Human trafficking is a crime. It is considered to be the third largest and fastest growing criminal activity in the world, after arms and drugs. It is an increasing global scourge affecting all sectors in society. Approximately 2.5 million people are trafficked every year. They are recruited or transferred through some form of coercion or deception and exploited, mainly for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Women and children are the primary targets but men are also trafficked. Each country is affected either as a source, transit or destination or combination of thereof.

The UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (the “Palermo Protocol” of 2000) defines human trafficking as:

[…] the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

This definition is structured around three major elements:

• ACT: Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring and/or receipt of a person.

• MEANS: It can be the threat or use of force, deception, abduction, the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability, or other forms of coercion.

• PURPOSE: The purpose of human trafficking is exploitation, which can include the prostitution of others, forced labor, slavery or servitude.

While we use this definition as the basis of our work, we look at trafficking in a broader context – acknowledging that trafficking can occur on a small scale without organized criminal involvement and that women, children and men can be trafficked within as well as between countries.

Human trafficking is a human rights violation at every stage of the trafficking process. It is a crime against dignity and integrity of person. It may include deprivation of liberty, cruel and degrading treatment, physical and psychological violence, theft of documents and property, sexual abuse, labor violations, deprivation of access to medical care and education among others offences.