Human Trafficking:
Human trafficking affects men, women and children in their deepest being. From recruitment to exploitation, trafficked persons lose their identity and desperately struggle against a situation that reduces them into slavery.
What does trafficking in persons mean?
Three main elements are at the core of the definition of human trafficking:
1) The actual act of trafficking, including the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons;
2) Associated acts such as the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of a position of weakness or vulnerability, committed without the free and full consent of the trafficked person;
3) Exploitation , including 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.
It is important to note that if one of the above-mentioned acts has been committed, the victim's consent is irrelevant.
Key figures
- At any point in time, approximately 2.5 million persons are victims of trafficking, at least one third of whom are trafficked for economic purposes other than sexual exploitation
- The estimated annual profits generated by trafficking in forced labourers:
|
Profits per forced labourer in commercial sexual exploitation |
Profits per labourer in other forms of economic exploitation |
Total profits
(million US $) |
Industrialized countries |
67 200 |
30 154 |
15 513 |
Transition countries |
23 500 |
2 353 |
3 422 |
Asia |
10 000 |
412 |
9 704 |
Latin America |
18 200 |
3 570 |
1 348 |
Sub-Saharan Africa |
10 000 |
360 |
159 |
Middle East |
45 000 |
2 340 |
1 508 |
World |
|
|
31 654 |
(Source: 2005 ILO Report An Alliance Against Forced Labor )
Franciscans International's Position
- The fight against human trafficking must be waged in a global and multi-dimensional way.
- Trafficking for economic exploitation deserves as much attention as trafficking for sexual exploitation.
- National legislation in every country must establish human trafficking as a criminal offence.
- States, who have not yet done so, should ratify at the earliest the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women in Children (2000), supplementing the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime .
- Implementing pertinent international instruments is urgent in order to realize the rights and guarantees they contain.
- States' cooperation with the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings is fundamental.
- The interests of trafficked persons must be at the core of all programs aimed at fighting trafficking. Under no circumstances should victims be punished or subjected to discrimination.
- Victim protection should not be linked to a confession required from them by investigators, since fear, distress, and other factors might not always lead victims to cooperate with authorities.
- States should strengthen cooperation, both at the regional and international level, in order to track down traffickers' networks.
- States should introduce legislation that includes extra-territorial provisions so as to facilitate the prosecution of traffickers acting from abroad.
Franciscans International Programme to
Combat Trafficking in Human Beings
Timeline of Accomplishments and Activities
2002
- From June 2002, Franciscans International organises, together with Anti Slavery International (London), workshops for English-speaking grassroots Franciscans on the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation’s mechanisms relating to human trafficking and forced labour.
- From June 2002, Franciscans International and its grassroots Franciscan partners participate at the UN Working Group on Contemporary Form of Slavery, delivering statements and advocating on behalf of victims of human trafficking.
2003
February- March
- Franciscans International organises consultations with diplomats in preparation of the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR), presents written and oral statements to the CHR members, and proposes language for the resolution that reflects Franciscan concerns.
April
- During the 59th session of the CHR, Franciscans International organizes an event in conjunction with the Mission of Germany to the United Nations (UN) and Mission of Poland to the UN about human trafficking issue between the two countries.
- Franciscans International joins the Group of Intergovernmental Organisations on Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants. The “IGO Group” is composed by UN agencies (including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Children’s Fund or “UNICEF”, International Labour Organisation, World Health Organization) and four non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Franciscans International.
August
- During the meeting of the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Franciscans International delivers a statement on the necessity to protect the victims of human trafficking and engages in advocacy on the UN Sub-Commission resolution on contemporary form of slavery.
2004
February - March
- Franciscans International engages in consultations with diplomats in preparation of the CHR, makes proposals in language to meet the “protection purpose,” aimed at helping victims of human trafficking, in the resolution.
March- April
- Franciscans International presents oral and written statements on human trafficking, in particular the nexus between trafficking and migration.
- After two years working on the issue, Franciscans International, working with other organizations, successfully advocates for a new mechanism at the 60th session of the UNCHR. A new position of “UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, especially women and children” is created to investigate and make recommendations to States in other to better tackle the phenomenon.
