For every 10 people that are trafficked globally, five are adult women and two are girls.
This is according to the 2020 edition of the UNDOCs Trafficking in Humans Report.
Migrants accounted for a significant number of the survivors identified across all regions. Traffickers prey upon marginalized and impoverished people and the UNDOC found that at least half of trafficking survivors were targeted because of economic need.
Children living in poverty are especially vulnerable and in low-income countries, children account for half of all survivors and victims.
On a positive note, the UNDOC noted that the number of people being convicted has more than tripled since 2003. It’s important, however, that the pandemic doesn’t reverse this progress or put more women and children at risk.
“Even as the crisis puts resources under pressure, law enforcement and social protection responses must address trafficking risks. Countering trafficking effectively also requires tackling related forms of transnational organized crime, as well as cybercrime and corruption,” the report stated.
In order to tackle trafficking, governments need to fight poverty, underdevelopment, lack of equal opportunity, and they must raise awareness around trafficking.
“This means investing in people- in education and jobs…an inclusive recovery must create opportunities and give hope to young people and the disadvantaged and tackle the structural inequalities that leave women, children, and marginalized groups vulnerable to human trafficking.”
The UNDOC urged all governments and partners to use the report to include protection and trafficking prevention as a part of the pandemic response and recovery efforts and to leave no one behind.
Albania is a source country for human trafficking and it’s been criticized for its lack of prosecutions, lack of protection for survivors, and failure to seize assets of those involved in it. You can read more of Exit’s coverage on the issue here, here, here and here.
