World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

Trafficking in persons has become a cornerstone of organized crime, posing a critical threat to global security, democracy, governance and human rights. Most traffickers operate within structured criminal networks, enabling them to exploit more victims, for extended periods and with greater violence – disproportionality affecting women and children, who frequently endure the most severe forms of abuses. Trafficking in persons and organized crime form a mutually reinforcing cycle that not only threatens global and national security, weakens governance, and undermines human rights but also erodes the rule of law, weakens democracy, and undermines sustainable development. Moreover, it perpetuates structural gender inequalities and fuels gender-based violence and discrimination. In 2016 in the Philippines, Edna Valdez, former domestic worker and current President of Banner Ti La Union, delivers trainings to prospective women migrant workers to help them identify the warning signs and risks...

  Human trafficking no longer hides in the shadows – it operates under a thin disguise, embedded in our economies and daily lives. And it’s growing more organized, more structured, and more ruthless. UNODC data shows that organized criminal networks are behind 74 per cent of detected cases. Traffickers are infiltrating legitimate industries, from agriculture to construction and hospitality, masked by legal contracts and buried in supply chains. Forced labour now accounts for 42 percent of detected trafficking victims, the highest on record. Trafficking for forced criminality is also surging, jumping from 1 per cent a decade ago to 8 per cent today. And traffickers are adapting, using technology and digital platforms to recruit, ensnare, and abuse. From fake job offers to dating apps, women and girls are being lured into online sexual exploitation, while victims are being made to commit cyber-scams and fraud as part of a billion-dollar industry. The exploitation is more systematic t...

Human trafficking is a horrific crime and a gross violation of human rights. It is one of the fastest-growing forms of organized crime – run by ruthless networks that prey on vulnerability and profit from pain. This is a brutal, highly organized enterprise built on deception, coercion and exploitation. And it is evolving rapidly. Criminal groups are operating across borders with alarming speed and sophistication. They exploit legal loopholes, infiltrate legitimate industries and supply chains, take advantage of migration flows, and use technology to recruit, control and abuse – including through online sexual exploitation or forcing victims into cyber-scams. We must respond with unity and urgency. We can do so by breaking the business model that sustains human trafficking – ending impunity, cutting off illicit profits, and strengthening law enforcement and justice systems. Perpetrators must be held accountable. We must also forge strong alliances -- with civil society, and the priv...

Human traffickers have become adept at using internet platforms, including social media channels, online marketplace sites, and free-standing webpages to recruit victims and attract clients. Follow these safety tips to protect yourself and your loved ones against human trafficking.

  Share, like and comment on the social media messages for the World Day #EndHumanTrafficking Donate to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking , which provides on-the-ground assistance and protection to victims of trafficking. Join the Blue Heart Community or see more ideas on how to support the campaign . This animated video focuses on the issue of human trafficking and is part of a teaching guide developed by UNODC’s Education for Justice initiative. It is to be used in schools in conjuction with the teaching guid

  The Blue Heart symbol represents solidarity with the victims and the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell their fellow human beings. Learn more about the   CAMPAIGN

  Human trafficking continues to be a global threat driven by organized crime. More and more victims are being trafficked every year, across greater distances, with greater violence, for longer periods of time and for greater profit. From 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 detected victims globally, which is just the tip of the iceberg. The actual number of unreported cases is believed to be significantly higher.  Organized criminal networks are driving this victimization and exploitation, using migration flows, global supply chains, legal and economic loopholes and digital platforms to facilitate cross-border trafficking on a massive scale. They profit from forced labour, sexual exploitation and coercion into criminal activities, such as online scams and drug smuggling. Despite some progress, criminal justice responses fall short in tackling this rapidly evolving crime. To end human trafficking, law enforcement must enforce strict laws, conduct proactive investigati...

  At the national level, many countries struggle to harmonize disparate data collected from different stakeholders, organizations involved in the counter-trafficking response.   At the same time, contrary to past editions, the extraordinary effort of the UNODC invested in collecting data in the African continent resulted in an unprecedented coverage of the continent and the subsequent analysis assessing root causes, patterns, trends and institutional response. Data is available when national and regional institutions are given the instruments to collect and report, and when durable partnerships with national, regional and international actors are built. Data harmonization can also serve as a powerful tool for combatting trafficking in persons at the international level. When data can be harnessed in an effective, standardized way from a variety of sources, particularly those with more access to the communities affected and more experience and knowledge about the nature of the ...

