Counter-Trafficking

IOM's Approach

IOM takes a comprehensive approach to trafficking in persons within the wider context of managing migration. IOM's wide range of activities are implemented in partnership with governmental institutions, NGOs and international organizations. The approach is based on three principles that govern all counter trafficking activities:

  • Respect for human rights
  • Physical, mental and social well-being of the individual and his or her community
  • Sustainability through institutional capacity building of governments and civil society

About Trafficking

Although the global scale of human trafficking is difficult to quantify, as many as 800,000 people may be trafficked across international borders annually, with many more trafficked within the borders of their own countries.

Trafficking of persons shall mean:

"the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat, use of force or other means of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the receiving or giving of payment… to a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation."

(Article 3 of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime)

Organized criminal groups are earning billions of dollars in profits from trafficking and exploiting people, many of whom suffer severe violations to their human rights.

Common abuses experienced by trafficked persons include rape, torture, debt bondage, unlawful confinement, and threats against their family or other persons close to them as well as other forms of physical, sexual and psychological violence.

The demand for cheap labour, sexual services and certain criminal activities are root causes of trafficking. Poverty of opportunity and resources, as well as a lack of social power are other contributing factors.

Our Vision

To fight against exploitation of migrants in all its forms, especially the severe human rights violations suffered by trafficked persons.

Building on our individual commitment and global presence, we strengthen the capacities of our partners in government and civil society and set operational standards to achieve sustainable results that will:

  • provide protection and empower trafficked women,
    men, girls and boys
  • raise awareness and understanding of the issue
  • bring justice to trafficked persons

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been working to counter the trafficking in persons since 1994. In this time, the Organization has implemented almost 500 projects in 85 countries, and has provided assistance to approximately 15,000 trafficked persons. IOM's primary aims are to prevent trafficking in persons, and to protect victims of the trade while offering them options of safe and sustainable reintegration and/or return to their home countries.

IOM conducts both quantitative and qualitative research of human trafficking to better inform its own work and the work of others. Specific areas of focus have included human trafficking routes and trends, the causes and consequences of human trafficking both for the individual trafficked person and for society at large, as well as the structures, motivations, and modus operandi of organized criminal groups. While much of this work has been done at national level, IOM increasingly collects and analyzes data on human trafficking from the regional perspective to better support cooperation between states in combating the cross border trade. The Organization has also done considerable research in the areas of legislation and policy.

Prevention

    Areas in which IOM is currently   implementing counter-trafficking projects (Click the map to view larger version)

As in all things, prevention is better than cure, and IOM carries out information campaigns in both source and destination countries to educate the general public about trafficking in persons, encourage people to report suspected cases, and equip vulnerable populations with the information necessary to  better protect themselves from the recruitment tactics of traffickers. The use of mass media ensures that the information reaches large populations quickly, while IOM also works with small media, such as community theatre, posters, and interpersonal communicative methods, to target particular populations with more sophisticated messages.

Technical Cooperation

IOM's technical cooperation activities build the capacity of both government and civil society institutions to better address the challenges posed by human trafficking. This includes the training of non-governmental organizations and government officials, such as police, technical support in the development of counter-trafficking legislation, policies and procedures, and infrastructural upgrades.

Direct Assistance

IOM offers direct assistance to victims of trafficking in collaboration with its partners. This includes accommodation in places of safety, medical and psychosocial support, skills development and vocational training, reintegration assistance, and the options of voluntary, safe and dignified return to countries of origin, or resettlement to third countries in extreme cases. IOM estimates that as many as one third of trafficked persons are minors, and adheres to a policy of offering specialized protection to this most vulnerable group. All IOM counter-trafficking activities are developed and implemented within a framework centred on the well being of the trafficked person.

Counter Trafficking Module Database

In 2000, IOM developed and implemented a standardized CT data-management tool, the Counter-Trafficking Module (CTM), which is the largest global database with primary data on VoTs.

The CTM facilitates the management of the whole IOM direct assistance, movement and reintegration process through a centrally managed system as well as mapping the victim's trafficking experience. In return, it strengthens the research capacity and understanding of the causes, processes, trends and consequences of trafficking. It serves as a knowledge bank, from which statistics and detailed reports can be drawn, informing research, programme development and policy making on counter trafficking.

In all cases, of course, nothing that could compromise the privacy or identity of trafficked individuals is released: strict controls designed to ensure the confidentiality and security of all data have been established.

Please contact AVRCTMMS@iom.int for more detailed information.