World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

  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...