May
- Franciscans International, together with the Human Rights Institute of Lyon, organizes a colloquium on “The need for a global answer to strengthen the legal protection of the victims of human trafficking”.
June
- Franciscans International organizes a conference on human trafficking in Paris during the “ 1er Salon International des Initiatives de Paix”
August
- Franciscans International delivers a statement at the panel organised by the IGO Group during the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
November
- Franciscans International co-organises with Anti-Slavery International and Trocaire a training workshop on forced labour and trafficking in Lahore, Pakistan for grassroots Franciscans and other religious.
December
- Franciscans International is invited by the Irish government to share its expertise on trafficking in Dublin, before a high-level panel of government officials at the annual Human Rights NGO Forum.
- Franciscans International’s Alessandra Aula publishes “La schiavitù del XXI secolo” (“Slavery in the 21st Century”), a scholarly article in Nuntium, the academic journal of the Pontifical Lateran University Press (No. 24, 2004/3).
2005
April
- Franciscans International presents oral statements on human trafficking and the effective protection of the victims to the CHR and provides input to the UN Special Rapporteur to take into consideration the various dimensions of the trafficking phenomenon, such as sexual and economic exploitation aspects.
June
- Franciscans International organizes its first training session on the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation’s mechanisms relating to human trafficking and forced labour for French-speaking grassroots Franciscans.
August - September
- Franciscans International successfully advocates in obtaining that the UN Special Rappporteur on human trafficking visit Lebanon. Full involvement in the preparation and follow-up of the visit, including the submission of a report prepared jointly with the Franciscan Family of Lebanon.
October
- Franciscans International provides extensive replies to the questionnaire on the issue of demand solicited by the UN Special Rapporteurs on human trafficking and on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Our answers were based on first-hand information collected from Franciscans living in India, Canada, Madagascar, Germany and Italy
2006
February
- Franciscans International is asked to make a series of presentations on its human trafficking program to the members of Franciscan Network and other FI supporters in Cincinnati, USA.
- The Faculty of Law of the University of Cincinnati invites to Franciscans International to deliver a speech addressing the question of human trafficking and offering examples of field work with its grassroots members.
- The Catholic Telegraph (USA) publishes an article highlighting Franciscans International’s efforts in combating human trafficking.
- Human trafficking is singled out as one of the main topics during a workshop on women’s rights organized by Franciscans International for Franciscan sisters in New York.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking publishes her report following her visit to Lebanon. Most of Franciscans International’s recommendations, namely in the areas of (i) national and international cooperation, (ii) legislative reform, (iii) prevention and non-criminal sanctions, (iv) identification, protection and safe repatriation of trafficked persons and (v) prosecution are included in the document.
June
- The ACAT-Fribourg invites Franciscans International to give two presentations to about 350 students on human trafficking and its impact on human dignity.
- During the chapter meeting of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Geneva, Franciscans International is asked to present its program on human trafficking and the existing UN mechanisms on this subject.
July
- The French training session on human trafficking and forced labor will be from this year on dedicated to the memory of Fr. Joseph Legonou OFM, the first Franciscan to publicly intervene at the UN on those issues.
September
- During the Human Rights Council (HRC) session, Franciscans International engages in the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking on topics related to (i) follow-up of her mission to Lebanon; (ii) assessment of the impact of anti-trafficked measures on the human rights of trafficked persons; (iii) legal protections for women migrant workers, particularly domestic workers, and their vulnerability to be trafficked Human Rights Watch co-sponsored our initiative.
November
- In the context of the review of mandates carried out by the HRC, Franciscans International and Anti-Slavery International write a Concept Paper providing arguments to delegations on the case for replacing the Sub-Commission Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery with a HRC Special Rapporteur.
December
- Franciscans International publishes the Guide Anti-Trafficking Law in the United States.
Testimony from the field
- Sr Fatima Mariasusai, FMSM (France)
"For the past 6 months I have met many women and young girls who had been recruited and brought to France from different parts of the world, namely Liberia and Cameroon. The traffickers deceive their victims with promises of employment opportunities and a better status of life. Due to various reasons, particularly to escape their conditions of extreme poverty and to support their family financially, these women have left their respective countries. When they realise that they are caught up in the network of prostitution, some of them try to escape to save their lives and approach organizations who render humanitarian services. Most of them do not possess their documents, which were confiscated, burned or destroyed by the trafficker upon their arrival to their place of work."
