Women and girls continue to make up the majority, or 61 percent, of victims identified globally. UN report: Poverty, conflict, climate crisis driving up numbers of human trafficking victims Human Rights
The number of victims of human trafficking worldwide is rising again after a temporary dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said. A new report covering data from 156 countries highlights alarming trends.
According to the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, the number of victims increased by 25 percent between 2019 and 2022. The main reasons are poverty, armed conflict and the climate crisis, which make people vulnerable to criminals. The increase in cases of child exploitation and forced labor is particularly noted.
“Criminals are increasingly using people for forced labour, including to engage in sophisticated online fraud and cybercrime. At the same time, women and girls face the threat of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. – We need to strengthen prosecution measures to hold those leading criminal networks accountable, coordinate efforts across borders to rescue victims, and provide support to survivors.”
Child Trafficking
The number of child victims of human trafficking increased by 31 percent in 2022 compared to 2019, and for girls, the figure increased by 38 percent.
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Where there are more children separated from their parents or left without adult supervision, boys are more likely to fall into the hands of traffickers.
Child trafficking is also on the rise in high-income countries, where girls are most often subjected to sexual exploitation.
Female Victims
The study found that women and girls still make up the majority, or 61 per cent, of victims identified globally. Most girls – 60 per cent – are lured into traffickers’ webs for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Among boys, 45 per cent are subjected to forced labour and 47 per cent are subjected to other forms of exploitation, including criminal activity and begging.
Trafficking into criminal activity, including online fraud, was the third most common form of exploitation identified. This figure has increased from one percent in 2016 to eight percent in 2022.
Regional Trends
The report shows that the dynamics of human trafficking vary by region. While North America, Western Europe and sub-Saharan Africa have seen a significant increase in detected cases, regions such as South America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia are still reporting levels not below pre-pandemic levels.
Africa is often ignored in human trafficking research due to difficulties in collecting data. UNODC has made significant efforts to obtain information from all regions of the continent. In most African countries, child trafficking is detected more frequently than adult trafficking, especially for forced labour, sexual exploitation and begging.