 Preventing human trafficking may take many forms in the short and long term, with more or less correlated and measurable impact. While awareness-raising initiatives that are context, public and vulnerability specific may have a preventive effect on trafficking, other measures addressing root causes for trafficking in persons , or interventions tailored to sectors that can be breeding grounds for trafficking in persons could also be considered.  In the context of transnational trafficking in persons, considering the increasing push on human mobility from conflicts and climate change, and to reduce risks of trafficking connected with smuggling of migrants, who become more vulnerable to exploitation while on the move, national authorities should consider legal channels for refugee movement and broadening the scope of regular pathways for migrants that foster safe and dignified journeys for people who need to move across borders.   To address the root causes of human mobili...

  While most regions have recorded increasing detections and convictions since 2020, such as Africa where new legislation was enacted, some regions have not yet recovered to their pre-covid levels, including in some middle and high-income countries. These progresses and setbacks may be explained by various factors, ranging from the existence and applicability of anti-trafficking legislation to the complexity of the cases and the ability of criminal justice practitioners to secure convictions on trafficking charges based on solid evidence. The high level of involvement of organized crime groups, some of which are transnational , and emerging forms of trafficking , including for forced criminality conducted online, raise the evidentiary burden. This may add to the challenges already posed by international cooperation, impacting on the quality of the cases prosecuted, in addition to the number of convictions. The international community and national authorities should analyse legislat...

In order to detect trafficking in persons in its various forms and identify victims , the role of a wider range of stakeholders needs to be recognized. This would contribute to supporting the efforts of criminal Justice practitioners in addressing the crime and support in bringing assistance and providing protection to victims. In light of the growing trend of trafficking for forced labour, national authorities should provide labour inspectors and social workers with the tools and indicators to integrate trafficking as a serious threat to workers and refer suspicious cases to the appropriate services.  Civil society organizations, NGOs and communities usually have privileged access to the population, especially the most vulnerable, and can play a pivotal role in building relationships with trafficking victims to support their difficult and often non-linear journey's out of trafficking.  National authorities should protect and support their role, and put in place safeguards for...

 For many years, the sexual exploitation of women was identified as the main form of trafficking in persons. This has changed considerably over the years. Trafficking for forced labour is now widely reported and is the main form of trafficking in man\ regions as well as globally, affecting male and female, child and adult victims, Trafficking for forced criminality including in the emerging form of online scams, ranks third in terms of number of victims detected. The way cases are handled by the criminal justice systems does not seem to reflect this development, as traffickers involved in sexual exploitation still disproportionately represent the largest share of convictions.There is a need to broaden the perspective and assist national institutions in developing a more comprehensive understanding of trafficking in all its forms to address all types of exploitation and identify all victims . The international community and national authorities need to conceptualize and desig...

As children are increasingly detected among victims of trafficking, national authorities should ensure that child protection services, including care facilities, are sensitized and equipped to detect and refer cases of child exploitation and pay particular attention to children’s vulnerabilities to being trafficked. As the link between child labour and harmful practices such as forced and earl\ marriage that lead to trafficking in children is increasingly established, the international community should reinvigorate campaigns to end child labour in all its forms (SDG 8.7) and to eliminate child, early and forced marriage (SDG 5.3) as well as support the adoption of national legal frameworks to address these issues. Trafficking of girls for the purpose of sexual exploitation is recording an alarming increase in many regions of the world. The international community and national authorities should increase efforts to prevent this form of trafficking, to ensure victim-centred and trauma...

This side event of the 2025 High Level Political Forum will bring together multi-sector experts for a high-level panel discussion on modern slavery and human trafficking. The event will also provide a platform for industry professionals, civil society organizations, survivor advocates, and financial sector actors to explore their roles in leveraging financial and digital innovation to help close the investment gap in addressing modern slavery and human trafficking. Watch the Innovative Digital and Sustainable Finance For Preventing and Addressing Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (HLPF 2025 Side Event)! Side Events