In 2006 we are planning
- Specific formation and training for English and French-speaking Franciscans both in Geneva and in the field, on protecting victims of trafficking and using international instruments effectively;
- A handbook on the economic exploitation dimension of human trafficking, which will specifically focus on forced labour;
- To monitor the implementation of recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur after her visit to Lebanon;
- To engage grassroots Franciscans in advocacy at the UN, facilitating their participation in seminars, influencing the drafting of statements, contributing to special procedures and treaty bodies; and
- To consolidate our partnership with Anti-Slavery International and Trocaire.
Resources
How can I help?
- If you live in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe, check whether your government has signed or ratified the Council's Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings , and then join our partner Anti-Slavery International's campaign
- Check if your country has signed or ratified the Palermo Protocol, and if not, write a letter to your authorities to do so.
- Use Franciscans International's Prayer Card for the victims of human trafficking for your personal meditation or jointly with other members of your community
- Inform us of cases of trafficking you become aware of. Contact us for a questionnaire, to help document these cases.
FI Publications
2004 Handbook on Human Trafficking
 FI
Statements, on Human Trafficking, at the United Nations:
Franciscans International, as an NGO with General Consultative
Status with the Economic and Social Council, delivers
official written and oral interventions before United
Nations forums in New York and Geneva, Switzerland. Listed
below are Franciscans International statements on Human
Trafficking:
2005
"Agenda item 4d): Trafficking in persons (economic and sexual exploitation)
." An oral statement presented at the
Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery (30th session) 2005. (2005-06-09)
"Point 4 b) ii) Droit des travailleurs migrants, y compris les travailleurs domestiques (France)." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2005-06-08)
"Summary Report." A written statement presented at the
Commission on Human Rights (61st Session) 2005. (2005-04-22)
"Agenda item 14: Specific groups and individuals - Human Rights of Migrants & Contemporary Forms of Slavery
." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2005-04-12)
"Agenda Item 7: The Right to Development
(oral statement)." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2005-03-22)
2004
"Contemporary Forms of Slavery (oral statement)." An oral statement presented at the
United Nations,
Commission on Human Rights,
60th Session, UN Geneva,
15 March – 23 April 2004, . (2004-04-19)
"FI Position Paper for the Commission on Human Rights." A written statement presented at the
same meeting. (2004-03-26)
"Legislative and administrative challenges in fighting human trafficking in Italy (written statement)." A written statement presented at the
same meeting. (2004-03-26)
"The migration and trafficking nexus
(written statement)." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2004-03-26)
"Oral Intervention for the Commission for Social Development –
on International Migration and Public Sector Effectiveness.
February 3, 2004." An oral statement presented at the
42nd Commission for Social Development. (2004-02-17)
2003
"Summary Report for the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery." A summary of our interventions at the
Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. (2003-10-15)
"Protecting Women Victims of Human Trafficking in Italy." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2003-10-15)
"THE UNITED NATIONS SUB-COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
55th SESSION, GENEVA, 28 JULY – 15 AUGUST 2003." A summary of our interventions at the
UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights. (2003-10-09)
"Item 6: Contemporary forms of slavery - HUMAN TRAFFICKING." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2003-08-08)
"Item 14 (d): Other vulnerable groups and individuals – Contemporary forms of slavery." An oral statement presented at the
UN Commission on Human Rights,
Fifty-ninth Session. (2003-04-17)
"Protecting the Rights of Victims of Human Trafficking." A written statement presented at the
same meeting. (2003-01-15)
2002
"Item 6b: Contemporary forms of slavery." An oral statement presented at the
UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights,
Fifty-fourth session ,
. (2002-08-13)
"Item 14 (d): Other vulnerable groups and individuals – Contemporary forms of slavery." An oral statement presented at the
UN Commission on Human Rights, Fifty-eighth Session. (2002-04-24)
2000
"Item 12: The Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective: Violence Against Women." An oral statement presented at the
UN Commission on Human Rights, Fifty-sixth session. (2000-03-20)
"Item 14: Migrants Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants and Trafficked Women and Children in Europe ." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2000-03-20)
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FI News on Human Trafficking:
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