Global coalition demands greater efforts to end child trafficking as new trends emerge

The Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) has issued a warning about the growing crisis of child trafficking.

The statement stresses the urgency of addressing child trafficking. Child trafficking is one of the most serious violations of children’s rights and a serious form of violence that is disturbingly persistent and developing on a global scale.

Child trafficking occurs all over the world. According to reports, one in three victims of human trafficking is a child.

Despite advances in policy and practice, efforts to combat this crime remain insufficient. Girls are primarily trafficked for sexual exploitation, while boys are more often subjected to forced labor.

More than half of these children are trafficked within their own countries, demonstrating that the threat extends beyond international borders and into local communities.

ICAT’s statement highlights disturbing new trends in child trafficking, including exploitation for criminal activities, forced begging and online sexual exploitation.

“These challenges are exacerbated by poverty, lack of education and limited economic opportunities, with social and cultural factors such as discrimination and gender inequality increasing vulnerability. Crises such as conflict, climate change and large-scale displacement further increase these risks, particularly for migrant, refugee and stateless children,” the statement said.

ICAT further outlined three critical priorities to address the escalating problem. These are: strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships, improving cooperation and coordination on the ground to enhance anti-trafficking responses.

These priorities reflect ICAT’s commitment to a comprehensive and coordinated strategy, with an emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable populations, including children.

The coalition stresses that specific measures are needed to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking, support victims and hold traffickers accountable.

ICAT, a United Nations policy forum established by General Assembly resolution 61/180, will be led in 2024 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC), with continued coordination by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The coalition calls for global commitments to be translated into concrete actions that protect and restore the rights and dignity of every child, ensuring that no child is left behind in the fight against human trafficking.

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