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International & Regional Cooperation

Ultimately, going after the extensive criminal networks involved in human trafficking requires transnational efforts. As victims are often shuttled across borders, they also need protection. So, what is being done globally to combat this trade?

There have been major differences within the international community over how “trafficking” should be defined, including debates over differences between commercial prostitution and sex trafficking. (Some think there is a difference and others don’t; see “The Work of NGOs” in this edition.) Some of the debate has also centered on how trafficking in persons is distinct from smuggling of migrants. Despite tough negotiations, the member states of the UN eventually adopted the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. The protocol entered into force in December 2003 and by March 2005 had 80 states parties. The U.S. has signed this document, with ratification expected once Senate hearings can be scheduled.

Because the new UN protocol primarily focuses on law enforcement, some human rights organizations have emphasized that it does not do enough to protect victims or address underlying causes of trafficking. Nonetheless, and especially because it has helped to criminalize the practice of trafficking, adoption of this document was considered by most a key step forward for the international community.

Remaining Gaps

Despite these developments, there is a lot more work to be done. A 2003 report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) notes, for example, “the last decade has seen a tremendous increase both in incidents of trafficking in human beings and in the number of victims, while prosecution of perpetrators remains unsatisfactory and criminal groups have recourse to ever more sophisticated techniques, increasing financial resources and growing networks, and benefit from corruption or lack of awareness of this crime and of its heinous nature among some relevant officials, the media and the public at large.”

The last decade has seen a tremendous increase both in incidents of trafficking in human beings and in the number of victims. - OSCE Report

In fairness, an increasing number of countries have adopted laws over the last several years to criminalize trafficking, but implementing such laws has been much more difficult. Although it is gradually changing in some countries, penalties for human trafficking have been much lower than penalties for trafficking in drugs. The latter may be measured in months whereas the former in years. Law enforcement officials have also found it difficult to prosecute trafficking cases, especially when the disincentives for victims to testify are considered. Historically, victims have been the ones to be interrogated, detained, and deported while the traffickers themselves have received light sentences, or small fines. To date, traffickers have had little incentive to get out of a high-profit, but low-risk enterprise.

Of course, one of the biggest problems is that law enforcement and judicial officials themselves may be complicit in the trafficking trade. Dealing with corruption is an important element of combating the practice. In Bosnia, for example, human rights organizations documented how local police officers visited brothels to get free sexual services in exchange for forging false documents to facilitate trafficking. Because police are often on traffickers’ payrolls, surprise raids are sometimes impossible.

Cooperative Efforts

Many governments have come to appreciate that combining resources, especially at the regional level, can help to combat trafficking. Thirteen countries in Southeast Europe, for example, have come together to form a Regional Center for Combating Trans-Border Crime. Located in Romania, the center has conducted a variety of sweeps against sex traffickers. Also in Europe, the first meeting of a new Alliance against Trafficking in Persons took place in Austria in July 2004. Although this alliance is just getting off the ground, it has brought together the Council of Europe, about a half-dozen UN bodies, the European Police Office (EUROPOL), as well as five non-governmental organizations.

A similar group of institutions in Asia has joined forces under the umbrella of the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region. Launched in 2000, the project is trying, among other tasks, to build a better knowledge base on trafficking and to support interventions. Accomplishments have included establishing a repatriation system between Thailand and Myanmar and initiating a project to trace children who have been trafficked.

In West Africa there are many problems with children being trafficked for domestic service or other forms of child labor. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has responded with a project under implementation in Benin, Togo and Nigeria to assess trends, train criminal justice officials, and return trafficked children. The “fair trade” movement has also helped to ensure that goods for sale have met strict guidelines for ensuring that no forced or illegal child labor has been used in their production. Cooperation among wholesalers, retailers, and producers makes this system work.

Make a Difference: There's a lot you can do to help bring an end to the practice of human trafficking. Check out our Get Involved section.

Speak Up: Have your say about the issues discussed here.

Read more: For a factual overview of human trafficking and more on the work being done to combat the practice by organizations around the world, check out our articles on “Human Trafficking 101” and “The Work of NGOs.” The “From the Frontlines” section offers testimonials and perspctives from those touched by and working on the issue everyday.

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