes primarily that sex trafficking perpetrated by Da’esh falls into at least two unique categories of trafficking — “combat trafficking” and “institutional trafficking” — that require markedly different legal responses in order to ensure accountability and justice. The article outlines the divergent factual patterns and characteristics of each form of trafficking, exploring how “combat trafficking” occurs through the active invasion of territory, whereby Da’esh forcibly captures women and girls and subjects them to sexual slavery, and how “institutional trafficking” occurs outside the active conflict, whereby Da’esh recruits women and girls to join the group and subjects them to forced marriage and domestic servitude. It discusses how institutional trafficking has been largely overlooked in discussions of accountability for Da'esh's trafficking crimes. This article then argues for accountability for institutional trafficking under the international system of Transnational Criminal Law (“TCL”). It delineates how the crime of trafficking has been interpreted and defined to date within this system and how that definition applies to Da’esh’s acts of institutional trafficking. It explains how TCL is best suited to addressing this form of trafficking. The article then argues that full accountability for perpetrators of this form of trafficking is two-fold, requiring recognition of the crime and enforcement of the criminalization of it.

Child trafficking, under the guise of intercountry adoption, is a form of human trafficking that is often misunderstood by policy makers, governments, the media, and nongovernmental organizations. The aim of this analysis is to bring awareness and attention to child trafficking disguised as inter-country adoption, to provide an analysis of current policies that address human trafficking and inter-country adoption, and to suggest that in order to support more ethical child welfare practices, social workers and NASW, in particular, should take a more aggressive role in the development of sound approaches to international child welfare and the protection of children, especially during humani-tarian emergencies. We use the 2010 abduction attempt of Haitian children by American missionaries as a case to demonstrate how existing policies are insufficient to provide protection to victims and to prosecute perpetrators of this form of child trafficking. We conduct an analysis of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and provide an application of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.

While the effect of humanitarian intervention on the recurrence and intensity of armed conflict in a crisis zone has received significant scholarly attention, there has been comparatively less work on the negative externalities of introducing peacekeeping forces into conflict regions. This article demonstrates that large foreign forces create one such externality, namely a previously non-existent demand for human trafficking. Using Kosovo, Haiti, and Sierra Leone as case studies, we suggest that the injection of comparatively wealthy soldiers incentivizes the creation of criminal networks by illicit actors. We theorize further that the magnitude of increase in trafficking should be directly proportional to the size of the foreign force, with larger forces producing larger increases. We find that both hypotheses hold with varying levels of confidence across our three case studies. Despite the benevolent intent of peacekeeping missions, the possibility that they may contribute to human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation runs counter to the spirit of such interventions. This is especially problematic given that trafficking rings, once established, may be adapted to provide weapons and narcotics, thereby planting the seed of further destabilization.

African and EU leaders adopted a political declaration and a common action plan at the Valletta Summit on migration, in Malta, 12-15 November 2015.

The Rome Declaration, adopted at the Ministerial Conference in Rome in 2014, is the key strategic document of the Khartoum Process whereby its members agreed to assist participating states in tackling human trafficking and smuggling between the Horn of Africa and Europe.

For some years now, one of the concerted efforts of GAATW has been to put together a document that will clearly spell out the human rights of trafficked persons. The idea for such a document arose out of a discussion during the International Workshop on Migration and Traffic in Women in October 1994, organised by the Foundation for Women (FFW) in Thailand. NGOs and activists from different parts of the world present at the workshop felt that if a comprehensive document can be prepared it will be easier for its inclusion into the legal procedure. Subsequently a number of people contributed their expertise and time for the production of Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Trafficked Persons (SMR). Last November we revised the document and called it the Human Rights Standards for the Treatment of Trafficked Persons (HRS). The HRS includes an all-encompassing definition of trafficking, and a set of state responsibilities which ensures that trafficked persons are protected and their rights are promoted under human rights law. These responsibilities contain measures to provide trafficked persons with access to justice, private actions and reparations, access to the right to seek asylum, access to health and other services, and help with repatriation and reintegration in their home countries. This comprehensive document aims to promote respect for the human rights of individuals who have been victims of trafficking, including those who have been subjected to involuntary labour and/or slavery-like practices. The Human Rights Standards for the Treatment of Trafficked Persons (HRS) can be used as a guide in providing assistance to women and taking legal action against traffickers.

En los últimos años el territorio colombiano se ha visto afectado por múltiples fenómenos delincuenciales de carácter transnacional como el narcotráfico, el tráfico de armas, la trata de personas y el tráfico ilícito de migrantes, los cuales son detectados permanentemente por las autoridades colombianas en desarrollo de las actividades de control en escenarios fronterizos terrestres, puertos marítimos y fluviales y aeropuertos internacionales, entre otros lugares. El tratamiento integral a los delitos exige altos niveles de cooperación en ámbitos locales e internacionales, involucrando el intercambio de experiencias, información y mejores prácticas de los países que se ven afectados como territorios de origen, tránsito o destino, en desarrollo de estos fenómenos delictivos.

“Leveraging innovation to fight trafficking in human beings: A comprehensive analysis of technology tools” is a ground-breaking effort to take stock of the current landscape of technology tools used to combat THB, within and outside the OSCE region, including their source, purpose and audience. We believe this will aid anti-THB stakeholders by helping OSCE participating States to engage with technology strategically and by raising awareness about tools to help their work and inspiring them to pursue future innovation.This publication represents the first time the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR-CTHB) has partnered with a private sector initiative to conduct research on a topic related to combating THB. The partnership has benefited both the OSCE and Tech Against Trafficking, which have mutually enjoyed and leveraged their knowledge and expertise in order to multiply their efforts to tackle THB. This collaborative approach should be encouraged and adopted by other organizations, especially in the field of technology to combat human trafficking, where knowledge and expertise is spread across sectors. Trafficking in human beings is a crime with implications that affect all of society, including the public and private sectors, and civil society. In recognition of the expansive impact of trafficking, this publication is intended for use by a wide range of stakeholders including law enforcement, policymakers, public service providers, NGOs, private sector companies, survivors’ communities and the general public. It provides information about different technical solutions which can be used by stakeholders in a variety of situations to combat human trafficking. For example, law enforcement can learn about tech tools that can assist in identifying victims and traffickers. Policymakers can learn about what data aggregation and analysis technologies are used to analyse human trafficking marketplaces and the impact of legislation. Survivors can acquire information about tools to seek support and gain access to services.