Human Trafficking

Institutional organized events on human rights and fights against international criminality have led to an increased focus on the issues surrounding human trafficking. The 2008 Vienna Forum generated significant discussions and frameworks of action to tackle this growing phenomenon. Recognizing it as a global problem, the United Nations had previously developed a Protocol meant to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, noting that special categories, such as children and women, are more likely to become victims and need special protection. Under this Act, human trafficking is defined as incorporating all manner of the use of force, coercion, abduction, incentives, and/or misrepresentation that would convince someone to submit himself or herself to the recruitment, transport, transfer, procurement, and receipt by another person for exploitation purposes. It is important to emphasize that the acts of gathering people for such purposes could be done by committing acts of violence against them or by altering their mental state so that they agree to do something that they would not have agreed to if not for the external coercive influence. These actions, which constitute criminal acts and violations of fundamental human rights, facilitate the victims’ exploitation in the form of sexual favors, prostitution, commoditization, enslavement, and the harvesting of their organs for illegal sale.