New plan to combat human trafficking launched in Brazil

Two men are playing a game, one is looking out the window

The daily life of garimpeiros in the Itaituba public shelter.

Brasilia (Brazil), August 20, 2024 – Human trafficking is an ongoing challenge in Brazil, with forced labor being the most common form. Victims are mainly young men, aged 18 to 29.

Sexual exploitation follows closely behind – the second most widespread form of trafficking. Worryingly, other forms of exploitation are becoming more visible, such as children being trafficked for illegal adoption, often facilitated by advanced digital technologies.

These insights come from the new National Report on Trafficking in Persons, compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The document uses publicly available data to shed light on the current state and recent dynamics of this crime across the country.

Guiding light in the fight against crime

In response to these evolving challenges, Brazil has launched the Fourth National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons, a strategic plan that will guide government actions and policies against this crime over the next four years.

The document sets out 26 priority actions across 107 activities, focusing on areas such as strengthening the response to forced labour and improving intelligence centres dedicated to investigating human trafficking.

“Human trafficking remains a challenge for authorities, either because of its complexity and low visibility, or because of the use of new ways to recruit and exploit victims,” said Ricardo Lewandowski, Brazil’s Minister of Justice and Public Security. “One certainty remains: this is not a crime that can be tackled by states acting alone.”

Collaboration is key

“Fighting human trafficking requires cooperation between government agencies, civil society, academia and international organizations,” Lewandowski added.

This is exactly how the new National Plan came about: with the cooperation of many experts from diverse backgrounds.

“The progress made by the Brazilian government in developing and implementing public policies on human trafficking is remarkable,” said Elena Abbati, Representative of UNODC Brazil, emphasizing UNODC’s commitment to supporting a coordinated response to this crime.