Human Trafficking in today’s Global Crises

The UN defines human trafficking as follows\: “Trafficking in Persons 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.”
According to International Organization for Migration (IOM) figures, in 2015, seven thousand people fell victim to trafficking and exploitation, 45 percent of these were women and 13 percent children.
Even though most experts believe human trafficking is a gender phenomenon, IOM studies however, indicate that men are as much in danger of being trafficked as much as women. In most trafficking cases, men are forced into unpaid forced labour with violence and abuse.
IOM figures show that 21 million people are victims of forced labour in the world, and traditionally South-Eastern Asian countries are good markets for human traffickers, and up until 2015, the majority of human trafficking originated from this geographical region. This estimate includes victims of human trafficking for foced labour and sexual exploitation.
The human migration by the millions via sea and land, has made income for traffickers much easier, an issue that has caused concern human rights organization in the possible rise of figures.
The expansion of human trafficking has been mentioned in the UN Human Rights Council’s recent report.

Human Rights Council Report
In her recent 14 June report on the situation of human trafficking, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro believes that crisis and war are not the only causes of human trafficking, but they do have a direct role in the increase in migration and subsequent events such as human trafficking. According to Human Rights Council report, the worst form of human trafficking that are as a result of conflicts can be seen in the following categories:
1 – Trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation:
Forms of sexual exploitation in human trafficking include: sexual slavery forced marriage, forced prostitutin and force pregnancies.
1-1 Sexual slavery: “is a sexual abuse which targets defenceless civilians in wars and conflicts”
A clear example of these exploitations is the actions of terror groups in the recent years. Groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram, uses sexual exploitation as a tool for power and spread fear and further than that as a main factor in encouraging their members to fight.
- Pointing out women in the captivity of Boko Haram in Nigeria, and Yezidi women by ISIS, the UN Special Rapporteur said the conditions of these women exceed the subject of human trafficking and are crimes against humanity.
1-2 Force marriage and pregnancy:
Migrants who in their family and clan interactions are forced to marry. These types of marriages are very commonplace to children. A lot of forced marriages are seen among Syrian refugees of girls in return for money.
1-3 Forced prostitution:
Marrying a stranger (man) and subsequently being forced into prostitution is another bitter outcome of migration and war among migrants and refugees.
According to reports on the route of refugees from Africa to Europe that go via Libya, thousands of people have disappeared most of whom have fallen victim to the sexual exploitation of human traffickers.

2 – Trafficking of Children for Military Purposes
In this form of exploitation, boys are abducted from their families for human shields and as well as taking part in battles they are exploited in different ways. In many instances children are used as suicide bombers and or are put to work in bomb making factories and are constantly exposed to dangerous chemicals.
As well as the mentioned problems, girls are used as domestic workers and are further threatened by sexual slavery.

3 – Trafficking in Post-War Conditions
Most societies experience human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation in the post-conflict period.

4 – Other Forms of Human Trafficking, as a Result of Conflict Crisis
4-1 Peacekeeping operations and human trafficking
Unfortunately peacekeeping operations in the recent years have been under accusation of many human rights rapporteurs. In some instances UN peacekeeping troops have been associated to sexual abuse, exploitations and abuse in conflict regions.
According to UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, in countries such as Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Haiti UN peacekeepers have played a role in inhuman acts and responsible in trafficking and exploitation of humans.
In the Central African Republic too, women and girls have been trafficked for the sexual exploitation of peacekeeping forces.
4-2 Human trafficking and organs
Regions that are overshadowed by war, prepare the ideal conditions for the extensive activities of human organ traffickers. In her remarks, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro stresses on evidence that human organ traffickers are active in trafficking organs from Sudan to Egypt, also the trafficking of the organs is widespread among terror groups such as ISIS or Boko Haram.
4-3 Trafficking of migrant workers to conflict zones
Trafficking of migrant workers to conflict zones is something hidden and according to secret deals, aggressing group, through exploitation of people stuck in conflict zones, use them as cooks, domestic workers, construction labourers and etc. women and children are also even more vulnerable.
4-4 Migration and trafficking
The nature of migration alone makes individuals vulnerable and threatened by trafficking. Asylum seekers, refugees, the displaced, during their temporary stay in host countries are accessible baits for traffickers. In view of not receiving the necessary supports, particularly in countries that are not members of the Geneva Convention on Refugees, these groups are helpless against human traffickers.
An example of this can be seen in the problems of the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar. The forced migration of these people to Thailand via fishing boats has turned into slavery in these boats, and created an escalating tragedy. In return for their wages, they force these people into slavery and exploit them, and the Thai government who has not joined the Geneva Convention does not support them.

Conclusion
- Human trafficking in all its forms threatens human identity and human rights. The building of walls, and legislation of strict immigration laws and ignoring human crises cannot prevent the expansion of this terrible phenomenon.
- According to the commitment that States have committed to with regards to human trafficking in accordance with the MDG, the international community requires a special partnership in this regard. This fact is achievable with the access of all groups under threat to universal support and not deeming migrants and suffering groups as criminals by States. Indifference in this regard will result in further tragedies in the not too distant future for Mankind.
- To reduce the human trafficking phenomenon in all its dimensions, further cooperation and interaction is required between the UN and human rights organizations and governments.
- Identification of crisis regions and efforts towards sustainable peace in a planned process can free thousands of humans under threat.
- Special attention to children’s rights in human situations must be top priority.

By: Zahra Mirabian

Source: 

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20235&LangID=E#sthash.3xnbiPPb.dpuf
https://www.iom.int/